,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #efgf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #cj1 #bjbf,mr4 ,coons 7for himself and ,mr4 ,cornyn7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the ,secretary of ,education to make grants to support educational programs in civics and history1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,strengthening ,civics ,education ,act4 #b4 ,purposes2 ,rule of ,construction 7a7 ,purposes ,the purposes of this ,act are-- 7#a7 to support local educational agencies1 elementary schools1 and secondary schools in selecting and making available to all students innovative1 engaging1 evidence-based1 curricula and programs in civics and history that prepare them to understand ,american ,government and engage in ,american democratic practices as citizens and residents of the ,united ,states2 and 7#b7 to encourage participation in the ,national ,assessment of ,educational ,progress assessments in civics and history in grades #d1 #h1 and #ab1 using a methodology sufficient to provide accurate ,state-level data on student proficiency in civics and history1 disaggregated so as to have statistical significance for every ,state4 7b7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this ,act shall be construed to supersede or preempt ,state or local control over the content1 standards1 or instruction in civics or history education4 #c4 ,national ,assessment of ,educational ,progress ,section #cjc7;b7 of the ,education ,sciences ,reform ,act of #bjjb 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ifbb7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7,a7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,d7 through 7,h7 as subparagraphs 7,e7 through 7,i7 respectively2 7,b7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,c7 the following3 7,d7 conduct a national assessment1 using a methodology sufficient to provide accurate1 disaggregated1 statistically significant ,state-level data on student proficiency for every ,state1 on student academic achievement in elementary schools and secondary schools at least once every #b years1 in grades #d1 #h1 and #ab in civics and history2 2 and 7,c7 in subparagraph 7,e71 as so redesignated1 by striking history1 geography1 civics and inserting geography2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#c77;,a7-- 7,a7 in clause 7i71 by striking 7#b77;,e7 and inserting 7#b77;,f72 7,b7 by redesignating clauses 7iii7 and 7iv7 as clauses 7iv7 and 7v71 respectively2 7,c7 by inserting after clause 7ii7 the following3 7iii7 shall conduct biennial ,state academic assessments of student achievement in civics and history in grades #d1 #h1 and #ab1 as described in paragraph 7#b77;,d72 2 and 7,d7 in clause 7iv71 as so redesignated1 by striking 7#b77;,d7 and inserting 7#b77;,e74 #d4 ,,usa ,civics ,act ,section #hje of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #aafa;e7 is amended-- 7#a7 in the section heading1 by striking history for freedom and inserting civics and history education program2 7#b7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 by striking subsection 7f7 and inserting subsection 7g72 and 7ii7 by striking the ,secretary is authorized to award three-year grants1 on a competitive basis1 and inserting the ,secretary is authorized to award grants1 at the ,secretary's discretion but not less frequently than once every #c years and on a competitive basis12 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking or after the semicolon2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 or2 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 the history1 achievements1 and impact of ,american representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally4 2 7#c7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by inserting 1 or a partnership that includes such an institution of higher education and one or more nonprofit organizations whose mission and demonstrated expertise are consistent with the purpose of this section4 after section #aja2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 by inserting representative before democracy2 and 7ii7 by inserting freedom of speech1 freedom of assembly1 after market economics2 7#d7 in subsection 7c77#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by inserting ,american political thought and history1 the impact of ,american representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally1 after free institutions12 and 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by inserting 1 which may include the creation or use of open educational resources after subsection 7e77#a77;,b72 7#e7 in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by inserting ,american political thought and history1 the impact of ,american representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally1 after free institutions12 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by inserting ,american political thought and history1 the impact of ,american representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally1 the means of participation in political and civic life1 after free institutions12 7#f7 in subsection 7e7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 by inserting ,american political thought and history1 the impact of ,american representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally1 after free institutions12 7,,ii7 in clause 7iv71 by inserting or after the semicolon2 7,,iii7 in clause 7v71 by striking or after the semicolon2 and 7,,iv7 by striking clause 7vi72 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b77v71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 support teacher preparation initiatives that stress content mastery regarding traditional ,american history1 free institutions1 ,american political thought and history1 the impact of ,american representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally1 or ,western civilization2 and 7,d7 collaborate with local educational agencies for the purpose of providing elementary school and secondary school teachers an opportunity to enhance their knowledge of traditional ,american history1 ,western civilization1 ,american political thought and history1 free institutions1 or the impact of ,american representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally4 2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 in clause 7i71 by striking and after the semicolon2 7,,ii7 in clause 7ii71 by striking and after the semicolon and inserting or2 and 7,,iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7iii7 ,federal or ,state humanities programs1 which may include those funded by the ,national ,endowment for the ,humanities2 and 2 and 7ii7 by amending subparagraph 7,b7 to read as follows3 7,b7 the creation and use of open educational resources on traditional ,american history1 ,western civilization1 ,american political thought and history1 free institutions1 or the impact of ,american representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally4 2 7#g7 by redesignating subsection 7f7 as subsection 7g72 7#h7 in subsection 7g71 as redesignated by paragraph 7#g71 by striking #bjji and inserting #bjbg2 and 7#i7 by inserting after subsection 7e7 the following3 7f7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the ,secretary to prescribe an ,american political thought and history curriculum4 4 #e4 ,america#bej ,civics ,clearinghouse ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,education1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,labor and the ,secretary of the ,interior1 shall establish a publicly available website1 to be known as the ,america#bej ,civics ,clearinghouse1 that lists and describes ,federal scholarship and fellowship opportunities for students and teachers that have a nexus with civics and are offered by the ,department of ,education1 the ,department of ,labor1 the ,department of the ,interior1 the ,national ,endowment for the ,humanities1 or any other ,federal agencies4