A proposed Kansas law requiring a civics test to graduate high school awaits a final verdict from the House later this week.

Middle and high school students in public, private and faith-based schools would be taught the afflictions of communism, fascism and socialism.

Moreover, before graduation high schoolers would have to pass a 20-question test in English over content similar to what’s found in the U.S. Citizenship Exam.

The bill, previously known as SB 381 and now called HB 2412, passed the Senate with a 23-14 vote and is awaiting a possible belated vote in the House in this year’s “veto session,” which will take place Thursday and Friday.

After passing the House, the bill would go to Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk where. if she vetoes it, the bill would be considered dead. The 2026 legislative session ended on March 27 leaving no time for an override vote after this week’s veto session, so the bill would then have to be reintroduced next year.

Students as young as seventh grade could request to take the test, otherwise the exam would be taken by ninth graders and up.

The test could be taken as many times as a student needs to achieve a 70% passing grade, which is getting 14 out of 20 questions correct. Each retake of the exam would include no more than 25% of the questions from the previous version.

“SB 381 simply applies that same legislative responsibility to civic literacy and the study of totalitarian ideologies, two areas where the data clearly shows Kansas students are being underserved, while importantly not being so prescriptive as to notwithstanding constitutional scrutiny,” Kansas Sen. Brad Starnes said in his testimony in favor of the bill.

Starnes says studies show only 19% of Americans 45 years old and younger could pass a multiple-choice version of the U.S. Citizenship test.

Also, a little more than one-third of Americans between ages 18 and 29 say they have a “favorable view” of communism while 62% say the same about socialism.

“When educational systems fail to teach foundational American principles and historical lessons of totalitarian ideologies, we leave youth vulnerable to propaganda and prone to repeating the deadly mistakes of the past,” Cicero Action’s Policy Analyst Joshua Reynolds said.

In a repost on X by Senate President Ty Masterson, Cicero Institute compellingly reminded Kansans that the students who are in school now will one day become America’s doctors, parents, legislators and more.

“They’ll be the ones deciding what kind of society Kansas is,” the post reads.

Masterson explains why teaching students about doctrines such as communism and socialism is so important.

“These ideologies have led to the slaughter of millions of innocent people throughout history, which is why it’s so important that Kansas’ young minds are taught to think critically and to embrace their freedoms here in America,” he wrote.

The post received overwhelmingly negative feedback from commenters claiming capitalism and President Donald Trump are to blame for the nation’s problems.

Organizations such as the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB), Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) and the Kansas Parent Teacher Association (PTA) testified against the bill, arguing it oversteps and conflicts with local control of schools.

“Please respect the constitutional authority of the State Board of Education and local school board members,” PTA advocacy team member Mary Sinclair said in her testimony.However, advocates in favor of the bill argued the new curriculum requirements are necessary and would fill a much-needed void.

“The education our children are receiving is failing them,” Debbie Detmer, a parent from Shawnee, said.

“Left to their own governance, Kansas schools have experienced declines in NAEP scores and ACT scores, while assessment cut scores have been lowered to match those outcomes,” concerned citizen Trish O’Neal argued.

She says the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an organization that reviews state school standards, gave Kansas K-12 schools a “mediocre” rating for civics and an “inadequate” rating for U.S. History.

“Our country and our state depend on citizens who understand history, political systems, and the real-world consequences of political ideologies,” she said.