This bill, titled the "Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act of 2025," seeks to enhance American history and civics education by authorizing the Secretary of Education to award grants. These grants will support educational programs that delve into the history of peoples of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent, covering their roles in the settling and founding of America. The programs will also explore the social, economic, and political environments that led to discriminatory laws targeting these communities and their relevance to current events. A core objective is to highlight the significant impact and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to various facets of American life, including its history, literature, economy, politics, legal system, and culture. The bill explicitly amends several sections of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ensure that "Asian Pacific American history" is integrated into existing American history and civics education programs, presidential and congressional academies, and national activities. Furthermore, it mandates the inclusion of Asian Pacific American history within the National Assessment of Educational Progress . The legislation is underpinned by extensive findings that underscore the historical oversight and misrepresentation of these communities in traditional K-12 curricula. It notes the integral role and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the unique histories of Pacific Island Territories, and the Eurocentric bias in current teaching. The findings also detail a history of racist immigration laws, the "model minority" myth, and the ongoing fight against discrimination, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive and accurate historical narrative.
Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act of 2025
USA119th CongressS-1844| Senate
| Updated: 5/21/2025
This bill, titled the "Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act of 2025," seeks to enhance American history and civics education by authorizing the Secretary of Education to award grants. These grants will support educational programs that delve into the history of peoples of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent, covering their roles in the settling and founding of America. The programs will also explore the social, economic, and political environments that led to discriminatory laws targeting these communities and their relevance to current events. A core objective is to highlight the significant impact and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to various facets of American life, including its history, literature, economy, politics, legal system, and culture. The bill explicitly amends several sections of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ensure that "Asian Pacific American history" is integrated into existing American history and civics education programs, presidential and congressional academies, and national activities. Furthermore, it mandates the inclusion of Asian Pacific American history within the National Assessment of Educational Progress . The legislation is underpinned by extensive findings that underscore the historical oversight and misrepresentation of these communities in traditional K-12 curricula. It notes the integral role and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the unique histories of Pacific Island Territories, and the Eurocentric bias in current teaching. The findings also detail a history of racist immigration laws, the "model minority" myth, and the ongoing fight against discrimination, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive and accurate historical narrative.