Illinois Constitution Test: Rules, Format, and 2025 Change

The Illinois Constitution Test is a required examination on the U.S. Constitution, the Illinois Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the rules for displaying the American flag. Every public school student in Illinois must pass it to graduate, and every adult pursuing a State of Illinois High School Diploma through the GED, HiSET, or the Alternative Method of Credentialing must pass it before the state will issue the credential.¹²

Who Has to Take It

Under 105 ILCS 5/27-510, instruction on American patriotism, representative government as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and both constitutions, and the proper display of the American flag must be taught in every public school and every institution maintained with public funds. No student can graduate without passing a satisfactory examination on those subjects.¹ Most districts give the test around eighth grade, and it must also be satisfied before a high school diploma is issued.

Adult equivalency candidates face the same rule. Without a passing score on the constitution test, the state will not issue the high school diploma, even after every other equivalency requirement has been completed.²

Private schools and homeschools sit outside this requirement. The statute reaches “all public schools and other educational institutions supported or maintained in whole or in part by public funds.”¹ Illinois treats homeschools as private schools, and private schools without public funding are generally not bound by it. Some administer a similar test voluntarily, but if no one has told you it’s required, it likely isn’t for your situation.

What the Test Covers

Questions come from four areas: the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Illinois Constitution, and the proper display of the U.S. flag.³ They focus on actual provisions and structure, not political opinion.

U.S. Constitution

Expect questions on the separation of powers across the three federal branches, the amendment process, and the Bill of Rights. The emphasis is practical: how a bill becomes law, what powers belong to Congress versus the President, and what the first ten amendments protect.

Illinois Constitution

The Illinois Constitution was adopted by voters on December 15, 1970, and contains a preamble and 14 articles.⁴ A few areas get heavy attention:

Article I, the Illinois Bill of Rights. Illinois protects many of the same liberties as the federal constitution, but adds provisions with no direct federal equivalent, including specific protections for crime victims’ rights and environmental rights.⁵
State government structure. The General Assembly’s legislative powers, the Governor’s office and eligibility, and the distinction between the Illinois Supreme Court and the lower appellate courts all appear regularly.
Article XIV, the amendment process. The Illinois Constitution can be amended by a three-fifths vote of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly, followed by voter approval at the next general election by either three-fifths of those voting on the question or a majority of all voters in the election.⁶

U.S. Flag Display Rules

This section covers when to fly the American flag, how to position it relative to other flags, and basic etiquette: never let it touch the ground, never fly it upside down except as a distress signal, and observe the rules for half-staff display.³ It’s a common source of lost points because candidates skip it in preparation.

Format and Passing Score

The high school equivalency version has 60 multiple-choice questions, and you need at least 30 correct to pass, which is 50 percent.³ Most candidates who work through the official study guide pass on the first attempt.

The K-12 format varies by district. The statute only calls for a “satisfactory examination” and doesn’t set a statewide question count or passing threshold, so individual schools set their own. The statute also permits remote administration.¹

How to Prepare

The official study guide, “Constitution Study Guide of the United States and the State of Illinois,” is published by the Illinois Community College Board and covers every topic on the test.³ Regional Offices of Education and adult education centers typically distribute it for free, and PDF versions are online.

A few study priorities pay off. Learn the names and roles of Illinois constitutional officers, including the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Comptroller. Understand which rights in the Illinois Bill of Rights go beyond federal protections. Read the preamble of the Illinois Constitution; questions about the document’s purpose come straight from that language.⁴ And don’t shortchange the flag rules. They regularly account for several questions, and the specifics on half-staff and flag positioning are more detailed than most candidates expect.

Scheduling, Fees, and Retakes

For K-12 students, the school handles scheduling as part of the normal academic calendar. There’s no separate registration and no cost.

Adult equivalency candidates take the test through a local adult education provider or Regional Office of Education. Since 2022, the ICCB has offered an online version of the constitution module for equivalency candidates. There is no fee for the test itself, a point confirmed by both the Illinois Department of Human Services and Regional Offices of Education.⁷⁸

You can retake the test if you don’t pass. Most testing sites ask you to wait a short period and review the study materials before sitting again. Once you pass, the result is recorded in your academic record or the state’s equivalency database, clearing the final requirement for your diploma.

The 2025 Statutory Change

If you’re looking up older references to 105 ILCS 5/27-3, that section was repealed effective August 15, 2025 by Public Act 104-391. The test requirement was not eliminated. It was moved into a broader section, 105 ILCS 5/27-510, which combines the constitution test mandate with a new civics education requirement for public elementary schools.¹ The substance of the graduation requirement is the same rule Illinois has maintained for decades. Only its location in the School Code moved.

1
Justia Law. Illinois Code Chapter 105 Act 105-ILCS-5 – Article 27
2
Illinois Community College Board. The Illinois State Constitution Requirement
3
Illinois Community College Board. Constitution Study Guide of the United States and the State of Illinois
4
Illinois General Assembly. Constitution of the State of Illinois
5
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Constitution – Article I
6
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Constitution – Article XIV
7
Illinois Department of Human Services. GED, High School Diploma, and Literacy Resources in Illinois
8
ROE 9. IHSE/GED Frequently Asked Questions