Civic Literacy
When students build civic literacy, they:
- Know how their governments and communities work
- Understand the big issues connected to civic decision-making
- Can find and use good sources of news and civic information
- Have the knowledge, experience, and opportunity for civic participation - including voting, volunteering, engaging in local government, and more - and leadership now and into college, career, and adulthood
Civic literacy impacts student learning across disciplines, with multiple impacts
Scholars put civics in the same category as math and literacy instruction
It is an important 21st century skill
North Carolina public high school students must pass the Civic Literacy course to graduate
The need for civics education in 21st century schools (Brookings)
The purpose of elementary school social studies (National Council for the Social Studies)
What makes civic education difficult? Barriers include:
Education trends focused on other subjects and on testing
Access to quality civic education opportunities in and outside of school, and in different communities
Civic education is chronically underfunded (a 2019 study determined that the federal government funds STEM education at $54/student vs 5 cents/student for civics - this pattern is similar, or even less, among North Carolina public and private funders)
Politics
Adults rarely stress the importance of civic learning to kids
Kids don't always see good examples of civic knowledge and active, informed, and engaged civic participation in the adults around them
What can families do to help?
Regularly talk about civics at home - learn together!
Ask state and community funders and leaders what they are doing to encourage and support civic literacy and youth leadership
Model what you want to see - help the children and youth around you to see good examples of civic knowledge and participation
Encourage children and youth to build civic literacy and engage in service and leadership
Support and encourage educators and school leaders who facilitate K-5 social studies, especially civic education
Help kids (and others) understand the connections between civic literacy and success at school now and into college, the workplace, and adulthood