Sandra Day O'Connor Civic Learning Act of 2015

Summary: Sandra Day O'Connor Civic Learning Act of 2015 This bill amends part C (Innovation for Teacher Quality) of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to repeal the We the People civic education program and replace it with a competitive grant program to promote civic learning and engagement, American history, geography, and economics.  The bill authorizes the Department of Education to award grants to nonprofit educational organizations to develop and implement such programs through instruction, professional development, and evaluation activities that promote equity, innovation, scalability, and accountability.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Sandra Day O'Connor Civic Learning 
Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. CIVIC LEARNING GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--Subpart 3 of part C of title II of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6711 et seq.) is 
amended--
            (1) by repealing sections 2341 through 2344 and inserting 
        the following:

``SEC. 2341. CIVIC LEARNING GRANTS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award competitive grants to 
eligible entities for the development and implementation of programs to 
promote civic learning and engagement, American history, geography, and 
economics.
    ``(b) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity shall use a grant received 
under this section to develop and implement a program to promote civic 
learning and engagement, American history, geography, or economics 
through instruction, professional development, and evaluation 
activities that promote any of the following:
            ``(1) Equity through access to funding and program 
        benefits, including--
                    ``(A) programs that meet the needs of students with 
                divergent learning styles, students of varying ethnic, 
                racial, and socio-economic backgrounds, and students 
                who are English language learners; and
                    ``(B) resources that serve student populations that 
                have not traditionally received opportunities for high 
                quality, engaging instruction in civics, history, 
                geography or economics, with a special emphasis on 
                inner-city and rural underserved students.
            ``(2) Innovation through design, settings, and delivery, 
        including service learning, interactive on-line programming, 
        and other approaches to engaging students in active learning 
        and civic participation.
            ``(3) Scalability through broad, cost-effective 
        implementation and institutionalization, including--
                    ``(A) use of the latest technological developments;
                    ``(B) an emphasis on programs designed to address 
                relevant State and National educational standards; and
                    ``(C) utilization of low per-participant cost 
                models of expanding the number of active students and 
                teachers.
            ``(4) Accountability through assessment and identification 
        of best practice models, including--
                    ``(A) independent research and evaluation to help 
                assess the effects of civic education programs on 
                students' knowledge, skills, and traits of character 
                essential for the preservation and improvement of 
                constitutional democracy;
                    ``(B) identifying techniques that succeed with 
                traditionally underserved student populations; and
                    ``(C) evaluation of teachers' knowledge and the 
                adequacy of the teaching facility.
    ``(c) Definition of Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term 
`eligible entity' means a nonprofit educational organization.''; and
            (2) by redesignating sections 2345 and 2346 as sections 
        2342 and 2343, respectively.
    (b) Conforming Changes.--
            (1) Section 2342 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 6715), as 
        redesignated by subsection (a)(2), is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) by striking ``organizations described 
                        in section 2343(a)(3)'' each place it appears 
                        and inserting ``organizations experienced in 
                        the development of curricula and programs in 
                        civics and government education and economic 
                        education for students in elementary schools 
                        and secondary schools in countries other than 
                        the United States''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``use funds made available 
                        under grants or contracts under section 2343 
                        to'';
                    (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``the Center for 
                Civic Education, the National Council on Economic 
                Education, and organizations described in section 
                2343(a)(3)'' and inserting ``an entity specified in 
                subsection (a)'';
                    (C) in subsection (e), by striking ``described in 
                section 2343'' and inserting ``specified in subsection 
                (a)''; and
                    (D) in subsection (f)(2), by striking ``the Center 
                for Civic Education, the National Council on Economic 
                Education, or organizations described in section 
                2343(a)(3)'' and inserting ``an entity specified in 
                subsection (a)''.
            (2) The table of contents of such Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et 
        seq.) is amended by striking the items relating to sections 
        2341 through 2346 and inserting the following:

``2341. Civic learning grants.
``2342. Cooperative civic education and economic education exchange 
                            programs.
``2343. Authorization of appropriations.''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 2343 of such Act (20 
U.S.C. 6716), as redesignated by subsection (a)(2), is amended to read 
as follows:

``SEC. 2343. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 
2016 through 2021--
            ``(1) $28,500,000 for grants under section 2341; and
            ``(2) $1,500,000 for programs under section 2342.''.