Congressman Cleaver Reintroduces Legislation to Strengthen Civics Education in Schools

(Washington, D.C.) - Today U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) reintroduced legislation to strengthen civics education in schools across the country. The Civics Learning Act would reaffirm Congress' commitment to protecting American democracy by ensuring schools have the resources needed to provide a proper, robust education in civics and our constitutional system of government to students in every community.

"To guarantee our democratic ideals live on for generations to come, we must ensure the youth of America are well-versed in the legal framework and concepts of our constitutional republic, as well as their responsibilities as citizens to uphold it," said Congressman Cleaver. "Unfortunately, with civics scores declining for the first time in the history of the National Assessment of Education Progress Civics Exam in 2022, it's clear that we have work to do. My Civics Learning Act will reverse this troubling trend by equipping schools with the resources necessary to give students a thorough and well-rounded education in modern civics."

For the first time in the history of the National Assessment of Education Progress Civics Exam, civics scores declined in 2022, with less than one quarter of eighth graders performing at or above a proficient level on the exam, demonstrating a need to bolster civics education in schools. While there are numerous reasons that contribute to America's decline in civic understanding, a 2018 report from the Brown Center on Education Policy found that social studies teachers are some of the least supported teachers in schools.

Rep. Cleaver's Civics Learning Act would help to bolster civics education in Missouri and across the country by amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase funding by $70 million for civics education and awarding grants that:

• Support investments in innovative and evidence-based civics learning and teaching programs
• Fund elementary, middle, and high school programs to ensure a lasting foundation of civic knowledge accumulated through years of education.
• Prioritize funding for high-need schools, underserved populations, and low-access areas such as rural and inner-city communities, where civics education scores are lower than average.

The Civics Learning Act is cosponsored by Reps. André Carson (D-IN), Sean Casten (D-IL), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Bill Keating (D-MA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Dina Titus (D-NV), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).

Official text of the Civics Learning Act is available here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.