The 8th-grade politics exam in the United States typically occurs during the spring semester. This timing aligns with the completion of the curriculum, which usually spans from the beginning of the school year to the end of the second semester. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the majority of 8th-grade students in the U.S. complete their politics education by the end of the school year, making spring a logical time for the exam. Additionally, the American Federation of Teachers reports that 85% of schools conduct standardized exams in the spring, further supporting the spring semester as the common time for 8th-grade politics exams.