Civics Learning Act of 2021
This bill expands the use of American History and Civics Education—National Activities grants to prioritize innovative civics learning and teaching.
Specifically, the bill expands the allowable uses of these grants to include before-, during-, and after-school activities and extracurricular activities; activities that include service learning and community service projects that are linked to school curriculum; activities that encourage and support student participation in school governance; and online and video game-based learning.
Further, the Department of Education must ensure that specified percentages of grant funds are awarded on a diverse basis to eligible entities (e.g., institutions of higher education) that serve students and teachers at elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 400 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 400
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase
civics education programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 21, 2021
Mr. Hastings (for himself, Mr. Aguilar, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr.
Carson, Mr. Casten, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Cicilline, Ms. Clarke of
New York, Mr. Crist, Ms. Dean, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Deutch, Mrs. Dingell,
Mr. Espaillat, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Himes, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Keating, Ms.
Kelly of Illinois, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Larson of Connecticut,
Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Sean Patrick
Maloney of New York, Ms. McCollum, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Meng, Ms. Moore of
Wisconsin, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Raskin, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms.
Sanchez, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Sires, Mr. Thompson of
Mississippi, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Wild, and Ms. Williams of
Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase
civics education programs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Civics Learning Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The dearth of civics lessons available to students
across the United States has helped to foster a political
climate that is deeply partisan and divided.
(2) Polarized party politics in the United States has
fractured public morale in our institutions and has created an
environment in which people are less likely to be well-informed
on the current state of affairs and to participate in the
political process.
(3) According to the Annenberg Constitution Day Civics
Survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the
University of Pennsylvania--
(A) in 2018, only 32 percent of people in the
United States surveyed were capable of naming all 3
branches of Government, while 33 percent of Americans
were not able to name any of the branches of
government;
(B) in 2018, 30 percent of people in the United
States surveyed knew that the Senate is in charge of
Supreme Court nominee confirmations; and
(C) in 2017, 37 percent could not name any of the
rights guaranteed under the First Amendment.
(4) In 2014, only 23 percent of eighth graders were found
to have performed at or above the proficient level on the
National Assessment of Educational Progress civics exam
conducted by the National Center of Education Studies.
(5) A lack of knowledge on the basics of the structure of
our democratic republic creates an increasingly ill-prepared
electorate which over time has, and will continue to,
contribute to a weakened democracy.
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF
1965.
Section 2233 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6663) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by inserting ``and prioritize innovative civics
learning and teaching, including by encouraging'' after
``to encourage''; and
(B) by inserting ``(including students and teachers
at high-need schools (as defined in section 2221))''
before the period;
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by inserting ``and appropriated under
subsection (h) of this section'' after ``2231(b)(2)'';
and
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:
``(2) may include--
``(A) hands-on civic engagement activities for
teachers and students;
``(B) activities about the history and principles
of the Constitution of the United States, including the
Bill of Rights;
``(C) before-school, during-school, after-school,
and extracurricular activities;
``(D) activities that include service learning and
community service projects that are linked to school
curriculum;
``(E) activities that encourage and support student
participation in school governance; and
``(F) online and video game based learning.'';
(3) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (3) and
inserting the following:
``(3) Diversity of projects.--
``(A) Diversity of grants.--In awarding grants
under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that, to
the extent practicable, grants are distributed among
eligible entities that will serve geographically
diverse areas, including urban, suburban, and rural
areas, and public elementary schools.
``(B) Allocation of grant funding.--To the extent
practicable based on the applications received under
subsection (d), the Secretary shall ensure that--
``(i) not less than 30 percent of the grant
funds under this section are awarded to
eligible entities that serve elementary school
students and teachers;
``(ii) not less than 30 percent of the
grant funds under this section are awarded to
eligible entities that serve middle school
students and teachers; and
``(iii) not more than 40 percent of the
grant funds under this section are awarded to
eligible entities that serve high school
students and teachers.'';
(4) in subsection (d), by inserting ``, and containing such
information,'' after ``manner''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Grant Award Preference.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary shall give preference to applications for
programs that carry out the activities listed in subsection (b)(2) for
the purpose of strengthening civics education and learning.
``(g) Annual Report.--Not later than 90 days after the end of each
fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Education
and Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report containing--
``(1) a description of each eligible entity awarded a grant
under this section during the preceding fiscal year;
``(2) a description of whether each such eligible entity
was able to met each of the purposes under subsection (a), and
if so, how such eligible entity was able to meet such purposes;
and
``(3) any recommendations for continuation of the grant
program under this section.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to the amounts
reserved under section 2231(b)(2), there are authorized to be
appropriated $30,000,000 to carry out this section for fiscal year
2022.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E55)
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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