2 minute read
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS Civic Health
Policy Recommendation 2:
States can report on success in strengthening civic understanding beyond what can be captured through academic testing results, including through alternative metrics such as portfolios and service-learning, among others.
The Civic Health Subcommittee approved this recommendation, citing a desire to see more hands-on experience and project-based assessments in civics learning as part of social studies and history curricula.
Regardless of background or ideology, we can all agree that civics education is the foundation of more informed and participatory democracy. Some of the best civics education happens outside of the classroom including experiential learning and volunteer opportunities. It’s important that our metrics capture not only academic performance but also educational achievement outside the classroom.”
— Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, Maine
States should ensure civic education progress is measured by performance-based testing instruments. CivXNow,1 the advocacy arm of iCivics, recommends that “states should require that students develop a real-world public policy project with alternative forms of assessment, such as performance-based, portfolio or reflections, at the middle and high school levels. These public policy projects may be thought of as a ‘civics lab,’ similar to laboratory work in science class.”2
States might further strengthen the accountability structure for K-12 civics learning by:3
Ensuring assessment instruments offer a comprehensive measure of civic and history learning and permit the reporting of results disaggregated by subgroup.
Directing schools and school districts to create civic learning plans aligned with the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap.4 Civic learning plans could be aggregated across local education agencies to allow comparisons and assessment of progress and integrated into school evaluation systems if the state uses a school ranking formula.
Including civics assessments in the Every Student Succeeds Act plans states submit to the U.S. Department of Education.5
Providing performance-based student credentialing benchmarks at appropriate grade level junctures, including civics graduation seals or certificates.
Participating in the National Assessment of Educational Progress in Civics and History6 to allow for disaggregated results by state.
State Examples
In 2012, Tennessee required project-based assessments in civics at least once in grades 4-12 (Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-1028).
In 2021, Rhode Island enacted Senate Bill 76 which requires public school districts to provide at least one student-led civics project during either middle or high school. The projects should be designed to promote a student’s ability to:
Reason, make logical arguments and support claims using valid evidence.
Demonstrate an understanding of the connections between federal, state and local policies, including issues that may impact the student’s community.
Additional Resources
The Council of State Governments State Leader Policy Brief: Civic Education — https://web.csg.org/csghealthystates/wp-content/ uploads/sites/23/2022/05/Healthy-States-National-Task-Force-Policy-Brief-Civics-Education.pdf
The Council of State Governments State Civic Education Toolkit — https://www.csg.org/2022/05/03/state-civic-education-toolkit/
CivXNow State Policy Menu — https://civxnow.org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/09/CivXNow-State-Policy-Menu-September-2021-FINAL. pdf
Endnotes
1 The Council of State Governments is a member organization of the CivXNow Coalition.
2 CivXNow. (2019). Coalition Policy Menu: A Guide for State and Local Policymakers, with Options to Strengthen and Improve Civic Learning for All Students. Retrieved Jan. 2022, from https://civxnow.org/sites/default/files/basic_page/CivXNow%20Policy%20 Menu%20-%20FINAL.pdf.
3 State policy options listed in this section come from: CivXNow. (2021). CivXNow State Policy Menu. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2022, from https://civxnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CivXNow-State-Policy-Menu-September-2021-FINAL.pdf.
4 Educating for American Democracy. (n.d.). Learn to Read the Roadmap. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2022, from Educating for American Democracy: https://www.educatingforamericandemocracy.org/the-roadmap/.
5 U.S. Department of Education. (Nov. 18, 2021). ESSA Consolidated State Plans. Retrieved Oct. 6, 2022, from https://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/stateplan17/index.html.
6 The National Assessment of Educational Progress. (Sept. 7, 2022). Nation's Report Card. Retrieved Oct. 6, 2022, from Civics: https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/civics/.
