[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 860 Reported in Senate (RS)]







                                                       Calendar No. 640
109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                 S. 860

                          [Report No. 109-348]

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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 20, 2005

 Mr. Alexander (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Dodd, and Ms. Landrieu) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

                           September 26, 2006

                Reported by Mr. Enzi, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
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,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``American History 
Achievement Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Congress finds that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in the 2001 National Assessment of Educational 
        Progress assessment in United States history--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (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;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (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;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (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'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (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'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (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'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (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;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (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</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (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'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) an appreciation for the defining events in our 
        Nation's history can be a catalyst for civic involvement; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL 
              PROGRESS AUTHORIZATION ACT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 303(b) of the National Assessment of Educational 
Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. 9622(b)) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (3)(A)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in clause (iii)--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) by inserting ``except as 
                        provided in clause (iv),'' before ``may 
                        conduct''; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) by striking ``and'' after the 
                        semicolon;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by redesignating clause (iv) as clause 
                (v); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by inserting after clause (iii) the 
                following:</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(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''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. NATIONAL ASSESSMENT GOVERNING BOARD.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 302(e)(1) of the National Assessment of 
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. 9621(e)(1)) is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subparagraph (I), by striking ``and'' after 
        the semicolon;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by redesignating subparagraph (J) as 
        subparagraph (K);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in the flush matter at the end, by striking 
        ``subparagraph (J)'' and inserting ``subparagraph (K)''; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(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''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 305 of the National Assessment of Educational 
Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. 9624) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection 
        (c); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) History and Civics Assessments.--There are 
authorized to be appropriated--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(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</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
        such sections for each succeeding fiscal year.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 6. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    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)''.</DELETED>

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 United States 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 (in connection with 
                        assessments in United States history and civics 
                        scheduled pursuant to paragraph (2)(D)) 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) United States History and Civics Assessments.--
            ``(1) In general.--In addition to amounts otherwise 
        appropriated under subsection (a)(1)(2), there are authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out sections 303(b)(3)(A)(iv) and 
        302(e)(1)--
                    ``(A) $8,500,000 for the fiscal year preceding the 
                conduct of the first trial assessment described in 
                section 303(b)(3)(A)(iv);
                    ``(B) $8,500,000 for the fiscal year during which 
                the first trial assessment described in section 
                303(b)(3)(A)(iv) is conducted; and
                    ``(C) such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal 
                year succeeding the fiscal year described in 
                subparagraph (B).
            ``(2) Amounts for the national assessment governing 
        board.--From the amounts made available under subparagraphs (A) 
        and (B) of paragraph (1), not more than $500,000 shall be 
        available for each fiscal year to carry out section 
        302(e)(1).''.

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)''.
                                                       Calendar No. 640

109th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                 S. 860

                          [Report No. 109-348]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

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.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           September 26, 2006

                       Reported with an amendment