---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 6663"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "6663"
heading: "National activities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/6663"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter II — Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High-Quality Teachers, Principals, or Other School Leaders"
  - "Part B — National Activities"
  - "Subpart 3 — american history and civics education"
---

# §6663. National activities

- (a) **Purpose—** The purpose of this section is to promote new and existing [evidence-based](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A) strategies to encourage innovative American history, civics and government, and geography instruction, learning strategies, and [professional development](/usc/20/7801.md?p=42) activities and programs for teachers, principals, or other [school leaders](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44), particularly such instruction, strategies, activities, and programs that benefit low-income students and underserved populations.
- (b) **In general—** From the amounts reserved by the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) under [section 6661(b)(2) of this title](/usc/20/6661.md?p=b-2), the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to [eligible entities](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) for the purposes of expanding, developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating for voluntary use, innovative, [evidence-based](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A) approaches or [professional development](/usc/20/7801.md?p=42) programs in American history, civics and government, and geography, which—
  - (1) shall—
    - (A) show potential to improve the quality of student achievement in, and teaching of, American history, civics and government, or geography, in [elementary schools](/usc/20/7801.md?p=19) and [secondary schools](/usc/20/7801.md?p=45); and
    - (B) demonstrate innovation, scalability, accountability, and a focus on underserved populations; and
  - (2) may include—
    - (A) hands-on civic engagement activities for teachers and students; and
    - (B) programs that educate students about the history and principles of the Constitution of the United States, including the Bill of Rights.
- (c) **Program periods and diversity of projects—**
  - (1) **In general—** A grant awarded by the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) to an [eligible entity](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) under this section shall be for a period of not more than 3 years.
  - (2) **Renewal—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) may renew a grant awarded under this section for 1 additional 2-year period.
  - (3) **Diversity of projects—** In awarding grants under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, grants are distributed among [eligible entities](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) that will serve geographically diverse areas, including urban, suburban, and rural areas.
- (d) **Applications—** In order to receive a grant under this section, an [eligible entity](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) shall submit an application to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) at such time and in such manner as the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) may reasonably require.
- (e) **Eligible entity—** In this section, the term “[eligible entity](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1)” means an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=29) or other nonprofit or for-profit organization with demonstrated expertise in the development of [evidence-based](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A) approaches with the potential to improve the quality of American history, civics and government, or geography learning and teaching.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title II, § 2233, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title II, § 2002, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1947.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 6663, Pub. L. 89–10, title II, § 2203, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title II, § 201, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1647, authorized appropriations to carry out part B of former subchapter II of this chapter, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 114–95, § 5, title II, § 2002, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1806, 1913, effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs.

A prior section 2203 of Pub. L. 89–10 was classified to section 6643 of this title, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 107–110.

Another prior section 2203 of Pub. L. 89–10 was classified to section 3013 of this title, prior to the general amendment of Pub. L. 89–10 by Pub. L. 103–382.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as an Effective Date of 2015 Amendment note under section 6301 of this title.