This fact sheet summarizes state requirements related to civic education, which means learning about citizenship, government, law, current events, and related topics. Civic education is most directly addressed in courses labeled "civics," "government," or "U.S. government." Social studies is a broader category that also includes such disciplines…

Citizens can improve their communities, the government, and the nation through active civic engagement and collaboration. To do so requires skills. Educational programs and other government-supported initiatives have been shown to enhance Americans' civic skills and their levels of engagement. But these programs and other opportunities are scarce…

This paper, drawn from a book in progress, summarizes evidence of a "civic achievement gap" between non-white, poor, and/or immigrant youth, on the one hand, and white, wealthier, and/or native-born youth, on the other. Young people (and adults) in the former group demonstrate consistently lower levels of civic and political knowledge, skills,…

Using panel data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS), this study empirically analyzes the relationship between two forms of civic engagement--student government and community service--and educational progress made after the eighth grade by addressing the following questions. Does civic engagement affect academic progress…

This resource list was developed as part of the Emerging Scholars in K-12 Service-Learning Research Seminar, held at the University of Maryland on June 14-16, 2007 and hosted by The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE), University of Maryland; the Center for Youth and Communities, Brandeis University;…

Service-learning is a curriculum-based form of community service that integrates classroom instruction and reflection with hands-on service experiences. While the number of schools organizing service-learning activities has not yet surpassed the large percentage of K-12 institutions that simply offer or organize community service, the pedagogy has…

For more than 250 years, Americans have shared a vision of a democracy in which all citizens understand, appreciate, and engage actively in civic and political life. In recent decades, however, increasing numbers of Americans have disengaged from civic and political institutions such as voluntary associations, religious congregations,…