Category: Insights

Strong Showing for CivxNow During Inaugural Hill Day

Posted on by Abbie Kaplan

Last Thursday, the CivxNow Coalition hosted its first-ever Hill Day in the nation’s Capital. Fifty civic learning advocates visited 40 congressional offices to make the case for sustainable, and ultimately, a generational investment in K–12 students’ civic development. A bipartisan cohort of Congresspeople and Senators graciously received our hopeful message during these perilous, polarized times.

Our group of students, educators, veterans, and community partners visited members of key congressional appropriations committees and respective state delegations. At stake is the current $23M annual investment in American History and Civics National Activities and Academies for the coming fiscal year (2026) that begins in October.

CivxNow members spoke to the impact of these investments, touching an estimated 4,000 teachers and 400,000 students. They expressed how a modest increase in funding would further scale civic learning opportunities for students and professional development for their teachers.

On the horizon next July is the 250th anniversary of this great nation, a clarion call for policymakers to transcend fireworks and tall ships in commemoration and ensure that our youngest Americans graduate with an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of American democracy.

Kindergartners entering school this fall represent the Class of 2038, our next civic milestone when the U.S. Constitution turns 250. Can we guarantee that they will graduate with a deep understanding of the Declaration of Independence, a document longtime civics supporter Jack Miller likens to our national mission statement? Similarly, the Constitution is our longstanding strategic plan for governance. Imperfect, yet alterable by design, it is imperative that our youngest citizens understand the separate and shared powers across our three branches of government, the amendment process, and the Bill of Rights addendum as a condition of state ratification.

Depressing statistics of poor civic knowledge represent a self-fulfilling prophecy given civics’ marginalization in schools and paltry public investments, including less than 50 cents per student at the federal level. We can and must do better for our national posterity.

The CivxNow Coalition put its best foot forward last week in the Capital, doing civics for civics. After all, our students, teachers, and practitioners are the on-the-ground experts of effective civic learning practices and how our schools, districts, and communities stand to benefit from additional federal investment. We are deeply grateful for our partners who came from near and far to take part in this inaugural effort, sharing their authentic insights of the life-changing impact of civics in districts and states.

For most of us, entering the ornate congressional office buildings with staffers and members dressed in fancy suits is very intimidating. Add the fact that our field is resource-starved, and we present little more than the power of our stories and the vast constituencies we represent. But these offices belong to us as citizens. A plaque I encountered upon entering the office of Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi affirmed this principle: “This office belongs to the people of the 8th Congressional District of Illinois.”

We delivered a civics lesson of our own during the first ever CivxNow Hill Day: The Declaration of Independence is our birthright, and the Constitution a compact of democratic governance with “We the People.” Congress must ensure that the rising generation proudly takes this baton at America250 and works within our institutional frameworks to “build a more perfect union.”

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.

Coming Full Circle for Civic Learning Week

Posted on by Riley Hawkins

This past week, the Illinois General Assembly adopted Senate Resolution 131, designating the week of March 9-16 Civic Learning Week in the state. 

For me, it’s a proud moment, and one in which my work to date has come full circle. 

Twenty-five years ago last fall, I started my career as a high school social studies teacher in Sheboygan, WI. 

I taught U.S. History and Social Problems (current issues). It might surprise most who know me that I did not teach a civics course. That’s because a standalone civics course was not an option for my students. 

It was nonetheless a formative couple of years as a teacher and coach (football, basketball, and track) before I left to attend graduate school in Chicago and continued teaching at Community High School in West Chicago, IL.

That’s where I started to see the power of civic education.

West Chicago seniors take a required American Government course modeled after the Illinois General Assembly, where parliamentary procedure is employed in class each day while students debate current issues. Students later declare party affiliations, write legislation, and ultimately consider bills in committee hearings and full sessions of the legislature. 

Dubbed the “Legislative Semester,” this experience was formative for me and my students. I fondly recall asking its architect and my mentor, Steve Arnold, why all Illinois graduates didn’t have a similar opportunity. 

He was retiring that spring, and responded, “Shawn, that’s your challenge.”

I left the classroom after four years in West Chicago, but replicated the Legislative Semester in an undergraduate political science course on Congress at the University of Illinois at Chicago and continue to embed current issues discussions in public policy courses to this day. 

Most importantly, I took up Steve’s challenge as Chair of the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition (ICMC) and Director of the Democracy Program during my 16 years at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation in Chicago.

I helped expand the Illinois Democracy Schools Initiative statewide, a school recognition program focused on teaching civics across the curriculum, in extracurricular activities, and through school governance. As of this writing, more than 90 high schools are part of the Illinois Democracy Schools Network and they are representative of the state’s diverse geography and demography.

ICMC advanced a policy agenda beyond Democracy Schools that yielded a legislative task force on civic education, revised state social studies standards centering civic learning, and middle and high school civics course requirements. The spirit of the Legislative Semester is evident in the latter as Illinois civics courses include the usual direct instruction on government institutions, but also discussions of current public issues, service learning, and yes, simulations of democratic processes like lawmaking.

Chicago’s philanthropic community rallied to the cause, supporting teachers, schools, and districts with course implementation as permitted by the new state laws, investing more than $3 million annually in ongoing teacher professional learning opportunities throughout the state. From fall 2015 through spring 2019, the Illinois Civics Hub, led by the incomparable Mary Ellen Daneels, provided nearly 1,200 hours of professional learning to 8,217 teacher participants. 

In turn, teachers emerged with greater knowledge of the new mandates and efficacy in implementing related content and pedagogy in the classroom. 

Students were the ultimate beneficiaries. 

We’ve found that those taking civics courses are 20% more likely to discuss politics or public issues, 25% more likely to serve as a group leader, and 41% more likely to help make their city or town a better place for people to live. 

Illinois Senate Resolution 131 celebrates this remarkable progress in the Land of Lincoln. Its sponsor, Senator Karina Villa, is fittingly a graduate of Community High School  in West Chicago and a Legislative Semester alum.

Four years ago I joined iCivics to stand up a policy team and scale the now 365-organization-strong CivxNow coalition. 

During this time, we quadrupled federal funding for K-12 civics.

But it’s on the state level where we have made the most progress, and where we will need to focus in the coming years.

In partnership with state coalitions, CivxNow pushed for adoption of 38 policies in 24 states to strengthen K-12 civic education. This momentum carries forth this spring, with 38 states considering 131 bills concerning civic education, 95 of which are aligned with the CivxNow State Policy Menu.

One of these bills, Assembly Bill (AB) 4 in Wisconsin, sponsored by Representative Amanda Nedweski, would require a semester of civics in high school.  In recent weeks, back where my journey began, I’ve facilitated bipartisan and bicameral conversations about the bill as it makes its way through first the Assembly, and now the Senate. 

One meeting in particular with freshman Representative Joe Sheehan stands out, as he was Superintendent of Sheboygan Area School District when I was a rookie social studies teacher. Then-Superintendent Sheehan supported the adoption of a required civics course at Sheboygan South High School. Now Rep. Sheehan is committed to getting to yes on AB 4, ensuring that the Badger State joins the ranks of 35 others that require a civics course to graduate, and that schools have the requisite resources to implement it with fidelity.

As our third annual national Civic Learning Week dawns on the Wisconsin Capitol in Madison and chambers across the country, we have much to celebrate as a field, and crucial opportunities like AB 4 to further our noble cause.

A Celebration of Civic Education and Its Impact on the Future of Our Nation

Posted on by icivics

With a backdrop of intense change directly impacting the field of civic learning, and more likely on its way, the third annual national Civic Learning Week assumes even greater importance. Throughout the week of March 10–14, we will elevate a shared vision and make a resounding affirmative case for the importance of civic learning in preparing our citizenry for informed self-governance. As public trust in institutions and one another wanes, civics stands as the bedrock of our constitutional democracy and the key ingredient to restore the ties that bind us as Americans.Join the Civic Learning Week celebration by:

  1. Bringing attention to the importance of civic education as a nationwide priority. Use our educator toolkit and/or organization/influencer toolkit to help bring Civic Learning Week to your community.
  2. Thanking educators who embody the best of civic learning. Use this resource template to show support for a “civic learning allstar,” affirming teachers preparing the next generation for their civic roles.
  3. Sharing the importance of civics on social media and/or what civics means to you on the Civic Learning Week platform.

Nearly 250 years ago, the framers of the Declaration of Independence signed their names to an unknown national, much less personal, fate. The sustenance of this experiment in self-governance speaks to their timeless wisdom and to generations of Americans committed to the lofty ideals of “liberty and justice for all.”

Will we answer the call for the rising generation of Americans? Now, more than ever, we must make the case for stronger local, state, and national investments in civics. National Civic Learning Week is our moment to thank frontline educators, emphasize local programs, and highlight positive stories of civic learning’s generational impact. Join us in this urgent cause as we mobilize strong public support for comprehensive K–12 civic education.

  • The American Revolution and Civic Learning: A Conversation with Filmmaker Ken Burns, PBS LearningMedia, and iCivics
    • Wednesday, March 12
    • Join award-winning filmmakers Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein on March 12 at 7:00 p.m. ET for a special conversation on the upcoming documentary series, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. Burns and Botstein will discuss with teachers how film and video can bring fresh insight to our founding story and how civic learning can come alive for students in the classroom. Register today!
  • Featured Conversation with Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States
    • Friday, March 14
    • Students will join Justice Sotomayor in a discussion about civic education on March 14 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Register today!

Explore Civic Learning Week Events!

A New Year, a Renewed Focus on Civic Education

Posted on by icivics

Last week, President Trump took the oath of office and was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. This peaceful transfer of power, particularly between presidents representing our two primary political parties, is a hallmark of our constitutional democracy. We celebrate this transition and the advent of the 119th Congress earlier this month, with all of our elected leaders “bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support [the U.S.] Constitution.”

Amidst the bevy of executive orders, proclamations, and confirmation hearings since Inauguration Day, civic education remains the best way to sustain and strengthen our democracy. This must be a civic education for the 21st century—one that is relevant, meaningful, and engaging for each new generation, and includes an explicit focus on the nation’s foundational documents—including the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights—and the democratic institutions and processes they established. Civic education fosters a deep connection to our country and cultivates in youth a strong sense of community, empowering them to work collaboratively with others to solve problems together.

However, on the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in civics, only 22% of 8th graders tested proficient or above in understanding how this country’s constitutional democracy is supposed to work and how to apply that knowledge. 

  • These results are lamentably predictable as civics consists of only a one-semester course in high school for most K–12 students. 
  • Just 5 states require a stand-alone civics course in middle school, and elementary schools spend less than 30 minutes per day on social studies. 
  • Students from rural areas, students of color, and students from low-income families often encounter fewer civic learning opportunities in their schools. 

Moreover, the federal government contributes to the marginalization of civics, investing less than 50 cents per K–12 student. As both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue turn to the tough task of governing, we encourage President Trump and members of Congress to invest in K–12 civic education for current and future generations. This includes new funding for states, local education agencies, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations to launch robust local civic education initiatives, building on and expanding recent progress in states. This investment will provide students with the civic knowledge and skills necessary to navigate emerging technology, social media, and disinformation threats that undermine the ability to participate successfully as informed citizens of our constitutional democracy.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice and iCivics founder Sandra Day O’Connor was right that “the practice of democracy is not passed down through the gene pool.” As plans are underway for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next July, we call on President Trump and Congress to make a generational investment in our students’ civic development, ensuring they learn and value our founding principles and the institutions undergirding them.

The 2024 Election by the Numbers and the Outlook for Civic Learning in 2025

Posted on by icivics

According to an analysis from CivxNow partner the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the status quo prevailed at the state level with the incumbent party elected in all 11 gubernatorial contests and Republicans maintaining control of 57 state chambers.

  • Democrats lost majorities in two House chambers, Michigan and Minnesota, and now control 39 chambers to the 41 they held prior to the election.
  • Across states, Republicans netted 50 seats, below the average of 78 in presidential election years, and Democrats made gains in Montana and Wisconsin.
  • Trifectas, with unified party control of the governorship and both legislative chambers, exist in 38 states—23 Republican and 15 Democratic—leaving 12 states with divided control.

New and Returning Faces in State-Level Education Positions

Turning to state education agencies, according to the Education Commission of States (ECS):

  • Four chief state school officers were elected. Incumbents and established champions of civic learning Kirsten Baesler (R-ND) and Chris Reykdal (D-WA) were joined by newcomers Susie Hedalen (R-MT) and Maurice Green (D-NC).
  • Additionally, voters weighed in on 50 state school board seats across nine states, yielding 27 new members and returning 23 incumbents.

Opportunities Abound for Civics in the New Year

As state legislators pre-file bills for the coming spring session, NCSL identified common themes in education policy, including still-depressed student attendance and learning loss since the pandemic, and personalized and relevant student learning opportunities. Comprehensive civic learning not only motivates students to attend school consistently, but also propels literacy gains, alongside fostering civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

In partnership with our State Policy Task Force and CivxNow State Affiliates, we anticipate opportunities to advance key priorities from the CivxNow State Policy Menu in the coming biennium, including appropriations for teacher professional learning, civic seals, and middle school civics course requirements.

Celebrating Our Coalition and Preparing for the Work Ahead

As we look ahead to the new year, the CivxNow Coalition has much to celebrate among its 360+ members. Since 2021, 24 states adopted 38 policies to strengthen K–12 civic education, and Congress quadrupled federal funding for civics. Our collective work begins in the new year with challenges and opportunities alike. We are deeply appreciative of our coalition members’ commitment to students’ civic development.

Make K–12 Civic Education Universal Post-Election

Posted on by icivics

Democracy is on the ballot next week. In this final sprint to Election Day, a stunning 82% of registered voters believe democracy is not working as well as it should or at all, according to a December 2023 poll conducted by Hart Research on behalf of CivxNow partner More Perfect. Reciprocally, voters rank “protecting basic rights and freedoms” and “protecting and improving democracy” among the most important issues in the 2024 Election.

Reciprocally, voters rank “protecting basic rights and freedoms” and “protecting and improving democracy” among the most important issues in the 2024 Election.

  • Ninety-two percent of voters agree or strongly agree that democracy is facing serious threats today.
  • A significant percentage (43%) said schools failing to teach civics and the value of citizen involvement in our democracy is a major problem.
  • A leading indicator of this challenge is an age gap in the data among those who strongly agreed with the statement, “Our democracy needs improvement, but it is still the best system of government there is.” Fifty-eight percent of those age 65-plus strongly agreed versus 34% of 18-34 year olds.

Too many young people are losing faith in our country as political division, distrust, and polarization undermine our constitutional democracy. Regardless of Tuesday’s outcomes, our nation desperately needs to come back together, and the best way to strengthen democracy is to teach it. As our nation turns next to its 250th birthday, this means civic education that is relevant, meaningful, and engaging for each new generation – civic education that inspires a belief in our country, and instills in youth a sense of belonging and a confidence to shape the world around them and work with others to solve problems together.

Both party platforms endorse stronger K–12 civic education. For Democrats, this means investments in “evidence-based programs and pedagogical approaches” and “qualified, first-class, well-trained, passionate educators.” Republicans seek to “promote love of country and authentic civic education,” including “support(ing) schools that teach America’s founding principles.”

Democrats and Republicans alike should therefore commit to universal student access to high-quality K–12 civic education with a bipartisan platform that includes:

  • A full year of civics course in high school (currently offered in only six states);
  • A semester-long civics course in middle school ((currently offered in only five states);
  • Dedicated instructional time for civics in grades K–5 (currently offered only in New Hampshire); and
  • Public funding for high-quality civics curriculum and materials, teacher training, and student programming.

Public funding is essential for civics’ prioritization in our nation’s K–12 schools.

  • While the federal government invests more than $50 per student each year in STEM subjects, it spends less than 50 cents on civics.
  • The next Congress should reintroduce the bipartisan Civics Secures Democracy Act (CSD) come January and collaborate with the new administration to enact it in the first 100 days. CSD would increase the federal investment in civics to $18 per student, with the bulk of the funding directed towards local school districts.

Presidential elections are a sacred democratic ritual in the United States. By voting, we Americans affirm our belief in the strength and sustenance of our constitutional democracy. Our institutions are threatened and our citizens feel disempowered, but we agree on the long-term solution: universal access to K–12 civic education. May the victors of both parties throughout our federal system make this a top priority when the dust settles from election 2024.

We’re Teaching Kids Here in Allentown

Posted on by icivics

A recent front-page story in The Washington Post asked, “Can a Civics Teacher Persuade Her Students to Believe in Democracy?” As someone who’s been part of the movement to prioritize and strengthen K–12 civic education for the past quarter century, it was heartening to see this in-depth reporting that profiled Shannon Salter’s efforts in Allentown, PA, to engage her students in practices of constitutional democracy during a pivotal presidential election year.

Reporter Greg Jaffe wrote:

Like most civics teachers, Salter wanted her students to believe that their voices and opinions could shape the nation’s future — that their participation in politics was essential to improving their country, their neighborhoods and their lives. A big part of her job, as she saw it, was persuading her students to vote.

For most students across the United States, civics is a one-shot deal in a semester-long high school course: 37 states require a stand-alone class for graduation and only 6 require a full year (see CivxNow State Policy Scan). Only 10 states require a middle school civics course. Required civics instruction is all but absent in grades K–5.

The status quo is unacceptable: Civics should be woven throughout students’ K–12 trajectory.

Moreover, a diverse generation of young people must see themselves in the story of our country and its civic life. The challenge Salter and other civics teachers face is stark: “To these students, American politics (is) an ego-driven, aimless mess.”

However, Salter is right to note, as characterized in The Washington Post article, that:

Public school is one of the few American institutions where people from all sides of the country’s political, social and cultural divides still come together. In her view, it (is) the place where a new generation — the most diverse in the country’s history — (can) learn the skills needed to revive America’s creaking system of self-governance.

Voting is but one of many forms of civic engagement. Volunteering, contacting public officials, following the news, discussing current issues with friends and families, and working with neighbors to address community issues are other avenues to participate meaningfully in our constitutional democracy.

Civic engagement also varies over a life cycle, generally starting slowly in early adulthood, increasing as one becomes embedded within a community and assumes career and other responsibilities; and peaking as older adults. Just because some of Salter’s students are reluctant to vote this fall, it does not mean this will always remain the case.

As civic educators and champions, we should heed the recommendations of coalition member CIRCLE, the Center for Information Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University, in their “Growing Voters” initiative:

  • Study community voting patterns and barriers (CIRCLE offers a helpful mapping tool);
  • Provide explicit, nonpartisan instruction on the when, where, and how of voting;
  • Tap into parent and peer networks, given their influence in students’ lives and prominence as sources of information about elections;
  • Capitalize on preregistration as prescribed by CivxNow’s State Policy Menu and partnerships with local election authorities for students to serve as elections workers; and
  • Ensure youth engagement is among your principal strategies in order to broaden civic engagement, voting included.

Our collective work is not a quick fix, but plants the seeds for a lifetime of informed civic engagement. In what has only become a more tumultuous political season since this article was published, we salute Salter and civics teachers throughout the nation for their commitment to students’ civic development. We invite you to share similar stories of trial and triumph as we collectively make the case for stronger K–12 civic education in this teachable moment, Election 2024 and beyond.

Continued Progress on Civics Policies Across States

Posted on by icivics

States continued a steady march toward stronger K–12 civic education this spring. Several states implemented minimum course requirements for civics, while others allocated resources for teacher training or started new civic excellence programs. Our final tally for this legislative session includes 151 bills impacting K–12 civic education in 35 states. Nearly three-fourths (109) of the bills align with the CivxNow Policy Menu.

Six states already crossed the finish line with stronger civics policies:

  • Alabama’s $1.75 million injection into the state budget fuels a continued partnership between Troy University and the American Village Citizenship Trust. This program equips Alabama high school students with a solid grasp of U.S. history and government, and also offers teachers a “Civics Education Micro-credential.”
  • Indiana SB211 passed on the last day of session and was signed into law by Governor Holcomb (R) on March 13. The measure, sponsored by Senator Jeff Raatz (R), creates a new “Excellence in Civic Engagement” designation for graduating high school students.
  • Kentucky high schoolers now have a choice. Previously, they had to pass a 100-question civics test based on the U.S. Citizenship exam. Thanks to House Bill 535, sponsored by Representative Robert Duval (R), students can now choose between that test and taking a credit class in civic education. This law also makes the existing test a bit tougher by raising the passing score from 60% to 70%. The bill was signed into law by Governor Andy Beshear (D) on April 9.
  • Missouri’s General Assembly passed HB 2002, which included $500K for educator professional development in “civics and patriotism.” This was the second year of funding for this new line item and it was supported by the Missouri Civic Learning Coalition.
  • New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed HB 171 into law, updating high school graduation requirements to include an additional semester of social studies and civics.

As of this writing, two states are still considering substantial measures to boost K–12 civics:

  • Michigan, where CivxNow staff led appropriations requests for professional development for K–12 civic educators. Committee chairs in both chambers agreed: $1M in the House School Aid Budget and $5M in the Senate School Aid Budget. The conference committees are currently negotiating final numbers prior to the close of session this month.
  • California SB1094, which passed the Senate last week, requires one civic engagement experience with a governmental institution in both elementary and middle school. It moves next to the House, which adjourns in August. Californians for Civic Learning is leading the charge to pass this critical measure to prepare K–8 students for their high school civics experiences, including the State Seal of Civic Engagement.

Join our ongoing efforts to build civic learning coalitions in all 50 states to strengthen K–12 civic education.