Author: Abbie Kaplan

Meeting the Moment, Celebrating Civics Teachers

Posted on by Abbie Kaplan

As we head into Teacher Appreciation Week (May 5–9), we salute civics teachers of all stripes who are doing their very best to educate students for democracy during these tumultuous political times.

The CivxNow Coalition honors their service by amplifying the critical work of civics teachers and students and by doubling down on our commitment to strengthening K–12 civic education policies at the local, state, and national levels.

CivxNow is meeting this moment through a five-point plan:

  1. Growing federal funding for K–12 civics, currently valued at less than 50 cents per student, and seeking a generational investment in students’ civic development to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This includes making Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) appropriations requests to individual congressional offices, a Coalition-wide sign-on letter for FY26, and our first-ever Hill Day next month on May 22. Contact our federal policy lead Abbie Kaplan for further details.
  2. Leveraging numerous state-based opportunities to strengthen civic education in partnership with our state affiliates. Since 2021, 26 states have adopted 42 policies to strengthen civic learning aligned with our State Policy Menu. This year, 44 states are considering 181 bills impacting K–12 civic education. 132 (72.9%) of them align with the policy menu.
  3. Making an affirmative case for civics by further activating the coalition for partnership at the local and state levels. This entails a relentless PR campaign, including a strong social media presence, and sharing consistent insights on coordinated messaging among coalition partners.
  4. Driving national coalition collaboration around key milestones, including Civic Learning Week in March, Civic Season this summer, Constitution Day in September, and Veterans Day in November.
  5. Strengthening the ways we work together. While CivxNow serves as the backbone of the civic learning field, we seek collective impact. This entails elevating the work of coalition partners who are meeting the moment in related issue areas, including libraries, cultural institutions, state humanities councils, and the nonprofit sector more broadly.

This collective work is producing results that will soon yield classroom impact. For example, bills already signed into law this spring in Utah to extend the current one-semester civics course requirement to a full year and in Virginia incorporating media literacy into state standards. 

Moreover, Louisiana just became the twelfth state to adopt civic seals, in this case through administrative action by the Department of Education. Other wins are sure to follow prior to legislatures adjourning for the summer. And progress will continue as the calendar turns to 2026 and we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In the Spirit of 1776, with Teacher Appreciation Week beckoning, we are excited to announce our ambitious goal to recruit 250 teachers from all 50 states and DC to join our Teachers Advancing Civic Learning (TACL) cohort, where we train and empower educators to “do civics for civics.” Teachers are our nation’s most trusted messengers and can speak firsthand to what’s needed in the classroom for students when it comes to civics. Join more than 30 CivxNow partner organizations in sharing this opportunity within your teacher networks as we advance and strengthen civic learning through policy at the local, state, and national levels.

Continuing the Momentum of Civic Learning Week 2025

Posted on by Abbie Kaplan

In an era where everything and everyone seems deeply polarized, how does a field maintain its sense of positivity, integrity, and viewpoint diversity? That was the high bar we set for this year’s Civic Learning Week, and we are proud to say the field rose to and far exceeded it. There were many ways we emerged successfully that can be instructive for our path ahead:

  • We showed rather than told. Our field is viewpoint diverse and believes in the power of institutions and civic learning. During Civic Learning Week we didn’t just say that, we showed it. Organizations across and outside the political spectrum highlighted this commitment to young people, pluralism, and the importance of universal access to civic learning.  
  • We saw and appreciated educators. As a field, we believe that educators play an indispensable role as stewards and protectors of our constitutional democracy. Educators played a core role in the success of the week, leading activities in all 50 states. During Civic Learning Week our partners continued to thank our educators—from classroom teachers and Girl Scout troop leaders to museum educators and the many others on the frontlines instructing young people.
  • We elevated student voices and agency, locally. So many educators engaged young people to solve authentic problems and affect actual decisions locally in their schools and communities. Ultimately, that is the powerful impact of civic learning: It connects people with a sense of place and empowers them to make that place better.

Where do we go from here? We double down on these lessons, find ways to act and build. We cannot rest on our laurels. Let’s take a moment to catch our breath, and then let’s get back on the field because civic learning isn’t just a week, it’s an ongoing movement.