JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – A House committee has approved a bill that would require Missouri high school students to pass a civics exam similar to the U.S. naturalization test in order to graduate.

The Southeast Missourian reports that the bill would require students entering ninth grade after July 1, 2017, to pass such a test.

Swan says high school graduates should have the same basic knowledge of the country’s history and government as naturalized citizens, who must pass a 100-question test.

Jackson School District Superintendent Dr. John Link says high school students in Missouri already take several civics-related exams through government-class curriculum.

He says a better approach would be improving existing curriculum and testing as well as focusing on giving students critical thinking skills so they know how to access information.