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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 249 (Monday, December 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 106550-106551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30213]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

[CIS No. 2796-25; DHS Docket No. USCIS-2022-0011]

Termination of Trial Testing of Redesigned Naturalization Test 
for Naturalization Applications

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department 
of Homeland Security (DHS).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On December 15, 2022, DHS published a Federal Register Notice 
entitled ``Trial Testing of Redesigned Naturalization Test for 
Naturalization Applications,'' which announced it intended to conduct a 
nationwide trial of planned changes to the naturalization test, 
including a standardized English-speaking test, as part of the 
requirement to demonstrate an understanding of the English language, 
and a civics test with updated content and format. Most comments 
received on the proposed trial test, including those from immigrant 
advocacy organizations and external stakeholders, expressed concerns 
about the trial test. Therefore, USCIS will no longer pursue the 
announced trial test.

DATES: As of December 30, 2024, USCIS will no longer pursue the trial 
test as described in 87 FR 76634 (Dec. 15, 2022).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Flores, Office of Citizenship, 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS), 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 
20746; telephone 240-721-3000 or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On December 15, 2022, USCIS issued a notice indicating its plan to 
conduct a trial of both a standardized English-speaking test (use of 
photographs which the applicant would be asked to describe) as part of 
the requirement to demonstrate an understanding of the English language 
and a civics test with updated content and format (multiple choice 
test).\1\ The Executive Order on Restoring Faith in Our Legal 
Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts 
for New Americans,\2\ directed DHS to eliminate barriers in and 
otherwise improve the existing naturalization process including the 
civics and English language tests. Along with the Executive Order and 
feedback from stakeholders about the standardization and structure of 
the naturalization test, USCIS developed the trial test for the 
naturalization test redesign. USCIS announced conducting the trial as 
part of its effort to redesign the naturalization test to better ensure 
that the English-speaking part of the English Language requirements is 
standardized and sufficiently tests the ability to understand words in 
ordinary usage in the English language.\3\ Furthermore, USCIS intended 
to update the civics test content to reflect current best practices in 
test design and to redesign the civics test.\4\
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    \1\ See Trial Testing Redesigned Naturalization Test for 
Naturalization Applications, 87 FR 76634 (Dec. 15, 2022).
    \2\ See Executive Order 14012 (February 2, 2021), available at 
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-02-05/pdf/2021-02563.pdf.
    \3\ See Trial Testing Redesigned Naturalization Test for 
Naturalization Applications, 87 FR 76634 (Dec. 15, 2022).
    \4\ Id.
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II. Rationale for Termination

    USCIS hosted virtual public engagements on the naturalization test 
redesign trial tests on January 12, 2023, March 3, 2023, April 28, 
2023, and May 31, 2023.\5\ Additionally, USCIS and the Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS)' Office of the CIS Ombudsman hosted a webinar 
on July 19, 2023.\6\ These engagements provided an overview of the 
proposed changes and next steps, including seeking volunteer community-
based organizations (CBOs) that work with immigrant English language 
learners and lawful permanent residents preparing for naturalization to 
take the trial test, and utilizing the results of the trial to support 
changes to the naturalization test. During these engagements, USCIS 
invited all interested parties to submit written data, views, comments, 
and arguments on all aspects of the proposed trial testing. At these 
engagements, some comments USCIS received were in opposition to the 
trial test. USCIS also received comments through email or submitted 
letters that opposed the trial test or had positive comments. USCIS 
received more than 1300 comments from stakeholders from engagements, 
emails and submitted letters. The majority of comments opposed the 
trial testing.
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    \5\ See Naturalization Test Redesign Development 2022 available 
at https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship-resource-center/naturalization-test-and-study-resources/naturalization-test-redesign-development-2022 (last visited Nov. 20, 2024).
    \6\ See The CIS Ombudsman's Webinar: Engagement with U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on the Naturalization 
Test Redesign Initiative, available at https://www.dhs.gov/publication/cis-ombudsmans-webinar-naturalization-test-redesign-initiative (last visited Nov. 20, 2024).
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    USCIS received some positive comments about the trial English Test 
which indicated an appreciation for a revised test, a focus of 
analysis-driven approach, and attempt to make the test fairer and more 
efficient, and that the trial test may be easier for lower-level 
students. Most of the public feedback, however, expressed concerns 
about the proposed changes to the English-speaking naturalization test. 
These commenters stated the change:
     Would create new barriers to naturalization rather than 
improve the naturalization process in keeping with Executive Order 
14012 on Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and 
Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans.\7\
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    \7\ See, for example, Bill Bliss, Citizenship Test Revision Will 
Create New Barrier to Naturalization (Mar. 2, 2023), https://bill-bliss.medium.com/citizenship-test-revision-will-create-new-barriers-to-naturalization-aab015cbf277 (last visited Nov 20, 2024).
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     Would be adding a testing requirement, creating an 
additional task for the naturalization interview and a new exam for the 
applicant to prepare for, and would not elicit an applicant's English 
proficiency in as relevant or accurate a manner as the current speaking 
evaluation.\8\
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    \8\ Id.
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    USCIS received some positive comments on the announcement of the 
multiple-choice format of the trial test, including that it would level 
the test

[[Page 106551]]

better for English as a second language students at all levels. Most 
feedback, however, opposed changing the civics test to a multiple-
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choice format. These commenters stated the change:

     Would require reading comprehension skills at a 
significantly higher level of English proficiency and reading 
vocabulary knowledge than is currently required for naturalization.\9\
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    \9\ Id.
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     Would require test-taking skills in multiple choice format 
that is not currently required of naturalization applicants.\10\
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    \10\ See, for example, Immigration Legal Resource Center (IRLC), 
Naturalization Test Redesign (Sept. 8, 2023), https://www.ilrc.org/resources/naturalization-test-redesign (last visited Nov 20, 2024).
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     Would create new challenges for adult learners because it 
requires a higher level of reading ability that cannot be met by low-
literacy adults who learn orally.\11\
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    \11\ Id.
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     Would pose a barrier to those without formal 
education.\12\
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    \12\ Id.
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    The objective of the trial was to determine an efficient way to 
reduce undue barriers \13\ to taking the naturalization test and the 
majority of the feedback received revealed concerns that the trial 
version of the test may increase burdens on applicants. Therefore, 
USCIS has decided to terminate the previously proposed trial test 
altogether.
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    \13\ See Executive Order 14012 (February 2, 2021), available at 
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-02-05/pdf/2021-02563.pdf.
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III. Termination Is Immediately Effective

    The proposed trial test is terminated effective immediately. USCIS 
continues to use the current 2008 version of the English and civics 
test.\14\
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    \14\ See USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Citizenship and 
Naturalization, Part E, English and Civics Testing and Exceptions, 
Chapter 2, English and Civics Testing [12 USCIS-PM E.2], available 
at https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-e-chapter-2 
(last visited Nov. 20, 2024). See also Study for the Test, available 
at https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/find-study-materials-and-resources/study-for-the-test (last visited Nov. 20, 2024).

Ur M. Jaddou,
Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of 
Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2024-30213 Filed 12-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-97-P
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