To graduate from eighth grade, Illinois public school students have to pass a “Constitution test” covering the U.S. and Illinois constitutions.
Because schools design their own exams, many are shifting away from more traditional multiple choice tests in favor of short, written answers or other assessments that stress critical thinking. Many school districts, including Chicago’s, are focusing their civics education toward helping students understand their role as actors in shaping democracy, beyond just dates and facts.
The quiz here is decidedly traditional: Answer nine out of 15 true-false questions correctly to pass. It includes questions teachers have relied on to make their constitution tests, including in Chicago public schools. Below the quiz you’ll find a short-answer test, one example of the new format Chicago Public Schools recommends.
