HEAL Act
Bill: H.R.9681 | Sponsor: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh (D-NJ)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons Act or the HEAL Act
This bill directs the Institute of Education Sciences to study and report on Holocaust education efforts in public elementary and secondary schools. Among other elements, the study must (1) identify the states and local educational agencies that require (and those that do not require) Holocaust education as part of the curriculum taught in public elementary and secondary schools, (2) assess the quality of Holocaust education provided by schools, and (3) assess the types and quality of instructional material used to teach students about the Holocaust.

To direct the Department of Education to conduct a study on Holocaust 
 education efforts in public elementary and secondary schools, 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 ``Holocaust Education and Antisemitism 
Lessons Act'' or the ``HEAL Act''.

SEC. 2. STUDY AND REPORT ON HOLOCAUST EDUCATION.

    (a) Study.--Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Institute of Education 
Sciences of the Department of Education (referred to in this Act as the 
``Director'') shall conduct a study on Holocaust education efforts in 
public elementary and secondary schools.
    (b) Elements.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the 
Director shall--
            (1) identify States and local educational agencies that 
        require Holocaust education as part of the curriculum taught in 
        public elementary and secondary schools;
            (2) identify States and local educational agencies that do 
        not require Holocaust education as part of the curriculum 
        taught in public elementary and secondary schools;
            (3) assess the quality of Holocaust education provided by 
        public elementary and secondary schools, including through the 
        qualitative and quantitative analysis of such indicators as--
                    (A) in-class discussion;
                    (B) educational activities conducted outside the 
                classroom, including homework assignments; and
                    (C) project based learning;
            (4) assess the types and quality of instructional materials 
        used to teach students about the Holocaust;
            (5) examine the duration and comprehensiveness of any 
        Holocaust-related courses or lessons provided by public 
        elementary and secondary schools; and
            (6) analyze the approaches used by such schools to assess 
        students' knowledge of the Holocaust, including the use of 
        traditional and nontraditional assessments.
    (c) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Following the completion of the study 
        under subsection (a), the Director shall prepare and submit to 
        Congress a report on the results of the study.
            (2) Deadline for submittal.--The report under paragraph (1) 
        shall be submitted not later than the earlier of--
                    (A) 180 days after the completion of the study 
                under subsection (a); or
                    (B) three years after the date of the enactment of 
                this section.
    (d) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) ESEA terms.--The terms ``elementary school'', ``local 
        educational agency'', ``secondary school'', and ``State'' have 
        the meanings given those terms in section 8101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (2) Holocaust.--The term ``Holocaust'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 3 of the Never Again Education Act 
        (Public Law 116-141; 36 U.S.C. 2301 note).
            (3) Holocaust education.--The term ``Holocaust education'' 
        means educational activities that are specifically intended--
                    (A) to improve students' awareness and 
                understanding of the Holocaust;
                    (B) to educate students on the lessons of the 
                Holocaust as a means to raise awareness about the 
                importance of preventing genocide, hate, and bigotry 
                against any group of people; and
                    (C) to study the history of antisemitism, its deep 
                historical roots, the use of conspiracy theories and 
                propaganda that target the Jewish people, and the 
                shape-shifting nature of antisemitism over time.
            (4) Project based learning.--The term ``project based 
        learning'' means a teaching method through which students learn 
        by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful 
        projects.
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