Nov 2025: Civic Education This Season: Bridge Divides and A250 Prep

NEWSLETTERS
NOVEMBER 2025

News From the Front Lines of Civic Education

Civic Education This Thanksgiving

This season, we look beyond the tradition of turkey hats to focus on the civic learning field’s deeper purpose: building young people’s capacity to navigate complexity and bridge divides.

We invite you to engage in three essential actions that elevate educators and strengthen classroom conversations. 

Read Full Insight

Civic Learning Week National Forum

Registration is now open for the 2026 Civic Learning Week National Forum, Liberty and Learning: Civic Education at 250.

Hosted by iCivics and the Democratic Knowledge Project, the forum will be held March 9–10, 2026 at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. We will explore key topics related to the importance of liberty and learning, what that looks like in practice, and the leadership needed to make high-quality civic education a nationwide priority.

Register for the Forum
Liberty and Learning: Civic Education at 250 Civic Learning Week National Forum logo with stylized book people and star

Book Review: Reclaiming Patriotism in an Age of Extremes

As the United States prepares for the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence (A250) in July, Steven Smith’s Reclaiming Patriotism in an Age of Extremes explores the true meaning of patriotism.

Smith defines patriotism as a form of loyalty and a “learned disposition” which is the very component of an educated mind, making the seeking of knowledge and understanding a powerful act of patriotism for A250. 

Read Full Book Review

On the Road

Colorado Civic Readiness for All

Leaders from education, policy, and community sectors gathered in Denver on Nov. 4 to leverage the upcoming 150th anniversary of Colorado’s statehood (CO150) and A250 commemorations through partnerships to ignite civic engagement.

Speakers on stage

The Constitutional Democracy Project

The Constitutional Democracy Project held its annual conference for civics teachers on Oct. 31, featuring a surprise appearance by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a longtime supporter of civics and history education.

In the News

Civics in the news as we head into Thanksgiving:

  • NPR spoke to a number of CivxNow partners in this piece about the $150 million in grants that just went to civic education.
  • Rick Hess discusses “real-world civic education” in this piece in Education Next.
  • Jeffrey Edward Green writes that civic education should challenge students in this Boston Globe piece.
  • U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch told a local Fox network that lack of civic education is our country’s biggest problem—and he’s following a trend of Justices who have written children’s books. 

New Members

CivxNow continues to grow, now officially standing at more than 400 member organizations! The latest additions are: We remain deeply appreciative of member efforts and all that we accomplish together. Our goal is to aggregate and activate large networks of support to expand and re-imagine civic education as a force for civic strength. To our members, thank you for your partnership. If your organization is interested in joining CivxNow or in learning more, please contact us at CivxNow@icivics.org.

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