CHICAGO – So that students better understand the naturalization process, a measure introduced by State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) that would allow schools to offer courses on naturalization and citizenship was signed into law today.

“More than two-thirds of students who take the U.S. Citizenship test in their history courses end up failing,” Villanueva said. “Schools may now offer instruction on citizenship so that students from all backgrounds know the effort it takes to go through the naturalization process.”

The new law allows public high schools in Illinois to include a unit of instruction on the process of naturalization in their curricula. The course must include content from the actual citizenship test administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The measure allows local school boards to determine the amount of instructional time.

House Bill 3281 is effective immediately.