H.R. 10895: Teaching Engaged Citizenship Act of 2026

This bill would direct the U.S. Department of Education to create and run a new Civic Education and Service Learning Grant Program. The goal is to help public elementary and secondary schools expand civics instruction and service-learning activities, including teacher training, curriculum development, and student projects tied to civic participation.

What the grant program would do

The Secretary of Education would award competitive grants to eligible organizations. Those grants could be used for:

• Training teachers to teach civics and service-learning more effectively.
• Developing or improving civics programs in public schools.
• Creating classroom materials and other resources for teachers.
• Hands-on learning such as mock congressional hearings, courtroom simulations, public hearings, internships, and community service projects.
• Partnerships with community organizations, government entities, nonprofits, and colleges.

States that receive grants could also give subgrants to local school districts, and at least half of those subgrant funds would have to go to districts serving high-need schools.

New federal civics office

The bill would create an Office of Civic Education inside the Department of Education, led by a new Assistant Secretary for Civic Education. This office would manage the grant program, advise the Secretary, work with other parts of the department, build outside partnerships, and help identify effective practices in civic education.

It would also create a Civic Education Advisory Committee made up of students, civics teachers, state or local education officials, and nonprofit representatives. The committee would meet regularly, review civic education efforts, and recommend criteria for evaluating high-quality civics and service-learning programs.

Changes to school planning and testing

The bill would amend federal education law so state and local education plans would refer not just to reading and math, but also to civics and history.

It would also change the National Assessment of Educational Progress rules so civics and history are more clearly included, and so achievement results for those subjects are reported nationally and by state.

Award program

The bill would create an annual Excellence in Civics Award to recognize strong civic education and service-learning programs. The advisory committee would help select recipients. Eligible recipients could include states, school districts, public schools, teachers, students, groups of students, and partnerships with nonprofits.

Educational materials for the public

The bill would also require the Librarian of Congress, the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Archivist of the United States to work together to develop and distribute materials on civic education and effective citizenship, including online and printed resources for schools, libraries, polling places, and the public.

Funding and reporting

The bill authorizes $400 million per year for the grant program. It also requires regular reporting to Congress on how the money is used, what programs are funded, how many schools participate, and whether the programs improve civics knowledge, civic participation, digital literacy, and problem-solving skills.

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