S. 5676

Strengthening Civics Education Act

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II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5676

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 30, 2026

Mr. Coons (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

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 Strengthening Civics Education 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, evidence-based, 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; and

(2)

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.

(b)

Rule of construction

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede or preempt State or local control over the content, standards, or instruction in civics or history education.

3.

National Assessment of Educational Progress

Section 303(b) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9622(b)) is amended—

(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 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 and inserting geography; and

(2)

in paragraph (3)(A)—

(A)

in clause (i), by striking (2)(E) and inserting (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) and inserting (2)(E).

4.

USA Civics Act

Section 805 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161e) is amended—

(1)

in the section heading, by striking history for freedom and inserting civics and history education program;

(2)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—

(i)

by striking subsection (f) and inserting subsection (g); and

(ii)

by striking the Secretary is authorized to award three-year grants, on a competitive basis, and inserting 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,;

(B)

in paragraph (2), by striking or after the semicolon;

(C)

in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or; and

(D)

by adding at the end the following:

(4)

the history, achievements, and impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally.

;

(3)

in subsection (b)—

(A)

in paragraph (1), by inserting , or a partnership that includes such an institution of higher education and one or more nonprofit organizations whose mission and demonstrated expertise are consistent with the purpose of this section. after section 101; and

(B)

in paragraph (2)—

(i)

by inserting representative before democracy; and

(ii)

by inserting freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, after market economics;

(4)

in subsection (c)(2)—

(A)

in subparagraph (A), by inserting American political thought and history, the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally, after free institutions,; and

(B)

in subparagraph (B), by inserting , which may include the creation or use of open educational resources after subsection (e)(1)(B);

(5)

in subsection (d)—

(A)

in paragraph (1), by inserting American political thought and history, the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally, after free institutions,; and

(B)

in paragraph (2), by inserting American political thought and history, the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally, the means of participation in political and civic life, after free institutions,;

(6)

in subsection (e)—

(A)

in paragraph (1)—

(i)

in subparagraph (A)—

(I)

by inserting American political thought and history, the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally, after free institutions,;

(II)

in clause (iv), by inserting or after the semicolon;

(III)

in clause (v), by striking or after the semicolon; and

(IV)

by striking clause (vi);

(ii)

in subparagraph (B)(v), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(iii)

by adding at the end the following:

(C)

support teacher preparation initiatives that stress content mastery regarding traditional American history, free institutions, American political thought and history, the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally, or Western civilization; and

(D)

collaborate with local educational agencies for the purpose of providing elementary school and secondary school teachers an opportunity to enhance their knowledge of traditional American history, Western civilization, American political thought and history, free institutions, or the impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally.

; and

(B)

in paragraph (2)—

(i)

in subparagraph (A)—

(I)

in clause (i), by striking and after the semicolon;

(II)

in clause (ii), by striking and after the semicolon and inserting or; and

(III)

by adding at the end the following:

(iii)

Federal or State humanities programs, which may include those funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities; and

; and

(ii)

by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:

(B)

the creation and use of open educational resources on traditional American history, Western civilization, 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 and inserting 2027; and

(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.

.

5.

America250 Civics Clearinghouse

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of the Interior, shall establish a publicly available website, to be known as the America250 Civics Clearinghouse, that lists and describes Federal scholarship and fellowship opportunities for students and teachers that have a nexus with civics and are offered by the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, the Department of the Interior, the National Endowment for the Humanities, or any other Federal agencies.