High school graduation requirement - Civics test
N.D. Cent. Code § 15.1-21-27
in effect15.1-21-27. High school graduation requirement - Civics test
1. For purposes of this section, "civics test" means the one hundred questions that, as of
January 1, 2015, officers of the United States citizenship and immigration services use
as the basis for selecting the questions posed to applicants for naturalization, in order
that the applicants can demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the
fundamentals of United States history and the principles and form of United States
government, as required by 8 U.S.C. 1423.
2. a. If a student is enrolled in the twelfth grade during the 2016-17 school year, that
student must, as a condition of receiving a high school diploma, correctly answer
at least sixty percent of the questions on the civics test.
b. Before any other student may be awarded a high school diploma, that student
must correctly answer at least seventy percent of the questions on the civics test.
3. a. The requirement set forth in this section applies to each student who is:
(1) Enrolled in a public school district;
(2) Enrolled in a nonpublic school;
(3) Enrolled in the center for distance education;
(4) Receiving home education if the student is to be issued a high school
diploma in accordance with subsection 1 of section 15.1-23-17; or
(5) Pursuing a general equivalency diploma.
b. A student may be exempted from the requirement of this section by the provisions
of the student's individualized education program plan.
4. The superintendent of public instruction shall, upon request, provide to the person
administering the civics test the correct answer or acceptable answers to each
question.
5. A student may take the test, in whole or in part, at any time after enrolling in grade
seven and may repeat the test, or any portion thereof, as often as necessary to
demonstrate proficiency.
6. Neither the superintendent of public instruction nor a school district may impose or
collect any fees or charges in connection with this section.
7. This section is applicable to any student who graduates from high school during or
after the 2016-17 school year.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t15-1c21.pdf#nameddest=15p1-21-27Fetched: 10/16/2026