To amend the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act to require State academic assessments of student achievement in United States history and civics, and for other purposes.

April 20, 2005

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

To amend the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act to require State academic assessments of student achievement in United States history and civics, 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 `American History Achievement Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--

(1) the 2001 National Assessment of Educational Progress assessment in United States history had the largest percentage of students scoring below basic of any subject that was tested, including mathematics, science, and reading;

(2) in the 2001 National Assessment of Educational Progress assessment in United States history--

(A) 33 percent of students in grade 4 scored below basic, 36 percent of students in grade 8 scored below basic, and 57 percent of students in grade 12 scored below basic;

(B) 92 percent of students in grade 12 could not explain the most important cause of the Great Depression after reading a paragraph delineating 4 significant reasons;

(C) 91 percent of students in grade 8 could not `list two issues that were important in causing the Civil War' and `list the Northern and Southern positions on each of these issues';

(D) 95 percent of students in grade 4 could not list `two reasons why the people we call `pioneers' moved west across the United States';

(E) 73 percent of students in grade 4 could not identify the Constitution from among 4 choices as `the document that contains the basic rules used to run the United States government';

(F) 75 percent of students in grade 4 could not identify `the three parts of the federal (national) government of the United States' out of 4 possible choices;

(G) 94 percent of students in grade 8 could not `give two reasons why it can be useful for a country to have a constitution'; and

(H) 91 percent of students in grade 12 were unable to `explain two ways that democratic society benefits from citizens actively participating in the political process';

(3) America's past encompasses great leaders and great ideas that contribute to our shared heritage and to the principles of freedom, equality, justice, and opportunity for all;

(4) an appreciation for the defining events in our Nation's history can be a catalyst for civic involvement; and

(5) the strength of American democracy and our standing in the world depend on ensuring that our children have a strong understanding of our Nation's past.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS AUTHORIZATION ACT.

Section 303(b) of the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. 9622(b)) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (2)(D), by inserting `(with a priority in conducting assessments in history not less frequently than once every 4 years)' after `subject matter'; and

(2) in paragraph (3)(A)--

(A) in clause (iii)--

(i) by inserting `except as provided in clause (iv),' before `may conduct'; and

(ii) by striking `and' after the semicolon;

(B) by redesignating clause (iv) as clause (v); and

(C) by inserting after clause (iii) the following:

`(iv) shall conduct trial State academic assessments of student achievement in United States history in grades 8 and 12 in not less than 10 States representing geographically diverse regions of the United States and in civics in grades 8 and 12 in not less than 10 States representing geographically diverse regions of the United States (with a priority given to conducting assessments in United States history); and'.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL ASSESSMENT GOVERNING BOARD.

Section 302(e)(1) of the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. 9621(e)(1)) is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (I), by striking `and' after the semicolon;

(2) by redesignating subparagraph (J) as subparagraph (K);

(3) in the flush matter at the end, by striking `subparagraph (J)' and inserting `subparagraph (K)'; and

(4) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the following:

`(J) in consultation with the Commissioner for Education Statistics, identify and select the States that will participate in the trial State academic assessments described in section 303(b)(3)(A)(iv); and'.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

Section 305 of the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. 9624) is amended--

(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and

(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:

`(b) History and Civics Assessments- There are authorized to be appropriated--

`(1) $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 and 2007 to carry out sections 303(b)(3)(A)(iv) and 302(e)(1), of which not more than $500,000 for each fiscal year shall be available to carry out section 302(e)(1); and

`(2) such sums as may be necessary to carry out such sections for each succeeding fiscal year.'.

SEC. 6. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

Section 113(a)(1) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9513(a)(1)) is amended by striking `section 302(e)(1)(J)' and inserting `section 302(e)(1)(K)'.

END