Civics Secures Democracy Act

To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to support educational programs in civics and history, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Civics Secures Democracy Act 2. Purposes; Rule of Construction (a) Purposes The purposes of this Act are— (1) to support local educational agencies, elementary schools, and secondary schools in selecting and making available to all students innovative, engaging 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 States; (2) to provide resources to institutions of higher education for the purposes of offering effective professional development opportunities to enable and encourage teachers to deliver instruction that engages students in learning civics and history; (3) to provide resources to nonprofit organizations that have developed, or are developing, programs in civics education that incorporate practices that are proven to be effective in engaging students, and to assist in making such curricula and programs more widely available to schools and students, particularly in rural and inner-city urban areas that have traditionally been underserved by civics learning programs; (4) to provide resources to continue and expand research into practices, methods, and approaches that are effective in instructing elementary and secondary school students in civics and history; (5) to diversify the civics, history, and government education workforce by offering targeted incentives and honoring those who commit to the profession; (6) to encourage participation in the National Assessment of Educational Progress assessments in civics and history in grades 4, 8, and 12, using a methodology sufficient to provide accurate State-level data on student proficiency in civics and history, disaggregated so as to have statistical significance for every State; (7) to reauthorize and modernize the existing Federal civics education grant program for institutions of higher education, including by strengthening academic independence and supporting partnerships between academic centers and local educational agencies; and (8) to strengthen and make independently sustainable the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation Trust Fund and the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Trust Fund, which respectively support exceptional Americans who aspire to careers in public service and as secondary school history, government, and civics educators. (b) Rule of construction Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize the Secretary of Education to prescribe a civics and history curriculum. I Grant Program 101. Definitions In this Act: (1) The term civics (A) Acquisition of civic knowledge, including an understanding of the history, heritage, civic life, and civic institutions of the United States. (B) Acquisition of civic skills, such as the ability to analyze text and determine the reliability of sources and an understanding of the ways in which civic institutions operate and how individuals may be involved in civic life. (C) Acquisition of civic dispositions, values such as appreciation for free speech, civil discourse, tolerance and inclusion, and understanding perspectives that differ from one’s own as well as a disposition to be civically engaged. (D) Development of civic behaviors, including civic habits and practices such as voting, serving on juries, engagement in deliberative discussions, volunteering, and attending public meetings. (2) The term eligible entity (A) with respect to grant program under section 103, a State; (B) with respect to the grant program under section 104, a qualified nonprofit organization; (C) with respect to the grant program under section 105, an institution of higher education; and (D) with respect to the grant program under section 106, a qualified researcher. (3) The term evidence-based practices (A) innovative and engaging classroom instruction in civics, Government, and history; (B) philanthropic and community service linked to classroom learning; (C) learning through participation in models and simulations of democratic processes; (D) meaningful participation in school governance; and (E) instruction in media literacy through the study of common informal fallacies in logic. (4) The term institution of higher education 20 U.S.C. 1001 (5) The term National Assessment of Educational Progress 20 U.S.C. 9622(b) (6) The term qualified nonprofit organization (A) is described in section 501(c)(3) (B) has experience developing curricula, instructional models, and other educational programs for students in elementary schools and secondary schools. (7) The term qualified researcher (A) a nonprofit organization that has ability and capacity to carry out scientifically valid research; or (B) an individual affiliated with such an organization. (8) The terms elementary school local educational agency secondary school Secretary State 20 U.S.C. 7801 102. General provisions (a) In general The Secretary of Education is authorized to carry out the civics education grant programs described in sections 103 through 106. (b) Application To be considered for a grant under this Act, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary of Education an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (c) Grant duration Each grant under this Act shall be awarded for a period of not less than 3 years. (d) Priority Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the Secretary shall prioritize the award of grants to eligible entities that demonstrate the greatest potential to— (1) improve knowledge among students traditionally underserved by comprehensive civics education and American history programs; (2) close gaps in civic knowledge and achievement among traditionally underserved students; (3) improve performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress assessments in civics and history among students in grades 4, 8, and 12; and (4) provide cost-effective, scalable delivery of programs and services. 103. Grants to States (a) Program authorized The Secretary of Education is authorized to make grants to each State that has an approved application and meets the program requirements to enable those States to support educational programs in civics and history in accordance with this section. (b) Grant amount The amount of each grant to a State under this section shall be proportional to the amount received by all local educational agencies in the State under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq. (c) State reservation A State that receives a grant under this section may reserve not more than 5 percent of the amount of the grant for— (1) administrative costs of carrying out the State’s responsibilities under this section; and (2) monitoring and evaluating programs and activities supported with the grant. (d) Subgrants to local educational agencies A State that receives a grant under this section shall use not less than 95 percent of the amount of the grant to make subgrants, on a competitive or formula basis, to local educational agencies within the State to assist such agencies in carrying out programs to improve the achievement of elementary and secondary school students in the fields of civics and history. (e) Supplement not supplant A State shall use a grant under this section only to supplement the level of Federal, State, and local public funds that would, in absence of such grant, be made available for the activities supported by the grant, and not to supplant such funds. (f) Contents of application As part of the application required under section 102(b), a State shall include a plan describing how the State intends to use the grant under this section. Each State plan shall include, at a minimum, the following: (1) An explanation of how the State will use the grant to supplement, and not supplant, other public funds provided for educational programs in civics and history. (2) Plans to address civics and history achievement gaps among traditionally underserved students. (3) Plans to improve civics and history achievement among traditionally underserved students. (4) Plans for making subgrants to local educational agencies as required under subsection (d), including— (A) details of how the State intends to distribute funding to local educational agencies, whether by competition or through a formula-based system; (B) how the State’s approach to distributing funds to local educational agencies will take into account requirements of paragraphs (1) through (3); (C) criteria by which local educational agencies’ applications for funding will be evaluated, including how such applications will take into account the requirements of paragraphs (1) through (3); (D) how the State will ensure that local educational agencies will use grant funds to supplement, and not supplant, other public funding for educational programs in civics and history; and (E) how the State will evaluate and hold local educational agencies accountable for improved student knowledge and achievement in civics and history. (5) An assurance that the State will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress assessments in civics and history in grades 4, 8, and 12. (6) In the case of a State applying to renew a grant previously received under this section, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the activities carried out using the previous grant, which shall be based on the results of the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress assessment in civics and history, to the extent the results of such assessment are available at the time of the State’s application. 104. Grants to nonprofit organizations (a) Program authorized The Secretary of Education is authorized to make grants to qualified nonprofit organizations, on a competitive basis, to assist such organizations in developing or expanding access to civics curricula, instructional models, and other educational programs to enhance student knowledge in civics and history in elementary schools and secondary schools. (b) Contents of application As part of the application required under section 102(b), a qualified nonprofit organization shall include a proposal that demonstrates how the activities proposed to be carried out with the grant under this section will enhance student knowledge in civics and history in elementary schools and secondary schools. (c) Priority of awards In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to qualified nonprofit organizations that propose to use the grant to develop or expand access to curricula, instructional models, and other educational programs that— (1) address the learning needs of traditionally underserved students; and (2) incorporate evidence-based practices to enhance student knowledge in civics and history. 105. Grants to institutions of higher education (a) Program authorized The Secretary of Education is authorized to make grants to institutions of higher education, on a competitive basis, to assist such institutions in developing and implementing programs to train elementary and secondary school teachers in methods for instructing students in civics and history. (b) Contents of application As part of the application required under section 102(b), an institution of higher education shall include a proposal demonstrating that the institution— (1) has the ability to train elementary and secondary school teachers to provide comprehensive civics education; (2) is familiar with research on practices that are proven to contribute to effective instruction in civics and history and will incorporate such research into the training provided to teachers using the grant; and (3) will use the grant to make training in civics education available to elementary and secondary school teachers in the State or geographic region served by the institution. (c) Priority of awards In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to institutions of higher education that propose to use the grant to carry out training programs for teachers that— (1) address the specific needs of teachers working with traditionally underserved students; and (2) incorporate evidence-based practices for improving the ability of teachers to provide effective instruction in civics and history. (d) Reservation of funds From the amounts made available to carry out this section, 35 percent shall be reserved to award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education that are eligible to receive funds under— (1) part A or part B of title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1057 et seq. (2) part A or part B of title V of such Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1101 et seq. (3) subpart 4 of part A of title VII of such Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1136a et seq. 106. Research grants (a) Program authorized The Secretary of Education is authorized to make grants, on a competitive basis, to qualified researchers to research and evaluate— (1) elementary and secondary school students’ knowledge of civics and history; and (2) effective instructional practices and educator professional development in the fields of civics and history. (b) Contents of application As part of the application required under section 102(b), a qualified researcher shall include a description of the project to be funded with the grant under this section. The description of the project shall include a separate section that describes how the project may directly or indirectly affect civics education generally, which may include effects such as— (1) achieving the full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in civics and history education; or (2) increasing student knowledge in civics and history. (c) Priority of awards In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to qualified researchers who propose to carry out activities that will benefit traditionally underserved communities. II Amendments to other laws 201. Prince Hall Civics Fellowship Program The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Act ( 20 U.S.C. 4501 et seq. (1) in section 802, by inserting , and to establish the Prince Hall Civics Fellowship Program which is designed to diversify the civics and history education workforce development (2) in section 807— (A) by striking this title section 804 (B) by striking this Act section 804 (3) by inserting after section 810 the following new section: 810A. Prince Hall Civics Fellowship Program (a) In general Notwithstanding sections 804 through 810— (1) the Foundation is authorized to award scholarships under an additional fellowship program to be administered by the James Madison Fellowship Program, which shall be known as the Prince Hall Civics Fellowship Program (2) the terms and conditions under this section shall apply with respect to the Prince Hall Civics Fellowship Program. (b) Purpose The purpose of the Prince Hall Civics Fellowship Program is to diversify the civics and history education workforce. (c) Applications In order to be eligible to receive a scholarship under the Prince Hall Civics Fellowship Program, an individual shall submit an application to the Foundation, containing an assurance that the applicant meets the following requirements: (1) The applicant holds a valid teaching credential in the applicant's home State and a baccalaureate degree or higher degree in the subject of humanities, political science, government, or American history, or a dual degree in one of those subjects and education. (2) The applicant will commit to 5 years of teaching in kindergarten through grade 12 and will provide verification for each year of employment. (d) Selection The Foundation shall, either directly or by contract, provide for the conduct of a nationwide competition for the purpose of selecting recipients of fellowships under the Prince Hall Civics Fellowship Program (referred to as fellows (1) the number of recipients selected from each State is in proportion to each State’s share of funding under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq. (2) in selecting fellows, priority is given to individuals— (A) who are teaching in communities to which the individual has ties at the time of the individual's application for the fellowship; (B) who are from populations underrepresented in the civics and history education workforce; or (C) based on merit. (e) Amount of fellowship Each fellow shall receive a stipend of $5,000 for each year, not to exceed a total of 5 years, that the fellow is employed as a teacher in kindergarten through grade 12 and submits employment verification to the Foundation in the manner prescribed by the Foundation. . 202. National Assessment of Educational Progress Section 303(b) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 ( 20 U.S.C. 9622(b) (1) in paragraph (2)— (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (H) as subparagraphs (E) through (I) respectively; (B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following: (D) conduct a national assessment, using a methodology sufficient to provide accurate, disaggregated, statistically significant State-level data on student proficiency for every State, on student academic achievement in public and private elementary schools and secondary schools at least once every 2 years, in grades 4, 8, and 12 in civics and history; ; and (C) in subparagraph (E), as so redesignated, by striking history, geography, civics geography (2) in paragraph (3)(A)— (A) in clause (i), by striking (2)(E) (2)(F) (B) by redesignating clauses (iii) and (iv) as clauses (iv) and (v), respectively; (C) by inserting after clause (ii) the following: (iii) shall conduct biennial State academic assessments of student achievement in civics and history in grades 4, 8, and 12, as described in paragraph (2)(D); ; and (D) in clause (iv), as so redesignated, by striking (2)(D) (2)(E) 203. USA Civics Act Section 805 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1161e (1) in the section heading, by striking history for freedom civics and history education program (2) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking subsection (f) subsection (g) (B) by striking the Secretary is authorized to award three-year grants, on a competitive basis, the Secretary is authorized to award grants, at the Secretary's discretion but not less frequently than once every 3 years and on a competitive basis, (C) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: (1) American political thought and history; ; and (D) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: (3) the history, achievements, and impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally. ; (3) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking as defined in section 101. , or a partnership that includes an institution of higher education and one or more nonprofit organizations, whose missions and demonstrated expertise are consistent with the purpose of this section. (B) in paragraph (2), by striking that emerged founded on the principles of representative democracy, constitutional government, individual rights, market economics, religious freedom and religious tolerance, and freedom of thought and inquiry. (C) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: (3) American political thought and history The term American political thought and history (A) the significant constitutional, political, intellectual, economic, social, and foreign policy trends and issues that have shaped the course of American history; and (B) the key episodes, turning points, texts, and figures involved in the constitutional, political, intellectual, diplomatic, social, and economic history of the United States. ; (4) in subsection (c)(2)— (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking traditional American political thought and history, free institutions, or the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally; (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting , which may include the creation or use of open educational resources subsection (e)(1)(B) (5) in subsection (d)— (A) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: (1) increase access to quality programming that expands knowledge of American political thought and history, free institutions, or the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally; ; and (B) in paragraph (2), by striking traditional American history, free institutions, or Western civilization American political thought and history, free institutions, the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally, or the means of participation in political and civic life. (6) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following: (e) Use of funds (1) Required use of funds Funds provided under this section shall be used— (A) for collaboration with local educational agencies for the purpose of providing elementary school and secondary school teachers an opportunity to enhance their knowledge of American political thought and history, free institutions, or the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally; and (B) to carry out one or more of the following: (i) Establishing or strengthening academic programs or centers focused on American political thought and history, free institutions, or the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally, which may include— (I) design and implementation of programs of study, courses, lecture series, seminars, and symposia; (II) development, publication, and dissemination of instructional materials; (III) research; (IV) support for faculty teaching in undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate programs; or (V) support for graduate and postgraduate fellowships, if applicable. (ii) For teacher preparation initiatives that stress content mastery regarding American political thought and history, free institutions, or the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally. (iii) To conduct outreach activities to ensure that information about the activities funded under this section is widely disseminated— (I) to undergraduate students (including students enrolled in teacher education programs, if applicable); (II) to graduate students (including students enrolled in teacher education programs, if applicable); (III) to faculty; (IV) to local educational agencies; and (V) within the local community. (2) Allowable uses of funds Funds provided under this section may be used to support— (A) collaboration with entities such as— (i) nonprofit organizations whose missions and demonstrated expertise are consistent with the purpose of this section, for assistance in carrying out activities described under subsection (a); and (ii) Federal or State humanities programs, which may include those funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities; and (B) the creation and use of open educational resources on American political thought and history, free institutions, or the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally. ; (7) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g); (8) in subsection (g), as redesignated by paragraph (7), by striking 2009 2022 (9) by inserting after subsection (e) the following: (f) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the Secretary to prescribe an American political thought and history curriculum. . 204. Sustaining the Truman Foundation Section 10(b) of Public Law 93–642 20 U.S.C. 2001 et seq. (b) (1) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to invest in full the amounts appropriated to the fund. (2) Investments of amounts appropriated to the fund shall be made in public debt securities of the United States with maturities suitable to the fund. For such purpose, such obligations may be acquired— (A) on original issue at the issue price; or (B) by purchase of outstanding obligations at the market price. (3) The purposes for which obligations of the United States may be issued under chapter 31 1/8 1⁄8 . 205. Sustaining the Madison Foundation Subsection (b) of section 811 of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Act ( 20 U.S.C. 4510 (b) (1) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to invest in full the amounts appropriated to the fund. (2) Subject to paragraph (3), investments of amounts appropriated to the fund shall be made in public debt securities of the United States with maturities suitable to the fund. For such purpose, such obligations may be acquired (A) on original issue at the issue price, or (B) by purchase of outstanding obligations at the market price. The purposes for which obligations of the United States may be issued under chapter 31 1/8 1/8 (3) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), upon receiving a determination of the Board described in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall invest up to 40 percent of the fund’s assets in securities other than public debt securities of the United States, provided that the securities are traded in established United States markets. (B) A determination described in this subparagraph is a determination by the Board that investments as described in subparagraph (A) are necessary to enable the Foundation to carry out the purposes of this title without any diminution of the number of fellowships provided under section 804. (C) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to limit the authority of the Board to increase the number of fellowships provided under section 804, or to increase the amount of the fellowship authorized by section 809, as the Board considers appropriate and is otherwise consistent with the requirements of this title. . 206. The CIVICS Act Section 2233(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 6663(b) (1) shall— (A) show potential to improve the quality of student achievement in, and teaching of, American history, civics and government, or geography, in elementary schools and secondary schools; (B) demonstrate innovation, scalability, accountability, and a focus on underserved populations; and (C) include programs that educate students about the history and principles of the Constitution of the United States, including the Bill of Rights; and (2) may include hands-on civic engagement activities for teachers and students. . III Civics Secures Democracy Fund 301. Civics Secures Democracy Fund (a) Definitions In this section: (1) The term Civics Secures Democracy Fund (2) The term COVID relief funds (A) the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 ( Public Law 116–123 (B) the Families First Coronavirus Response Act ( Public Law 116–127 (C) the CARES Act ( Public Law 116–136 (D) the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act ( Public Law 116–139 (E) division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 ( Public Law 116–260 (F) the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 13 ( Public Law 117–2 (3) The term Secretary (b) Civics Secures Democracy Fund There is established in the Treasury a fund to be known as the Civics Secures Democracy Fund (1) For fiscal year 2022 and for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years— (A) $585,000,000 from the Civics Secures Democracy Fund shall be made available to carry out section 103; (B) $200,000,000 from the Civics Secures Democracy Fund shall be made available to carry out section 104; and (C) $50,000,000 from the Civics Secures Democracy Fund shall be made available to carry out section 106. (2) For fiscal year 2022 and for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years, $150,000,000 shall be made available from the Civics Secures Democracy Fund to carry out section 105 of this Act and section 805 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1161e (3) For fiscal year 2022 and for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years, $15,000,000 shall be made available from the Civics Secures Democracy Fund to carry out section 810A of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Act (20 18 U.S.C. 4501 et seq. (4) $300,000,000 from the Civics Secures Democracy Fund shall be made available for a one-time payment for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation Trust Fund, established by section 10 of Public Law 93–642 20 U.S.C. 2009 (5) $20,000,000 from the Civics Secures Democracy Fund shall be made available for a one-time payment for the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Trust Fund, established by section 811 of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Act ( 20 U.S.C. 4510 (6) For fiscal years beginning after fiscal year 2027— (A) amounts appropriated for any such fiscal year for deposit into the Civics Secures Democracy Fund shall be used to carry out the provisions of law specified in paragraphs (1) through (3); and (B) the amount allocated from the Fund to carry out each such provision for a fiscal year shall be determined by the Secretary. (c) Identification and use of excess funds (1) Identification of sufficient sums Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shall identify unobligated COVID relief funds for programs that have expired that are appropriate for transfer to the Civics Secures Democracy Fund— (A) in the amount equal to $6,320,000,000; or (B) if unobligated funds in that amount are not available and appropriate for transfer, a lesser amount not to exceed $6,320,000,000. (2) Transfer Effective on the date that is 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act— (A) the unobligated COVID relief funds identified in accordance with paragraph (1) shall be transferred to and merged with the Civics Secures Democracy Fund; and (B) the provisions of law specified in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of subsection (a)(2) shall no longer apply to such funds. (3) Conditional authorization of appropriations In the event the amount transferred to the Civics Secures Democracy Fund pursuant to paragraph (2) is less than $6,320,000,000, there is appropriated to the Fund an amount equal to the difference between— (A) the amount transferred to the Fund pursuant to such paragraph; and (B) $6,320,000,000.

Summary: Civics Secures Democracy Act This bill provides resources to expand educational programs in American civics and history, including by establishing grant and fellowship programs, reauthorizing various programs, and creating the Civics Secures Democracy Fund. First, the bill authorizes the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to states, qualified nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education (IHEs), and qualified researchers to support and expand access to civics and history education. Next, the bill establishes a fellowship program to diversify the civics and history education workforce. In addition, the bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and revises the American History for Freedom grant program. The bill renames the program as the American Civics and History Education Program. The bill revises the grant program to authorize ED to award grants to IHEs at least once every three years to establish or strengthen academic programs to promote American political thought and history and the history, achievements, and impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally. IHEs may use grants to support additional activities, such as collaborating with federal or state humanities programs and using open educational resources. Further, the bill revises the Harry S. Truman Memorial Scholarship Trust Fund and the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Trust Fund. The bill requires the National Assessment of Educational Progress in civics and history to be administered every two years to certain grade levels. The bill also establishes the Civics Secures Democracy Fund, through which funds shall be made available to carry out provisions of the bill. The bill transfers certain unobligated COVID relief funds to the fund.