Civics Learning Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.400 | Sponsor: Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. (D-FL)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Civics Learning Act of 2021
This bill expands the use of American History and Civics Education—National Activities grants to prioritize innovative civics learning and teaching.
Specifically, the bill expands the allowable uses of these grants to include before-, during-, and after-school activities and extracurricular activities; activities that include service learning and community service projects that are linked to school curriculum; activities that encourage and support student participation in school governance; and online and video game-based learning.
Further, the Department of Education must ensure that specified percentages of grant funds are awarded on a diverse basis to eligible entities (e.g., institutions of higher education) that serve students and teachers at elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.

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 Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Civics Learning Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The dearth of civics lessons available to students 
        across the United States has helped to foster a political 
        climate that is deeply partisan and divided.
            (2) Polarized party politics in the United States has 
        fractured public morale in our institutions and has created an 
        environment in which people are less likely to be well-informed 
        on the current state of affairs and to participate in the 
        political process.
            (3) According to the Annenberg Constitution Day Civics 
        Survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the 
        University of Pennsylvania--
                    (A) in 2018, only 32 percent of people in the 
                United States surveyed were capable of naming all 3 
                branches of Government, while 33 percent of Americans 
                were not able to name any of the branches of 
                government;
                    (B) in 2018, 30 percent of people in the United 
                States surveyed knew that the Senate is in charge of 
                Supreme Court nominee confirmations; and
                    (C) in 2017, 37 percent could not name any of the 
                rights guaranteed under the First Amendment.
            (4) In 2014, only 23 percent of eighth graders were found 
        to have performed at or above the proficient level on the 
        National Assessment of Educational Progress civics exam 
        conducted by the National Center of Education Studies.
            (5) A lack of knowledge on the basics of the structure of 
        our democratic republic creates an increasingly ill-prepared 
        electorate which over time has, and will continue to, 
        contribute to a weakened democracy.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF 
              1965.

    Section 2233 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 6663) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by inserting ``and prioritize innovative civics 
                learning and teaching, including by encouraging'' after 
                ``to encourage''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``(including students and teachers 
                at high-need schools (as defined in section 2221))'' 
                before the period;
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by inserting ``and appropriated under 
                subsection (h) of this section'' after ``2231(b)(2)''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(2) may include--
                    ``(A) hands-on civic engagement activities for 
                teachers and students;
                    ``(B) activities about the history and principles 
                of the Constitution of the United States, including the 
                Bill of Rights;
                    ``(C) before-school, during-school, after-school, 
                and extracurricular activities;
                    ``(D) activities that include service learning and 
                community service projects that are linked to school 
                curriculum;
                    ``(E) activities that encourage and support student 
                participation in school governance; and
                    ``(F) online and video game based learning.'';
            (3) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (3) and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(3) Diversity of projects.--
                    ``(A) Diversity of grants.--In awarding grants 
                under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that, to 
                the extent practicable, grants are distributed among 
                eligible entities that will serve geographically 
                diverse areas, including urban, suburban, and rural 
                areas, and public elementary schools.
                    ``(B) Allocation of grant funding.--To the extent 
                practicable based on the applications received under 
                subsection (d), the Secretary shall ensure that--
                            ``(i) not less than 30 percent of the grant 
                        funds under this section are awarded to 
                        eligible entities that serve elementary school 
                        students and teachers;
                            ``(ii) not less than 30 percent of the 
                        grant funds under this section are awarded to 
                        eligible entities that serve middle school 
                        students and teachers; and
                            ``(iii) not more than 40 percent of the 
                        grant funds under this section are awarded to 
                        eligible entities that serve high school 
                        students and teachers.'';
            (4) in subsection (d), by inserting ``, and containing such 
        information,'' after ``manner''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Grant Award Preference.--In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give preference to applications for 
programs that carry out the activities listed in subsection (b)(2) for 
the purpose of strengthening civics education and learning.
    ``(g) Annual Report.--Not later than 90 days after the end of each 
fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Education 
and Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report containing--
            ``(1) a description of each eligible entity awarded a grant 
        under this section during the preceding fiscal year;
            ``(2) a description of whether each such eligible entity 
        was able to met each of the purposes under subsection (a), and 
        if so, how such eligible entity was able to meet such purposes; 
        and
            ``(3) any recommendations for continuation of the grant 
        program under this section.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to the amounts 
reserved under section 2231(b)(2), there are authorized to be 
appropriated $30,000,000 to carry out this section for fiscal year 
2022.''.
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