Federal education programs would require civics tests and support teaching

The education secretary could fund open teaching materials, teacher preparation, work with local schools, and participation by certain humanities programs through competitive grants. Supported subjects would include American political history and thought, democratic government in the United States and abroad, civic and political participation, and freedoms of speech and assembly. Colleges could apply, including partnerships between a college and nonprofits whose missions and expertise fit the program. The secretary would choose when to award grants but would have to offer them at least once every three years; no fixed grant length is stated here. Federal officials could not prescribe an American political thought and history curriculum or override state and local control of civics and history instruction. The program's funding authorization reference would change from 2009 to 2027.

The federal student testing program would conduct national and state civics and history assessments. The assessments would measure students in grades 4, 8, and 12. The assessments must use methods that produce accurate, separate, and statistically reliable results for every state. National assessments would occur at least once every two years, and state assessments would occur every two years.

The education secretary would create a public website listing and describing covered scholarships and fellowships. The website would cover federal civics-related opportunities for students and teachers offered by federal agencies. The education secretary would consult the labor and interior secretaries when creating the website. The website would have to be established no later than one year after enactment.