The Civic Mission of Schools

"This report makes recommendations representing a wide range of views and should be given serious attention at all levels. [It] is a timely, really serious and important contribution to the nation, and I am thrilled on behalf of the President and the administration to be here to accept it."

John Bridgeland, Assistant to the President of the United States and Director of the USA Freedom Corps, receiving The Civic Mission of Schools

"While we talk of building democracy in a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, we need to deal with the atrophying of active citizens here at home…. The preface to all this is provided by 55 scholars, teachers and practitioners in a report titled 'The Civic Mission of Schools.'"

David Broder, Washington Post, February 16, 2003

On February 13, the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Center for Information on Research on Civic Learning and Education (CIRCLE) released a report entitled The Civic Mission of Schools. Written by a diverse group of more than 50 scholars and practitioners, the report summarizes the evidence in favor of civic education in K-12 schools; analyzes trends in political and civic engagement; identifies promising approaches to civic education; and offers recommendations to educators, policymakers, funders, researchers, and others.

If you would like to view The Civic Mission of Schools report, executive summary or order free copies visit: http://www.civicmissionofschools.org

To read supportive articles and editorials on The Civic Mission of Schools go to: http://www.civicmissionofschools.org/press.htm

Below are highlights of The Civic Mission of Schools including:

• the goals of civic education;
• why schools are an important venue for civic education;
• why this is an important time for schools to focus on civic education;
• six promising approaches to civic education;
• major recommendations of the report;
• information about how to receive free copies of the report; and
• access to supportive articles and editorials.

The Civic Mission of Schools argues that the goals of civic education should be to help youth acquire and learn to use skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives.

The Civic Mission of Schools recognizes that schools are not the only avenue through which children and adolescents learn about civic and democratic processes. Families, religious organizations, voluntary associations, colleges and universities, the news and entertainment media, political parties, unions, government agencies and leaders, and the military all influence youth civic participation.

However, The Civic Mission of Schools identifies schools as an important venue for civic education. Schools are the only institution with the capacity and mandate to reach virtually every young person in the country; they are best equipped to address the cognitive aspects of good citizenship; and they are communities in which young people learn to interact, argue and work together with others, an important condition for future citizenship. Moreover, research clearly shows that school-based civic education programs work: they increase young people's knowledge, skills, interest, and commitment.

The Civic Mission of Schools asserts that now is an important time for schools to focus on civic education because school-based civic education is in decline; schools need to address disturbing trends related to youth civic engagement; yet schools can capitalize on several positive trends related to youth civic engagement.

The Civic Mission of Schools provides six promising approaches to civic education. When done well, these approaches have substantial positive effects:

1. Instruction in government, history, law and democracy.
2. Discussion of current local, national, and international issues and events into the classroom, particularly those that young people view as important to their lives.
3. Programs that provide students with the opportunity to apply what they learn through performing community service that is linked to the formal curriculum and classroom instruction.
4. Extracurricular activities that provide opportunities for young people to get involved in their schools or communities.
5. Student participation in school governance.
6. Student participation in simulations of democratic processes and procedures.

For details about each approach, please click approaches.

The Civic Mission of Schools makes major recommendations for schools, school systems, state and national policymakers, colleges and universities, researchers, and private funders. In brief, the recommendations include these:

1. Schools should work with state education departments and local school district officials to develop and establish civic education curricula based on combinations of the six promising practices approaches.
2. School administrators should allow and encourage educators to facilitate discussions of complex and/or controversial current events and issues in the classroom.
3. The federal government should increase the amount of federal funding available to states for civic education.
4. Standards should be implemented for civic education.
5. Schools of education should strengthen the civic dimensions of pre-service and in-service education for teachers and administrators.
6. Researchers should develop and implement more rigorous studies (including longitudinal research) about effective service-learning and other civic education approaches.
7. Funders should support efforts to build national and state coalitions of educators, policymakers, parents, young people, and community leaders to advocate for better and more civic education in schools.