The new Idaho civics exam for all high school students must cover separation of powers, how a bill becomes a law, popular sovereignty, the Electoral College, Roman republicanism, the Declaration of Independence, and more.
Committees of educators, policy experts, and administrators at the Idaho Department of Education (IDE) have spent months developing the new test, which is slated for presentation to the State Board of Education at its April board meeting.
All Idaho students will take the civics test before graduation, which will be reflected on their transcripts starting in the 2026-2027 school year. They may retake the exam as many times as necessary, and accommodations will be provided to students who need them.
In the 2025 legislative session, the Legislature passed House Bill 397 nearly unanimously, which updated Idaho’s civics exam from a variation of the 100-question civics test used for citizen naturalization.
Sponsoring Rep. Tony Wisniewski said when he proposed the bill that the current test is “of a trivial nature, pretty much like ‘Jeopardy.’” The new bill outlines a list of things that, according to Wisniewski, are “more pertinent to the government and civics.”
The bill includes a list of 11 topics with multiple subtopics that must be covered by the test, including principles related to local, state, and federal government.
According to IDE Chief of Staff Greg Wilson, the test will have around 50 questions that are more challenging than those on the current naturalization test, which often asks memorization-based questions like, “How many amendments does the Constitution have?”
Wilson says the committee has spent time discussing “the right balance between [the number of] multiple choice and short answer questions,” while taking into consideration the added time and complexity of grading written work.
Dr. Scott Thunstrom, Content Curriculum Director for IDE, emphasized that teachers will be provided guidance packets and clear instructions and support when it comes time to implement the test.
The exam will likely be given as part of a student’s U.S. Government course, though details on when to give the exam are forthcoming.
This test is part of a broader effort to increase civics knowledge in the state. Representatives recently introduced a bill to the Idaho legislature that would include civics instruction in state law.
Last year, IDE announced a new elective history class called “Foundations of Western Civilization,” which will center on historical events connected to America’s founding in areas like Greece and Rome. In 2024, the legislature published Senate Concurrent Resolution 116, which calls for history courses that “align with our Idaho values of embracing patriotism and pride about the success of this great country.”
