text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Education for Democracy Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. CIVIC EDUCATION.
  
      Part F of title X of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
  1965 (20 U.S.C. 8141 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:
  
                         ``PART F--CIVIC EDUCATION
  
  ``SEC. 10601. SHORT TITLE.
  
      ``This part may be cited as the `Education for Democracy Act'.
  
  ``SEC. 10602. FINDINGS.
  
      ``The Congress finds that--
              ``(1) college freshmen surveyed in 1997 by the Higher 
          Education Research Institute at the University of California at 
          Los Angeles demonstrated higher levels of disengagement, both 
          academically and politically, than any previous entering class 
          of students;
              ``(2) college freshmen in 1997 demonstrated the lowest 
          levels of political interest in the 20-year history of surveys 
          conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the 
          University of California at Los Angeles;
              ``(3) United States secondary school students expressed 
          relatively low levels of interest in politics and economics in 
          a 1999 Harris survey;
              ``(4) the 28th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll in 1996 
          indicated that American citizens believe that the Nation's 
          schools, apart from providing a basic education, had a very 
          important role to play in preparing students to be responsible 
          citizens;
              ``(5) Americans surveyed by the Organization of Economic 
          Cooperation and Development indicated that only 59 percent had 
          confidence that schools have a major effect on the development 
          of good citizenship;
              ``(6) teachers too often do not have sufficient expertise 
          in the subjects that they teach, and half of all secondary 
          school history students in America are being taught by teachers 
          with neither a major nor a minor in history;
              ``(7) secondary school students correctly answered less 
          than half of the questions on a national test of economic 
          knowledge in a 1999 Harris survey;
              ``(8) the most recent National Assessment of Educational 
          Progress indicated that students have only superficial 
          knowledge of, and lacked a depth of understanding regarding, 
          civics;
              ``(9) civic and economic education are important not only 
          to developing citizenship competencies in the United States but 
          also are critical to supporting political stability and 
          economic health in other democracies, particularly emerging 
          democratic market economies;
              ``(10) international education exchange programs in civic 
          and economic education have been shown to enhance both 
          educational reform efforts in other democracies and educational 
          quality in United States classrooms;
              ``(11) more than three quarters of Americans surveyed by 
          the National Constitution Center in 1997 admitted that they 
          knew only some or very little about the Constitution of the 
          United States; and
              ``(12) the Constitution of the United States is too often 
          viewed within the context of history and not as a living 
          document that shapes current events.
  
  ``SEC. 10603. PURPOSE.
  
      ``It is the purpose of this part--
              ``(1) to improve the quality of civics and government 
          education, and to enhance the attainment of the third and sixth 
          National Education Goals, by educating students about the 
          history and principles of the Constitution of the United 
          States, including the Bill of Rights;
              ``(2) to foster civic competence and responsibility; and
              ``(3) to improve the quality of civic education and 
          economic education through cooperative civic education and 
          economic education exchange programs with other democratic 
          nations.
  
  ``SEC. 10604. GENERAL AUTHORITY.
  
      ``(a) Grants and Contracts.--
              ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
          grants to or enter into contracts with--
                      ``(A) the Center for Civic Education to carry out 
                  civic education activities under sections 10605 and 
                  10606; and
                      ``(B) the National Council on Economic Education to 
                  carry out economic education activities under section 
                  10606.
              ``(2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall award the grants 
          and contracts under section 10606 in consultation with the 
          Secretary of State.
      ``(b) Distribution.--The Secretary shall use not more than 50 
  percent of the amount appropriated under section 10607(b) for each 
  fiscal year to carry out economic education activities under section 
  10606.
  
  ``SEC. 10605. WE THE PEOPLE PROGRAM.
  
      ``(a) The Citizen and the Constitution.--
              ``(1) In general.--The Center for Civic Education shall use 
          funds awarded under section 10604(a)(1)(A) to carry out The 
          Citizen and the Constitution program in accordance with this 
          subsection.
              ``(2) Educational activities.--The Citizen and the 
          Constitution program--
                      ``(A) shall continue and expand the educational 
                  activities of the `We the People . . . The Citizen and 
                  the Constitution' program administered by the Center 
                  for Civic Education;
                      ``(B) shall enhance student attainment of 
                  challenging content standards in civics and government; 
                  and
                      ``(C) shall provide--
                              ``(i) a course of instruction on the basic 
                          principles of our Nation's constitutional 
                          democracy and the history of the Constitution 
                          of the United States and the Bill of Rights;
                              ``(ii) at the request of a participating 
                          school, school and community simulated 
                          congressional hearings following the course of 
                          study;
                              ``(iii) an annual national competition of 
                          simulated congressional hearings for secondary 
                          school students who wish to participate in such 
                          a program;
                              ``(iv) advanced training of teachers about 
                          the Constitution of the United States and the 
                          political system the United States created;
                              ``(v) materials and methods of instruction, 
                          including teacher training, that utilize the 
                          latest advancements in educational technology; 
                          and
                              ``(vi) civic education materials and 
                          services to address specific problems such as 
                          the prevention of school violence and the abuse 
                          of drugs and alcohol.
              ``(3) Availability of program.--The education program 
          authorized under this subsection shall be made available to 
          public and private elementary schools and secondary schools, 
          including Bureau funded schools, in the 435 congressional 
          districts, and in the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
          Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American 
          Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
      ``(b) Project Citizen.--
              ``(1) In general.--The Center for Civic Education shall use 
          funds awarded under section 10604(a)(1)(A) to carry out The 
          Project Citizen program in accordance with this subsection.
              ``(2) Educational activities.--The Project Citizen 
          program--
                      ``(A) shall continue and expand the educational 
                  activities of the `We the People . . . Project Citizen' 
                  program administered by the Center for Civic Education;
                      ``(B) shall enhance student attainment of 
                  challenging content standards in civics and government; 
                  and
                      ``(C) shall provide--
                              ``(i) a course of instruction at the middle 
                          school level on the roles of State and local 
                          governments in the Federal system established 
                          by the Constitution of the United States;
                              ``(ii) optional school and community 
                          simulated State legislative hearings;
                              ``(iii) an annual national showcase or 
                          competition;
                              ``(iv) advanced training of teachers on the 
                          roles of State and local governments in the 
                          Federal system established by the Constitution 
                          of the United States;
                              ``(v) materials and methods of instruction, 
                          including teacher training, that utilize the 
                          latest advancements in educational technology; 
                          and
                              ``(vi) civic education materials and 
                          services to address specific problems such as 
                          the prevention of school violence and the abuse 
                          of drugs and alcohol.
              ``(3) Availability of program.--The education program 
          authorized under this subsection shall be made available to 
          public and private middle schools, including Bureau funded 
          schools, in the 50 States of the United States, the District of 
          Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States 
          Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of 
          the Northern Mariana Islands.
      ``(c) Definition of Bureau Funded School.--In this section the term 
  `Bureau funded school' has the meaning given the term in section 1146 
  of the Education Amendments of 1978.
  
  ``SEC. 10606. COOPERATIVE CIVIC EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC EDUCATION 
                EXCHANGE PROGRAMS.
  
      ``(a) Cooperative Education Exchange Programs.--The Center for 
  Civic Education and the National Council on Economic Education shall 
  use funds awarded under section 10604(a)(1) to carry out Cooperative 
  Education Exchange programs in accordance with this section.
      ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Cooperative Education Exchange 
  programs provided under this section shall be to--
              ``(1) make available to educators from eligible countries 
          exemplary curriculum and teacher training programs in civics 
          and government education, and economics education, developed in 
          the United States;
              ``(2) assist eligible countries in the adaptation, 
          implementation, and institutionalization of such programs;
              ``(3) create and implement civics and government education, 
          and economic education, programs for students that draw upon 
          the experiences of the participating eligible countries;
              ``(4) provide a means for the exchange of ideas and 
          experiences in civics and government education, and economic 
          education, among political, educational, governmental, and 
          private sector leaders of participating eligible countries; and
              ``(5) provide support for--
                      ``(A) research and evaluation to determine the 
                  effects of educational programs on students' 
                  development of the knowledge, skills, and traits of 
                  character essential for the preservation and 
                  improvement of constitutional democracy; and
                      ``(B) effective participation in and the 
                  preservation and improvement of an efficient market 
                  economy.
      ``(c) Avoidance of Duplication.--The Secretary shall consult with 
  the Secretary of State to ensure that--
              ``(1) activities under this section are not duplicative of 
          other efforts in the eligible countries; and
              ``(2) partner institutions in the eligible countries are 
          creditable.
      ``(d) Activities.--The Cooperative Education Exchange programs 
  shall--
              ``(1) provide eligible countries with--
                      ``(A) seminars on the basic principles of United 
                  States constitutional democracy and economics, 
                  including seminars on the major governmental and 
                  economic institutions and systems in the United States, 
                  and visits to such institutions;
                      ``(B) visits to school systems, institutions of 
                  higher education, and nonprofit organizations 
                  conducting exemplary programs in civics and government 
                  education, and economic education, in the United 
                  States;
                      ``(C) translations and adaptations regarding United 
                  States civic and government education, and economic 
                  education, curricular programs for students and 
                  teachers, and in the case of training programs for 
                  teachers translations and adaptations into forms useful 
                  in schools in eligible countries, and joint research 
                  projects in such areas;
                      ``(D) research and evaluation assistance to 
                  determine--
                              ``(i) the effects of the Cooperative 
                          Education Exchange programs on students' 
                          development of the knowledge, skills, and 
                          traits of character essential for the 
                          preservation and improvement of constitutional 
                          democracy; and
                              ``(ii) effective participation in and the 
                          preservation and improvement of an efficient 
                          market economy;
              ``(2) provide United States participants with--
                      ``(A) seminars on the histories, economies, and 
                  systems of government of eligible countries;
                      ``(B) visits to school systems, institutions of 
                  higher education, and organizations conducting 
                  exemplary programs in civics and government education, 
                  and economic education, located in eligible countries;
                      ``(C) assistance from educators and scholars in 
                  eligible countries in the development of curricular 
                  materials on the history, government, and economy of 
                  such countries that are useful in United States 
                  classrooms;
                      ``(D) opportunities to provide onsite 
                  demonstrations of United States curricula and pedagogy 
                  for educational leaders in eligible countries; and
                      ``(E) research and evaluation assistance to 
                  determine--
                              ``(i) the effects of the Cooperative 
                          Education Exchange programs on students' 
                          development of the knowledge, skills, and 
                          traits of character essential for the 
                          preservation and improvement of constitutional 
                          democracy; and
                              ``(ii) effective participation in and 
                          improvement of an efficient market economy; and
              ``(3) assist participants from eligible countries and the 
          United States to participate in international conferences on 
          civics and government education, and economic education, for 
          educational leaders, teacher trainers, scholars in related 
          disciplines, and educational policymakers.
      ``(e) Participants.--The primary participants in the Cooperative 
  Education Exchange programs assisted under this section shall be 
  educational leaders in the areas of civics and government education, 
  and economic education, including curriculum and teacher training 
  specialists, scholars in relevant disciplines, and educational 
  policymakers, and government and private sector leaders from the United 
  States and eligible countries.
      ``(f) Definition.--For the purpose of this section, the term 
  `eligible country' means a Central European country, an Eastern 
  European country, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the independent states of 
  the former Soviet Union as defined in section 3 of the FREEDOM Support 
  Act (22 U.S.C. 5801), and may include the Republic of Ireland, the 
  province of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom, and any developing 
  country as defined in section 209(d) of the Education for the Deaf Act.
  
  ``SEC. 10607. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      ``(a) Section 10605.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
  carry out section 10605, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and such sums 
  as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2004.
      ``(b) Section 10606.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
  carry out section 10606, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and such sums 
  as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2004.''.
  
  SEC. 3. REPEAL.
  
      Title VI of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act (20 U.S.C. 5951 et 
  seq.) is repealed.
target: (Sec. 2) Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to or contracts with: (1) the Center for Civic Education (CCE) to carry out civic education activities under the We the People... The Citizen and the Constitution program and The Project Citizen program, and under Cooperative Educational Exchange programs; and (2) the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) to carry out economic education activities under Cooperative Educational Exchange programs.
  Revises requirements for CCE implementation of the We the People... The Citizen and the Constitution program and The Project Citizen program.
  Sets forth requirements for the Cooperative Educational Exchange programs of civic education by CCE and economic education by NCEE. Makes eligible for such programs Central European countries, an Eastern European country, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and the independent states of the former Soviet Union. Allows such program eligibility also for the Republic of Ireland, the province of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom, and any developing country as defined under the Education for the Deaf Act.
  Authorizes appropriations through FY 2004 for: (1) the We the People... The Citizen and the Constitution program and The Project Citizen program; and (2) the Cooperative Educational Exchange programs.
  (Sec. 3) Repeals title VI (International Education Program) of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act.
feat_title: Education for Democracy Act