Students Prep for Wisconsin’s First Civic Exam

Do you know who the current Speaker of the House of Representatives is? Or who acts in the place of the President and the Vice President if they can no longer serve? What about how many voting members the House of Representatives has?

Until recently, not many Arrowhead students would be able to answer these questions so easily. But as of 2015, a Wisconsin law required students to pass a civics test in order to graduate from high school.

This test is similar to the test given to immigrants applying for U.S. naturalization citizenship. The naturalization test is in place so new citizens will have knowledge of the governmental process.

While the law is currently only applicable to eight states — Arizona, Idaho, Louisiana, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin — the Joe Foss Institute, an Arizona nonprofit organization, hopes to make this a nationwide requirement by 2017.

Arrowhead High School gave this state required test Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 during first hour.

Because this 100 question test is required for graduation, beginning with the class of 2017, all freshmen, sophomores, and juniors were required to attend. Any juniors who had FSO, the flexible scheduling option, whom normally arrive at school later in the day, were required to arrive by 7:30 at the North Campus commons.

Once the exam was complete, the school day continued as usual at 9:00 with classes beginning at 9:10.

As Wednesdays at Arrowhead are usually short days, releasing students twenty minutes earlier than other weekdays, this means February third was especially abbreviated with the late start, making classes only twenty-eight minutes long.

Of course, the class of 2016 did not take the assessment–becoming possibly the last class in Wisconsin history to be exempt from it. But that doesn’t mean they’re completely off the hook.

Administrators took the late start opportunity to schedule a senior class photo while lower classmen took the Civics Test. Seniors arrived at 8:45 am and entered through door 15, going directly through directly to the East gym.

Meanwhile, this Class of 2016 exemption is still a relief for some Arrowhead seniors.

Grace Kust said, “I’m hugely relieved, especially when it comes to [questions that would have me] remember the names of representatives.”

“I’m relieved just because I’m honestly not sure I would have passed,” said Olivia Van Airsdale, also a senior. “I do think that the test is full of knowledge that everyone should know, but I’m really glad that I don’t have to take it.”

For most examinations, a 70 or higher out of 100 is considered a passing grade. But on the Civics exam, they considered a 60 out of 100 a pass. However Arrowhead asked students to spend quality time reviewing and preparing for the exam, encouraging students to try to get the best score possibly instead of the minimum 60% required by law.

Once the multiple choice test was completed, students knew if they have passed or failed. Students who did not pass the February 3rd test are able to retake the assessment during the Freshmen and Sophomore Aspire testing during May 2016. Luckily, students can retake this assessment as many times as needed.

On exam days, students were expected to have their laptops and devices with them, fully charged, as these device were their means of taking the exam.

Before the exam, Arrowhead provided study and review material located on a school classroom guide called Canvas.

“We’ve practiced with Kahoot and done practice tests [to prepare for the exam],” Caitlyn Kleczka, an Arrowhead sophomore, said. “So far they’re easy and I’ve passed all the practice tests, so I think I’m going to pass.”

Brooke Gohde, a freshmen, said, “We took the test last year [at my middle school], just as a Social Studies grade, so I already know most of it.”

Sue Casetta, Arrowhead’s director of learning, has said, “Arrowhead values, as part of our mission, civic knowledge and engagement.”