HIGH SCHOOL REQUIREMENT: The Texas House dug into bills this week that measure student performance. The House Public Education Committee weighed a number of bills including one filed by Lufkin Republican Trent Ashby -- House Bill 1776 – would eliminate the US history exam as a high school graduation requirement AND replace it with the same civics test that is given to people who apply for US citizenship. His reason is that the curriculum for the US history exam is too big of a burden on teachers and is making students less proficient in civics. Randy Willis of the Texas Association of Rural Schools believes that replacing the US history test with a civics test is a good idea for the state.