What This Bill Does
This bill changes federal education law to encourage schools to teach more civics to students. It adds money and support specifically for programs that teach students about how government works, the history of the Constitution, and the civil rights movement.
Who It Affects
Students in elementary, middle and high schools. Teachers at those schools. Schools that apply for money to start civics programs. The U.S. Department of Education. Congressional committees that oversee education.
Key Provisions
• Schools can use grant money (money given without repayment required) for hands-on civics activities, teaching about the Constitution and civil rights movement, and service learning projects connected to what students study in class (Sec. 3)
• At least 30 percent of grant money must go to programs for elementary school students and teachers, at least 30 percent to middle school, and no more than 40 percent to high school (Sec. 3)
• Grants must be spread across different geographic areas including cities, suburbs and rural areas, and focus on public elementary schools (Sec. 3)
• The Department of Education must give preference to grant applications that specifically strengthen civics education (Sec. 3)
• The Department of Education must report to Congress every 90 days after each fiscal year ends describing which schools received grants and whether they met their goals (Sec. 3)
What Changes
Schools will have access to $70,000,000 to create or improve civics education programs. The law now lists specific types of activities schools can include in these programs, such as student government participation and online civics learning. Schools that serve students in high-need areas get priority for funding.
Important Definitions
High-need schools: Not specified in bill text
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1387
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase
civics education programs, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 7, 2023
Mr. CLEAVER (for himself, Mr. BOWMAN, Ms. BROWN, Ms. BUSH, Mr. CAR-
SON, Mr. CASTEN, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr.
ESPAILLAT, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. IVEY, Ms.
KELLY of Illinois, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. KUSTER, Mr.
LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. LYNCH, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Ms. MENG, Ms.
MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. MOSKOWITZ, Mr. MULLIN, Mr. NADLER, Ms.
NORTON, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. ROSS, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. SE-
WELL, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. TITUS, Mr. TONKO, Ms.
VELA´ZQUEZ, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Ms.
WILSON of Florida, and Ms. CASTOR of Florida) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Work-
force
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 Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Civics Learning Act
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of 2023’’.
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•HR 1387 IH
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
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Congress finds the following:
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(1) The dearth of civics lessons available to stu-
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dents across the United States has helped to foster
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a political climate that is deeply partisan and di-
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vided.
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(2) Polarization in the United States has frac-
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tured public morale in our democratic institutions
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and has created an environment in which people are
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less likely to be well-informed on the processes of
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our constitutional republic, the current state of af-
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fairs, and the importance of participating in the po-
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litical process.
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(3) It is impossible to tell the true, full history
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of this Nation and recognize the power of our rep-
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resentative democracy without discussing the painful
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and powerful history of the civil rights movement. It
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is incumbent on Congress to ensure the full history
18
of our great Nation is being taught to the next gen-
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eration of leaders.
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(4) According to the Annenberg Constitution
21
Day Civics Survey conducted by the Annenberg Pub-
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lic Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania,
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in 2022—
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(A) only 47 percent of people in the United
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States surveyed were capable of naming all 3
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•HR 1387 IH
branches of government, while 25 percent of
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Americans were not able to name any of the
2
branches of government;
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(B) less than half of Americans (46 per-
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cent) correctly stated that the Supreme Court
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has the final responsibility for determining the
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constitutionality of laws if the President and
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Supreme Court disagree; and
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(C) 26 percent could not name any of the
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rights guaranteed under the First Amendment.
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(5) In 2018, only 24 percent of eighth graders
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were found to have performed at or above the pro-
12
ficient level on the National Assessment of Edu-
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cational Progress civics exam conducted by the Na-
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tional Center of Education Studies.
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(6) A lack of knowledge regarding the struc-
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tural basics of our constitutional republic and the
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history of our struggle for suffrage and civil rights
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creates an increasingly ill-equipped electorate which
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over time, can, and will continue to, contribute to a
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weakened democracy.
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SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE ELEMENTARY AND SEC-
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ONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF 1965.
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Section 2233 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
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cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6663) is amended—
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•HR 1387 IH
(1) in subsection (a)—
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(A) by inserting ‘‘and prioritize innovative
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civics learning and teaching, including by en-
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couraging’’ after ‘‘to encourage’’; and
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(B) by inserting ‘‘(including students and
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teachers at high-need schools (as defined in sec-
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tion 2221))’’ before the period;
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(2) in subsection (b)—
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(A) by inserting ‘‘and appropriated under
9
subsection
(h)
of
this
section’’
after
10
‘‘2231(b)(2)’’; and
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(B) by striking paragraph (2) and insert-
12
ing the following:
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‘‘(2) may include—
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‘‘(A) hands-on civic engagement activities
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for teachers and students;
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‘‘(B) activities about the history and prin-
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ciple of the Constitution of the United States,
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including the Bill of Rights, women’s suffrage,
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and the civil rights movement;
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‘‘(C) before-school, during-school, after-
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school, and extracurricular activities;
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‘‘(D) activities that include service learning
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and community service projects that are linked
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to school curriculum;
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•HR 1387 IH
‘‘(E) activities that encourage and support
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student participation in school governance; and
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‘‘(F) online and video game based learn-
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ing.’’;
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(3) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (3)
5
and inserting the following:
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‘‘(3) DIVERSITY OF PROJECTS.—
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‘‘(A) DIVERSITY OF GRANTS.—In awarding
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grants under this section, the Secretary shall
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ensure that, to the extent practicable, grants
10
are distributed among eligible entities that will
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serve geographically diverse areas, including
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urban, suburban, and rural areas, and public el-
13
ementary schools.
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‘‘(B) ALLOCATION OF GRANT FUNDING.—
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To the extent practicable based on the applica-
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tions received under subsection (d), the Sec-
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retary shall ensure that—
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‘‘(i) not less than 30 percent of the
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grant funds under this section are awarded
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to eligible entities that serve elementary
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school students and teachers;
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‘‘(ii) not less than 30 percent of the
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grant funds under this section are awarded
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•HR 1387 IH
to eligible entities that serve middle school
1
students and teachers; and
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‘‘(iii) not more than 40 percent of the
3
grant funds under this section are awarded
4
to eligible entities that serve high school
5
students and teachers.’’;
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(4) in subsection (d), by inserting ‘‘, and con-
7
taining such information,’’ after ‘‘manner’’; and
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(5) by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(f) GRANT AWARD PREFERENCE.—In awarding
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grants under this section, the Secretary shall give pref-
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erence to applications for programs that carry out the ac-
12
tivities listed in subsection (b)(2) for the purpose of
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strengthening civics education and learning.
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‘‘(g) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after
15
the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to
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the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the
17
House of Representatives and the Committee on Health,
18
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report
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containing—
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‘‘(1) a description of each eligible entity award-
21
ed a grant under this section during the preceding
22
fiscal year;
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‘‘(2) a description of whether each such eligible
24
entity was able to meet each of the purposes under
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•HR 1387 IH
subsection (a), and if so, how such eligible entity
1
was able to meet such purposes; and
2
‘‘(3) any recommendations for continuation of
3
the grant program under this section.
4
‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In ad-
5
dition to the amounts reserved under section 2231(b)(2),
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there are authorized to be appropriated $70,000,000 to
7
carry out this section for fiscal year 2024.’’.
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Æ
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