HR 138 — A Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on the state of civic education in Pennsylvania and develop recommendations on cost-efficient, feasible steps that the Commonwealth can adopt to increase the accessibility and quality of civic education opportunities for students.

PRINTER'S NO.   1068

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 138
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY BRENNAN, MAYES, SANCHEZ, WAXMAN, MADDEN, PROBST,
        HILL-EVANS, PROKOPIAK, OTTEN, HANBIDGE, FREEMAN, PIELLI,
        HARKINS, CERRATO, BURGOS, GIRAL, KHAN, BOROWSKI, DONAHUE,
        MALAGARI, HOWARD, INGLIS, MERSKI, D. WILLIAMS, STEELE AND
        BELLMON, MARCH 19, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 19, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
 2      study on the state of civic education in Pennsylvania and
 3      develop recommendations on cost-efficient, feasible steps
 4      that the Commonwealth can adopt to increase the accessibility
 5      and quality of civic education opportunities for students.
 6      WHEREAS, Civic engagement is critical to the functioning of
 7   American democracy; and
 8      WHEREAS, However, civic engagement has been declining in our
 9   society in recent decades and there is a notable lack of civic
10   knowledge among the public; and
11      WHEREAS, According to a 2022 Annenberg Public Policy Center
12   survey, only 47% of Americans can name all three branches of
13   government and 26% are unable to name a single branch; and
14      WHEREAS, Further, government trust among the public has been
15   declining in recent decades, with 57% of those aged 18 to 24
16   reporting that they are losing faith in democracy and only 42%
17   expressing confidence in the democratic system; and
18      WHEREAS, Our education system builds a political culture and,
 1   in terms of democratic value, there is growing evidence that
 2   this system is failing our children; and
 3         WHEREAS, Proficiency in civics has been declining nationally,
 4   with the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress,
 5   otherwise known as the "Nation's Report Card," showing that only
 6   14% of students reached at or above proficiency in history and
 7   only 22% of students met this benchmark in civics; and
 8         WHEREAS, In a 2021 report from the Thomas B. Fordham
 9   Institute, Pennsylvania received a grade of "F" for the quality,
10   rigor and organization of both its civics and United States
11   history standards; and
12         WHEREAS, While Act 35 of 2018 requires schools to administer
13   a locally developed assessment of American history, government
14   and civics to students at least once during grades 7 through 12,
15   teachers across this Commonwealth who participated in focus
16   groups hosted by PA Civics during the 2024-2025 school year have
17   agreed that this requirement is inadequate in assessing
18   students' understanding of their rights and responsibilities
19   across the three pillars of quality civic education as defined
20   by the Department of Education: knowledge, skills and action;
21   and
22         WHEREAS, The Department of Education contends that it does
23   not have the standing to expand Act 35 of 2018 beyond the letter
24   of the law, which means it does not collect any of the civics
25   assessments used and cannot collect any additional data to
26   determine the quality of those assessments and what students are
27   actually learning; and
28         WHEREAS, Pennsylvania will be at the center of the nation's
29   celebrations for the 250th birthday of the United States in
30   2026; and

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 1      WHEREAS, As our Commonwealth, the birthplace of American
 2   democracy, takes part in this important celebration, this is a
 3   valuable opportunity for Pennsylvania to become a national
 4   leader in educating students about civics; therefore be it
 5      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
 6   State Government Commission to conduct a study on the state of
 7   civic education in Pennsylvania and develop recommendations on
 8   cost-efficient, feasible steps that the Commonwealth can adopt
 9   to increase the accessibility and quality of civic education
10   opportunities for students; and be it further
11      RESOLVED, That the study include, at a minimum, all of the
12   following:
13          (1)   A summary of assessments that education providers
14      currently offer to fulfill the requirements of Act 35 of 2018
15      and an analysis of the adequacy of these assessments based on
16      the Department of Education's three pillars of quality civic
17      education.
18          (2)   An analysis of states which are regarded highly for
19      the quality of civic education programs offered to students
20      in kindergarten through grade 12 and the specific measurement
21      models and programs used by these states to effectively and
22      accurately measure student performance in civics.
23          (3)   An analysis of the high-quality civic education
24      programs offered by other states and how these programs could
25      be successfully implemented in Pennsylvania to achieve the
26      Department of Education's three pillars of quality civic
27      education.
28          (4)   Information regarding the importance of source
29      literacy and media literacy and high-quality methods utilized
30      by other states to provide instruction on these topics.

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 1          (5)   A summary of State and local standards,
 2      requirements, best practices and methods that are available
 3      in Pennsylvania that can be used to measure quality civic
 4      education.
 5          (6)   Recommendations concerning increasing civic
 6      engagement among students and encouraging positive behaviors,
 7      including voting and volunteering;
 8   and be it further
 9      RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission issue a
10   report containing its findings and recommendations, including
11   any proposed statutory or regulatory changes, no later than 18
12   months after adoption of this resolution; and be it further
13      RESOLVED, That the report be submitted to all of the
14   following:
15          (1)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
16      Education Committee of the Senate.
17          (2)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
18      Education Committee of the House of Representatives.




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