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    October 02, 2024 ABA Task Force for American Democracy

    The State of Civics Education

    Sarah Shapiro, Catherine Brown, Center for American Progress, February 21, 2018
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    Summary

    This article examines the current role of civics education in the American school system and how civics education (or lack thereof) affects democratic participation. Civic knowledge and democratic engagement are both at an all-time low. For example, a 2016 survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that only 26% of Americans could name all three branches of government. Similarly, voter participation is at its lowest point since 1996. This article presents a 50-state survey of civics education requirements, voter participation, and the average score by state on the high school Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. government exam.

    Key Findings/Messages

    • Civics education and democratic participation are linked - The ten states with the highest youth volunteer rates have a civics course requirement for graduation and score higher than average on the AP U.S. government exam. Seven out of ten states with the highest youth voter participation rate score higher than average on the AP U.S. government exam.
    • 17 states have enacted legislation that requires high school students to pass the U.S. citizenship exam before graduation. But critics say that the exam does little to improve civic education and just serves as an additional barrier to graduation. 
    • Only nine state and the District of Columbia require one year of U.S. government or civics.
    • Almost half of states allow educational credit for community service, but only Maryland and the District of Columbia require both community service and civics courses for graduation.

    Key Recommendations Made

    • Model State Curricula - Colorado and Idaho are two states with model civic education curricula.  Colorado has implemented the “Judicially Speaking” program which uses interactive exercises and firsthand experience to teach students about the judiciary. Idaho has focused on integrating civics standards into every social studies class from kindergarten through 12th grade.
    • Nonprofits – The article highlights two nonprofits that have had a substantial impact on expanding civics education. Generation Citizen is a nonprofit that teaches “actions civics” to 30,000 middle school and high school students.  Similarly, Teaching Tolerance, an initiative through the Southern Poverty Law Center, provides free materials to emphasize social justice in existing school curricula.