S 659

S 659 IS

To improve the teaching and learning of American history and civics.

March 19, 2009

Mr. ALEXANDER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

To improve the teaching and learning of American history and civics.

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 ‘Improving the Teaching and Learning of American History and Civics Act of 2009’.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.

Sec. 2. Table of contents.

TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF 1965

Sec. 101. American history and civics education.

Sec. 102. Standards and assessments in United States history.

Sec. 103. Repeals.

Sec. 104. Table of contents.

TITLE II--AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS ACHIEVEMENT

Sec. 201. Short title.

Sec. 202. Findings.

Sec. 203. Amendment to the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act.

Sec. 204. National Assessment Governing Board.

Sec. 205. Authorization of appropriations.

Sec. 206. Conforming amendment.

TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF 1965

SEC. 101. AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS EDUCATION.

Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

‘PART E--AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS EDUCATION

‘Subpart 1--Teaching Traditional American History

‘SEC. 2511. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

‘(a) In General- The Secretary may establish and implement a program to be known as the ‘Teaching Traditional American History Grant Program’, under which the Secretary shall award grants on a competitive basis to local educational agencies--

‘(1) to carry out activities to promote the teaching of traditional American history in elementary schools and secondary schools as a separate academic subject (not as a component of social studies); and

‘(2) for the development, implementation, and strengthening of programs to teach traditional American history as a separate academic subject (not as a component of social studies) within elementary school and secondary school curricula, including the implementation of activities--

‘(A) to improve the quality of instruction; and

‘(B) to provide professional development and teacher education activities with respect to traditional American history.

‘(b) Required Partnership- A local educational agency that receives a grant under subsection (a) shall carry out activities under the grant in partnership with 1 or more of the following:

‘(1) An institution of higher education.

‘(2) A nonprofit history or humanities organization.

‘(3) A library or museum.

‘(c) Application- To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a local educational agency shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

‘SEC. 2512. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subpart $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.

‘Subpart 2--Presidential and Congressional History and Civics Academies

‘SEC. 2521. DEFINITIONS.

‘In this subpart:

‘(1) AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS- The term ‘American history and civics’ means the events, persons, ideas, and documents that shaped the institutions and democratic heritage of the United States of America.

‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- The term ‘eligible entity’--

‘(A) means--

‘(i) an institution of higher education;

‘(ii) an educational institution created by a legislative act of a State for the express purpose of teaching American history and civics to elementary school and secondary school students; or

‘(iii) a nonprofit educational institution, museum, library, or research center; and

‘(B) includes a consortium of entities described in subparagraph (A).

‘(3) STATE- The term ‘State’ means each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia.

‘(4) TEACHERS OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS- The term ‘teachers of American history and civics’ means kindergarten through grade 12 teachers who teach American history, government, or civics, or who incorporate such subjects into their teaching.

‘SEC. 2522. PRESIDENTIAL ACADEMIES FOR TEACHING OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS.

‘(a) Establishment- From amounts appropriated under section 2524, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to establish Presidential Academies for Teaching of American History and Civics (in this section referred to as the ‘Academies’) that offer seminars or institutes for teachers of American history and civics--

‘(1) to strengthen such teachers’ knowledge of the subjects of American history and civics; and

‘(2) to learn how better to teach such subjects.

‘(b) Application-

‘(1) IN GENERAL- An eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.

‘(2) CONTENTS- An application submitted under paragraph (1) shall--

‘(A) include the criteria that will be used to determine which teachers will be selected to attend a seminar or institute offered by the Academy;

‘(B) identify the individual the eligible entity intends to appoint to be the primary scholar at the Academy;

‘(C) include a description of the curriculum to be used at a seminar or institute offered by the Academy; and

‘(D) provide an assurance that the recruitment plan for which teachers will be selected to attend a seminar or institute offered by the Academy will include teachers from high-need schools.

‘(c) Priority- In awarding grants under this subpart, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that coordinate or align their activities with the National Park Service National Centennial Parks initiative to develop innovative and comprehensive programs using the resources of the National Parks.

‘(d) Grant Terms- Grants awarded under this section shall be for a term of not more than 5 years.

‘(e) Use of Funds-

‘(1) IN GENERAL- Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant funds--

‘(A) to establish an Academy and a seminar or institute in accordance with paragraph (2);

‘(B) for Academy staff in accordance with paragraph (3);

‘(C) for the selection of teachers in accordance with paragraph (4); and

‘(D) to pay teacher stipends in accordance with paragraph (5).

‘(2) SEMINARS AND INSTITUTES- An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall establish an Academy that shall offer a seminar or institute for teachers of American history and civics that--

‘(A) provides intensive professional development opportunities for teachers of American history and civics to strengthen such teachers’ knowledge of the subjects of American history and civics;

‘(B) is led by a team of primary scholars and core teachers;

‘(C) is conducted during the summer or another appropriate time; and

‘(D) is of not less than 2 weeks and not more than 6 weeks in duration.

‘(3) ACADEMY STAFF-

‘(A) PRIMARY SCHOLAR- Each Academy shall be headed by a primary scholar identified in the application submitted under subsection (b) who shall--

‘(i) be accomplished in the field of traditional American history and civics; and

‘(ii) design the curriculum for and lead the seminar or institute.

‘(B) CORE TEACHERS- Each primary scholar shall appoint an appropriate number of core teachers. At the direction of the primary scholar, the core teachers shall teach and train the seminar or institute attendees.

‘(4) SELECTION OF TEACHERS-

‘(A) IN GENERAL-

‘(i) NUMBER OF TEACHERS- Each year, each Academy shall select teachers of American history and civics to attend the seminar or institute offered by the Academy.

‘(ii) FLEXIBILITY IN NUMBER OF TEACHERS- Each Academy shall select not more than 300 and not less than 50 teachers under clause (i).

‘(B) TEACHERS FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS- An Academy may select teachers from public schools and private schools to attend the seminar or institute offered by the Academy.

‘(5) TEACHER STIPENDS- Each teacher selected to participate in a seminar or institute funded under this section shall be awarded a fixed stipend based on the length of the seminar or institute to help cover travel costs, books and other study expenses, and meals and living expenses appropriate to the length of the seminar or institute to ensure that such teacher does not incur personal costs associated with the teacher’s participation in the seminar or institute.

‘(f) Evaluation-

‘(1) IN GENERAL- At the completion of all of the seminars and institutes assisted in the third year grants are awarded under this section, the Secretary shall conduct an evaluation and submit a report on its findings to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives.

‘(2) CONTENT OF EVALUATION- The evaluation conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall--

‘(A) determine the overall success of the grant program authorized under this section; and

‘(B) highlight the best grantees’ practices in order to become models for future grantees.

‘(g) Match-

‘(1) IN GENERAL- An eligible entity receiving Federal assistance under this section shall provide, toward the cost of the activities assisted under the grant, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to 100 percent of the amount of the grant.

‘(2) WAIVER- The Secretary may waive all or part of the matching requirement described in paragraph (1) for any fiscal year for an eligible entity if the Secretary determines that applying the matching requirement would result in serious hardship or an inability to carry out the activities described in subsection (e).

‘SEC. 2523. CONGRESSIONAL ACADEMIES FOR STUDENTS OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS.

Full Text of Legislation