Washington, D.C. - Today, Senators Kennedy’s amendment to address the underachievement of American students in U.S. history and civics passed in the Senate as part of the Labor-H Appropriations bill. Earlier this year, Senators Kennedy and Alexander offered S. 860, the American History Achievement Act, to encourage states to make progress on their U.S. history and civics standards, elevate the standing of these subjects in school curriculum, and promote better teaching in classrooms.
“Instilling appreciation of America’s past - teaching the values of liberty, justice, equality, and civic responsibility - should be an important mission of every school," Senator Kennedy said.
“Thanks to the efforts of large numbers of teachers of history and civics in classrooms throughout America, we’re making progress. But much more remains to be done to advance their understanding of the subject. We need high standards for civic education, more opportunities for internships and service-learning, and stronger partnerships between schools and community organizations to involve young people more fully in the life of their communities."
Today’s Senate action will create a new 10-state pilot assessment of U.S. History and Civics, administered in grades 8 and 12, through the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). It will also provide for a more frequent national analysis of learning in American history, by assigning priority to the U.S. history NAEP at the national level.
