Rating: +1
Bill Summary:
House Bill 397 strengthens Idaho’s civics education requirements by revising and expanding the content and assessment standards for public school students. Beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, students must complete both a civics test and a course in U.S. government and history—or a comparable college credit-bearing course or exam—to demonstrate mastery of state civics and government standards. The bill transitions the civics assessment from the U.S. naturalization test to a more comprehensive Idaho-developed exam aligned with the state’s content standards.
The required civics instruction must now include foundational topics such as Greek democracy, Roman republicanism, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution’s core principles (separation of powers, federalism, checks and balances), the Bill of Rights, the legislative process, and the structure of Idaho’s state and local government. The bill also reinforces daily opportunities to recite the Pledge of Allegiance or sing the national anthem (while preserving a student’s right to abstain), emphasizes lawful respect for statutes enacted by the state and federal governments, and provides professional development funding to support civics instruction. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
Reason for Rating:
House Bill 397 directly supports the Idaho Republican Party Platform’s call for stronger constitutional education, civic responsibility, and renewed emphasis on America’s founding principles. By developing a state-specific civics assessment rooted in Idaho’s curriculum standards and the U.S. Constitution, the bill pushes back against watered-down, federally-influenced models of civic education. It reinforces patriotic instruction without coercion, encourages respect for the law, and restores historical context often absent from public school civics courses. The professional development support ensures educators are better equipped to teach these principles. This bill reflects key platform priorities and is therefore rated +1.