The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia Bill Mandates Civics, History Instruction and USCIS Test for Public Schools
Last action · January 14, 2026: To House EducationSponsor: Elías Coop-González
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What This Bill Proposed
West Virginia public schools must provide required semester-long courses in U.S. history, government, and civics before completing the eighth and twelfth grades under House Bill 4104. The measure requires high school social science students to pass a 20-question civics test beginning in the 2026/2027 school year and mandates instructional material reviews every four years.
Students must complete specific civics and history coursework to graduate, and public school districts must report aggregate testing performance to the state for publication on a public scorecard.
- House Bill 4104 was introduced in the West Virginia House of Delegates during the 2026 regular session and referred to the House Committee on Education. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
West Virginia public school students
Students must complete specified semesters of history, government, and civics instruction and pass a civics test in high school.
West Virginia public school teachers
Teachers must present diverse perspectives when discussing controversial issues and utilize required primary sources.
West Virginia public school districts
Districts must collect and report aggregate testing data to the state Department of Education.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What testing requirements apply to high school students?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Jan 14, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Education
- Jan 14, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
- Jan 14, 2026HouseCommitteeTo Education
- Jan 14, 2026HouseIntroducedFiled for introduction
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Standardized Civics Testing Mandate
The legislation ties public school high school social science evaluation directly to a modified version of the USCIS citizenship test starting in 2026/2027.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy55Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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