Section 1. Short Title.  

This Act shall be known and may be cited as the “Informed American Patriotism Act.”  

Section 2. Purpose and Findings.           

• (a) The Legislature finds that a self-governing people must understand the philosophical foundations, constitutional structure, and civic virtues that secure liberty.   
• (b)The purpose of this Act is to ensure students receive robust, primary-source-based instruction in American history and civics; understand the rights and duties of citizens; and appreciate the ideals that unite Americans across differences.   

Section 3. Definitions.  

For purposes of this Act:   

1. “Primary source” means original historical documents and speeches central to the American political tradition.   
2. “Public school” means any public elementary or secondary school, including public charter schools.   
3. “Board” means the [STATE] [State Board of Education/Department of Education]. 
4. “Civics literacy module” means a focused unit of instruction meeting the content requirements in Section 5.   

Section 4. Scope; Applicability.  

• (a) This Act applies to all public schools serving grades K–12.   
• (b) Private schools and homeschools are not subject to this Act, but may voluntarily adopt its standards.   

Section 5. Core Content Requirements (Primary Sources).                

• (a) The Board shall require age-appropriate, recurring instruction using primary sources that, at a minimum, includes the following documents or excerpts:   \
  1. The Declaration of Independence;   
  2. The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights;   
  3. The Federalist Papers, including Nos. 10 and 51;   
  4. George Washington’s Farewell Address;   
  5. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787;   
  6. The Mayflower Compact (for early grades excerpts);   
  7. Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address;   
  8. Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” (age-appropriate excerpts);  
  9. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” and “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (age-appropriate excerpts);   
  10. Selected speeches or writings illustrating the development of American liberty, representative government, religious freedom, free enterprise, equal justice under law, and civic duty.   
• (b) The Board may approve additional primary sources of state and local significance.   

Section 6. Grade-Band Expectations.

• (a) Grades K–5. Instruction shall emphasize national symbols (flag, seal, anthem), mottos, the Pledge of Allegiance, and introductory civics concepts (rights, responsibilities, respect for the rule of law), using brief, teacher-read primary-source excerpts.   
• (b) Grades 6–8. Instruction shall address constitutional structure (separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism), the Bill of Rights, civic virtues, and major eras of American history through extended primary-source readings and discussion.   
• (c) Grades 9–12. Students shall complete a civics literacy module that:   
  1. requires close reading and written analysis of the documents in Section 5;   
  2. includes at least one Informed Patriotism Project (e.g., service-learning, veteran oral history interview, community civics brief, or public-meeting observation with reflection); and  
  3. culminates in a written or oral capstone demonstrating understanding of American constitutional principles and civic participation.   

Section 7. Educator Training & Resources.                   

• (a) The Board shall develop or approve professional-development (PD) opportunities that equip teachers to use primary sources effectively, including strategies for text-based inquiry, historical context, and civil classroom discourse.   

• (b) PD materials, model lesson plans, and reading lists shall be made publicly available without charge on the Board’s website.   

• (c) The Board may partner with accredited universities, museums, libraries, and veteran or civic organizations to provide content-rich training aligned to this Act.   

Section 8. Objectivity; Prohibitions.                      

• (a) Instruction under this Act must be objective, nonpartisan, and grounded in primary sources.   
• (b) No student shall be compelled to express personal political viewpoints, lobby, or participate in activism as a condition of grade or credit.   
• (c) Nothing in this Act prohibits robust, good-faith discussion of controversial topics when anchored in primary texts and conducted in a viewpoint-neutral manner that protects students’ free speech rights.   

Section 9. Transparency for Parents and the Public.                         

• (a) Each district shall post on its website the syllabus or scope and sequence for the civics literacy module; the list of primary sources used; and PD materials provided to educators under Section 7.   
• (b) Districts shall provide parents reasonable access to instructional materials, consistent with student privacy laws.   

Section 10. Implementation; Rulemaking.  

• (a) Within [9] months of enactment, the Board shall promulgate rules to:  
  1. align state standards and courses with Sections 5–6;   
  2. identify approved PD under Section 7; and (3) establish the reporting metrics in Section 11.   
• (b) Districts shall implement the civics literacy module for students in grades [11–12] beginning with the [school year beginning in YYYY-YYYY] and fully phase in grade-band expectations by [the subsequent school year].   

Section 11. Monitoring and Reporting.                                

• (a)Annually, districts shall report to the Board:   
  1. the grade levels and courses in which the civics literacy module was delivered;   
  2. the primary sources used; and   
  3. the number and nature of Informed Patriotism Projects completed.   
• (b) The Board shall publish a statewide summary report and make recommendations to the Legislature as needed.   

Section 12. Veterans and Civic Observances.  

Schools are encouraged to incorporate observances such as Constitution Day, Veterans Day, and Bill of Rights Day, and to invite veterans, judges, public servants, and civic leaders to discuss constitutionalism and civic duty in a nonpartisan setting.   

Section 13. Funding.                                

• (a) Implementation shall be accomplished within existing resources to the greatest extent practicable.   
• (b) The Board may accept grants, gifts, and partnerships consistent with state law to support educator training and instructional resources under this Act.   

Section 14. Construction; No Private Right of Action.  

This Act does not create a private right of action. Complaints shall be addressed through existing administrative procedures.   

Section 15. Severability.   

If any provision of this Act or its application is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application; to this end, the provisions of this Act are severable.   

Section 16. Effective Date.   

This Act takes effect on [Month Day, YEAR].