Overview

• Definitions• Current status of civic education • Barriers in civic education• Importance—What’s at stake• Responses to barriers• Programs• Recommendations

Trivia

Can you name the two US Senators from your state?

Trivia• What is the President's role in making laws?

a) The President can rewrite some parts of the Constitution.

b) The President can declare laws unconstitutional.c) The President can sign congressional bills into law.d) The President can remove members of Congress

from office.

Trivia• What is the President's role in making laws?

c) The President can sign congressional bills into law.

Trivia

What are the three branches of the federal government?

Trivia

What are the three branches of the federal government?Legislative, Executive, and Judicial

The Problem

• 59% of those surveyed could name all three Stooges

• Only 36% could name the three branches of government: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.

Definitions

• Civic knowledge is “concerned with the content of what citizens ought to know; the subject matter” (Branson & Quigley, 1998).

• Civic identity is defined as the sense of one’s readiness and willingness to assume citizenship responsibilities and the belief that one can make a difference (Youniss, 2011).

Definitions—Civic Education

• Gibson and Levine (2003) define civic education as “the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare young people ‘to be competent and responsible citizens” (p. 10).

Definitions—Civic Literacy

• It is almost universally accepted that citizens need basic knowledge and skills to effectively participate and lead. iCivics

Definitions—Civic Literacy

• The knowledge of how to actively participate and initiate change in your community and the greater society. It is the foundation by which a democratic society functions: Citizen Power as a check and as a means to create avenues for peaceful change. Urban Agenda (Wayne State)

Current Status of Civic Education• 2.9 YEARS—National Average for years students have

Civic Education – 5 States (AL, HI, MS, NY, and WV) and DC require

4 years– Iowa does not require any at all

• 32 States have no form of assessment in Civic Education

Godsay, Henderson, Levine, Littenberg-Tobias, (2012).

% of HS seniors at or above proficiency in Civics0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

30% 32%28%

199820062010

Civic Literacy in Georgia Public Schools

Which of the following are the unalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence? A. life, liberty, and propertyB. honor, liberty, and peaceC. liberty, health, and respectD. life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Grades 4, 8, American Government/Civics, and U.S. History

In 1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed a series of government programs that became known as A. the Great Society.B. the Square Deal.C. the New Deal.D. the New Frontier.

Grades 3, 5, 8, and U.S. History

What are the three branches of government?

A. executive, legislative, judicialB. executive, legislative, militaryC. bureaucratic, military, legislativeD. federal, state, local

Grades 3, 4, 8, American/Government, and U.S. History

International trade and specialization most often lead to which of the following? A. an increase in a nation’s productivityB. a decrease in a nation’s economic growth in the long

termC. an increase in a nation’s import tariffsD. a decrease in a nation’s standard of living

Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, U.S. History, World History, and Economics

The Intercollegiate Studies Institute(2008)

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/01/107324-smarter-educator-civic-literacy-test-will-show-know-u-s-politics/

• The average score for all 2,508 Americans

taking the test was 49%; • college educators scored 55%.

Georgia Performance Standards(Social Studies)

Kindergarten: National Holidays, American Symbols, Good Citizenship (Rules), Positive Character Traits, Economics

1st Grade: Historical Figures, American Folktales and our American Heritage, Positive Character Traits of Historical Figures, The meaning of the patriotic words to America and America the Beautiful, Economics

2nd Grade: Historical Figures (Georgia), Concept of Government and the Need for Rules and Laws, Roles of Elected Officials, Positive Citizenship Traits of Historical Figures, Economics

3rd Grade: Beginnings of Democracy, Direct Democracy and Representative Democracy, Historical Figures who Expanded People’s Rights and Freedoms, Separation of Powers, Three Levels of Government, Three Branches of Government, Positive Character Traits of Historical Figures, Economics

4th Grade: U.S. History to 1860, Historical Figures who Founded our Country, Declaration of Independence (Natural Rights), Articles of Confederation, U.S. Constitution , Three Branches of Government, Bill of Rights, Suffrage Movements, Federal System of Government, 1st Amendment, Functions of Government, America’s Democratic Beliefs (respecting the rights of others, promoting the common good, civic life), Economics

5th Grade: U.S. History from 1860 to the Present, U.S. Constitution and Citizens’ Rights, Bill of Rights, Due Process, Amendment Process, Amendments (13, 14, 15, 12, 15, 19, 23, 24, 26), Economics

6th Grade: World Studies, Compare and Contrast Various Forms of Government, Structures of Governments in Europe, Latin America, Canada, and Australia, Economics

7th Grade: World Studies, Compare and Contrast Various Forms of Government, Structures of Governments in Asia and Africa, Economics

8th Grade: Georgia History, Role of Citizens (Georgia’s Constitution), Georgia State Government (Three Branches- Roles and Responsibilities), Role of Local Government, Georgia Court System (Juvenile Offenders), Georgia Revenue Sources, Economics

American Government/Civics: Political Philosophies, Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, National Government, Federal System of Government, Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, Participation in Civic Life, Elections, Branches of Government, Georgia Constitution, Compare and Contrast Various Forms of Government, U.S. Foreign Policy, Criminal Justice Process

World History: Structure of Ancient Civilizations, Chinese, Indian, Islamic, African, Classical Mediterranean, Central and South American Societies, Enlightenment Philosophies, Political Reforms, Pursuits of Freedom

U.S. History: European Settlement, British North America, American Revolution, Ideas Which Brought About the U.S. Constitution, Western Expansion, Suffrage Movements, Civil War (states’ rights ideology, suspension of habeas corpus), Reconstruction Amendments, Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, Presidential Election of 1876, American Industrial Growth, Progressive Era, World War I, Great Depression, FDR’s New Deal, World War II, 1945-1975, Civil Rights Movement, Political Developments Between 1945-1970, Social Change Movements, National Politics Since 1968 (presidencies of Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, 2000 Presidential Election, George W. Bush)

Economics: Fundamentals of Economics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, International Economics, and Personal Finance

Barriers to Success

• Lack of national standards for Social Studies– Common Core Curriculum, while not directly in

the area of Social Studies/Civics, goes farther than any response thus far—it has a lot of ‘across the curriculum’ learning built in

Barriers to Success

• Fuzzy educational priorities that are only complicated by political interventions– Educate America 2000, No Child Left Behind, Race

to the Top• Funding– Sets priorities

Importance—What’s at stake?

• Civic identity is but one part of a continuum of civic development. The aim of civic education and civic identity development is the product of civic activity more broadly referred to as civic engagement.

Importance—What’s at stake?

• Kahne, Crow, and Lee (2013) support the concept of a civic development continuum stating that “the clearest implication of these findings is that civic learning opportunities promote civic and political engagement” (p. 13).

Georgia Center for Civic EngagementStudent Programs• Model Municipal/County

Government• Model State Legislature• Washington Seminar• Model United Nations• Character/Leadership

Programs

Educator Resources• Database of activities and

lesson plans• Continuing Ed Workshops

on behalf of GA DOE• Georgia Civic Educator of

the Year Awards

Special Days and Events to Promote Civic Literacy

Patriot Day- September 11

Constitution Day- September 17

Georgia Civics Day- October 1/31

Election DayBill of Rights Day- December 15

Law Day- May 1

Medal of Honor Character Development Program

“The Medal of Honor Character Development Program demonstrates with crystal clarity that our young citizens, those who carry our democracy into the future, can be taught the importance of service to the community and the core values that made this nation great.” Colonel Jack H. Jacobs Medal of Honor Recipient

1. Personal Accounts of Medal of Honor Recipients: Lessons and video vignettes give students opportunities to explore the important concepts of courage, commitment, sacrifice, patriotism, integrity, and citizenship.

2. The Citizen Service Before Self Honors: A civilian program which honors ordinary people in our communities making a difference through acts of heroism or putting others first.

www.cmohedu.org

Sponsored by the GADOE

Trainings are provided at RESAs across the state beginning last year and continuing through the next two years. The resource is free to teachers throughout the state.

Concluding Thoughts and Recommendations

• Schools need help• The time to help is NOW—when students are still

in school• A number of studies support that experiential

civic education and service learning programs lead to continued civic engagement as an adult

“The qualifications of self-government are not innate. They are the result of habit and long training.” –Thomas Jefferson

ReferencesBranson, M. S., & Quigley, C. N. (1998). The role of

civic education. Communitarian Network.Georgia Department of Education.Gibson, C., & Levine, P. (2003). The civic mission of

schools. New York, NY and Washington, DC: Carnegie Corporation of New York and The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.

References

Godsay, S., Henderson, W., Levine, P., Littenberg-Tobias, J. (2012), State Civic Education Requirements. CIRCLE Fact Sheet, 1-10.

iCivics.org.Urban Agenda (Wayne State).

http://www.urbanagenda.wayne.edu/whatiscl.htmYouniss, J. (2011). Civic Education: What Schools Can Do to

Encourage Civic Identity and Action. Applied Developmental Science, 15(2), 98-103.