"It cannot be doubted that in the United States the instruction of the people powerfully contributes to the support of the democratic republic." Alexis de Tocqueville 1

While much has changed in this country since the initial publication of Democracy in America, Tocqueville's words ring just as true today as they did in 1835. We cannot expect young people automatically to become citizens in a well-functioning democratic system, nor should we overlook the powerful relationship between effective, knowledgeable and engaged citizens and the vitality of democratic life. From the guidelines set forth in state mandates to service-learning graduation requirements, this page lays out a brief outline of practices and policies and the extent to which civic education is emphasized in the school curriculum. For a more detailed list of state-by-state information, please see our In The States page for more information.

State Mandates
More than a quarter of all state constitutions state that a system of public instruction is required because an informed and capable citizenry is vital to the preservation of a free and democratic government and more than half of the states have statutes that explicitly address civic education. State provisions requiring instruction in civics mostly list a set of topics related to civic education but leave details on those subjects to regulatory authorities, school districts or schools. For example, Florida lists 16 topics to be covered that include the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, the Federalist papers as well as other provisions that require the instruction on the Holocaust, African-American history and "women's contribution to the United States."2 California law states:

Each teacher shall endeavor to impress upon the minds of the pupils the principles of morality, truth, justice, patriotism, and a true comprehension of the rights, duties, and dignity of American citizenship, and the meaning of equality and human dignity, including the promotion of harmonious relations, kindness toward domestic pets and the humane treatment of living creatures, to teach them to avoid idleness, profanity, and falsehood, and to instruct them in manners and morals and the principles of free government.3

Beyond general instruction, a number of states have enacted laws that require some form of assessment. Illinois law states that "American patriotism and the principles of representative government, as enunciated in the American Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the proper use and display of the American flag shall be taught…No student shall receive a certificate of graduation without passing a satisfactory examination upon such subjects."4

While 31 states currently test civics topics, only Missouri, Ohio and Utah have a separate test on civics topics.5

Today, 29 states require high school students to take a course in government or civics. Five states (Alabama, Arizona, California, Idaho and New York) require students to take a senior year "capstone" civics or government course. Civic education advocates such as the Center for Civic Education see such capstone courses as a positive way to synthesize and strengthen students' civic lessons.

Nearly every state and the District of Columbia have also instituted standards that in some way incorporate civics content. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia present their civics standards as explicit standards within their social studies standards and three states (Arkansas, Colorado and Vermont) have separate civics standards. Another 18 states integrate civics topics into their social studies or other subject standards.6

However, there is great variation in the extent and quality of state standards. In Making Standards Matter, the American Federation of Teachers found that while standards continue to improve in the states, most continue to have difficulty in setting clear and specific standards in social studies as compared to other core subjects such as math and science. The AFT specifically recommends: "Social studies standards need to be focused and explicit about the US and world history students should learn at each of the three educational levels."7 The Policy Research Project on Civic Education Policies and Practices found that on average civics content in states' social studies standards overemphasize lower-order thinking of identifying and describing positions, stating that "civic statements requiring students to evaluate, take, and defend positions-the highest-order level of thinking-are the least prevalent in most state standards."8

The NAEP Civics Framework
While standards guide policies and assessment can help drive accountability, civic education ultimately happens in the classroom. The NAEP Civics Assessment is designed to show how well students are "being prepared for citizenship in our constitutional democracy" and categorizes civic education into three main components: civic knowledge, intellectual skills, and civic dispositions.9 According to the Civics Framework for the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress:

Students [should] show broad knowledge of the American constitutional system and of the workings of our civil society. They [should] demonstrate a range of intellectual skills-identifying and describing important information, explaining and analyzing it, and evaluating information and defending positions with appropriate evidence and careful reasoning.10

Developing students' civic knowledge, skills and dispositions requires curriculum that is based not only on memorization and description, but also on content that poses important questions and explores fundamental themes to constitutional democracy. According to the National Commission on the High School Senior Year:

If democracy is to prosper in this new age, all Americans must possess the high levels of literacy and logic and the capacity to think critically that were once thought to be at the command of only a select few….All will need a sense of history (of both the United States and the world), an understanding of government and democratic values, and an appreciation of how the arts and literature explain the human condition and expand its possibilities. And, because they will be asked to decide complicated public questions (often with incomplete and conflicting information), all will need to be thoughtful observers of current events and be at ease with ambiguity.11

Teacher Preparation
Beyond content, teacher quality is also a powerful determinant of the quality of civic education taught in the classroom. Across the nation, many schools are facing increasing enrollment and impending teacher shortages, with a growing focus on the lack of teachers certified in math and science. However, the issue is just as daunting for civics education, if not more so as civics continues to receive less attention than other core subjects. According to the Policy Research Project on Civic Education Policies and Practices, less than one-half of states (23) reported they require teachers to pass any sort of standardized test of their civics knowledge before being certified to teach civics. Only a few states offer specific certification in civics for teachers.12

However, a number of groups are launching promising initiatives. The Center for Civic Education's Campaign to Promote Civic Education is a fifty-state effort conducted by concerned citizens and organizations within each state to bring about the appropriate changes in the educational policies of states and school districts. In Idaho, the Campaign has worked with the State Action Committee to survey the state's social studies offerings and has drafted a revised curriculum, which "heightens attention to the roles and responsibilities of democratic citizens."13 In Mississippi, the State Action Committee has formed a "Learn to Lead Task Force" where experienced teachers serve as mentors for those less experienced and has approached state lawmakers with model legislation designed to improve Mississippi's social studies standards and to strengthen civic education.14

Service Learning: Definitions and Requirements
Service-learning has also received increasing attention by civic education advocates. According to Shelley H. Billig, service-learning has long been a popular educational philosophy based upon the notion that learning "occurs best when students are actively involved in their own learning and when the learning has a distinct purpose."15 Although there is not one distinct definition of service-learning, it often focuses on school/community coordination and the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge and to reflect upon the service experience in an academic setting. Researchers at UCLA's Service-Learning Clearinghouse Project state:

Qualitative findings suggest that service learning is effective is part because it facilitates four types of outcomes: an increased sense of personal efficacy, an increased awareness of the world, an increased awareness of one's personal values, and increased engagement in the classroom experience.16

A number of states have created service-learning programs. Maryland, Vermont and the District of Columbia currently require community service programs and eight other states have enacted voluntary programs.17

Next Steps
While there are many sources of civic education in American society, schools have a clear civic mission to prepare students for life in their communities and in our democratic society. Today, a number of states are initiating civic education policies and guidelines, but NACE firmly believes that more must and can be done to promote quality civic education. Schools should provide students with the civic knowledge, intellectual skills and dispositions to enhance their ability and willingness to be responsible, informed and active citizens.

Young people's civic character and knowledge evolve from a multitude of sources, from interactions with their family and peers to their experiences in their schools and communities. While many institutions shape the civic dispositions of our nation's youth, NACE believes that schools play a fundamental role and have an important responsibility in ensuring that today's students have the skills and knowledge to participate in and contribute to civic life.

From the civic requirements and guidelines laid out in state statutes to the materials and methods employed in the classroom, civic education in the schools is most effective when it is emphasized throughout the educational system. Yet, when it comes to the policies and standards governing states' civic education practices, it is clear that more must be done to place a greater emphasis on the extent and quality of civic education taught in our schools.

After assessing state education policies and practices the Policy Research Project on Civic Education Policies and Practices concludes: "state education policies and school district practices often fail to affirm the importance of civic education directly and continuously throughout grades K-12. These policies and practices often take the civic education of American youth for granted, assuming that civic education will occur indirectly in the study of other disciplines, as a general outcome of the process of schooling, and in other organizations of society."18

However, not all is lost as a number of initiatives are taking place across the country and a movement has begun to increase focus on the importance of civic education. To become a part of this movement please go to our Join Us page.

--Amber Wichowsky (with Peter Levine)

NOTES

1. Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, vol. 1, pg. 317.

2. Policy Research Project on Civic Education Policies and Practices. The Civic Education of American Youth: From State Policies to School District Practices. Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. Policy Research Project Report, no. 133, 1999.

3. Ibid

4. California Education Code, sec. 233.5(a) from LBJ document

5. Illinois Statutes, ch. 105, sec. 5/27-3 from LBJ document

6. Ibid.

7. AFT, Making Standards Matter, 1999 at http://www.aft.org/edissues/standards99/

8. Policy Research Project, p. xviii

9. NAEP Civics Assessment Governing Board. Civics Framework for the 1998 National Assessment Educational Progress. US Department of Education, 1998.

10. NAEP, p. vi

11. National Commission on the High School Senior Year, The Lost Opportunity of Senior Year: Finding a Better Way, January 2001.

12. Policy Research Project. [the states are: Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, North Dakota (civics); Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas (government)]

13. Branson, Margaret, Content That Counts: Educating for Informed, Effective, and Responsible Citizenship at http://www.civiced.org/articles_branson_ncss2001.html, pg. 13.

14. Ibid

15. Billig, Shelley H. Research on K-12 School-Based Service-Learning: the evidence builds. Phi Delta Kappan. May 2000: 658-664.

16. Astin, Alexander et al. How Service Learning Affects Students. UCLA Service-Learning Clearinghouse Project. Higher Education Research Institute. University of California, Los Angeles: January 2000.

17. Policy Research Project. [The 8 states are: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Montana, Ohio and South Carolina]

18. Ibid.