States Restoring the Civic Mission of Schools

by Ted McConnell

[Ed. note: Our guest author is Ted McConnell, director of the Center for Civic Education's Campaign to Promote Civic Education. NCSL's Trust for Representative Democracy partners with the Center in this effort.]

Four annual Congressional Conferences on Civic Education, sponsored by the Alliance for Representative Democracy and the joint leadership of the Congress, have led to 35 new laws to strengthen civic education and learning in 24 states since 2004. Thus far during 2007, ten bills have been passed in ten states. The vast majority of this legislation was introduced as a result of state legislators who attended a Congressional Conference on Civic Education or the efforts of the state civic education campaign teams.

NCSL tracks these bills and other civic education and engagement legislation in an online database.

The latest measure to pass was in Washington State, where HB 1052, introduced by Congressional Conference attendee Representative Dave Upthegrove was recently signed into law by Governor Gregoire.  This measure amends provisions that relate to the Legislative Youth Advisory Council and establishes a grant program for Washington students competing in state, national and international civic education programs.  In New Hampshire, HB 167, introduced by Representative Tim Dunn, adds civic education to the required areas of assessment in the statewide assessment and improvement program.

And as important as these legislative accomplishments are, the state campaigns have achieved other successes. Nearly thirty state summits have been held bringing much needed policymaker and public awareness to civic education. The latest summit was held June 1, in Missouri, drawing over 150 legislators, policymakers, judges and educators. It resulted in media attention and a resolve on the part of the attendees to return home and help their school districts do a better job teaching this vital core subject.

The Florida, Michigan and Ohio campaigns each successfully fought back efforts to cut social studies/civic education in their states. The Florida campaign succeeded in getting a new middle school course mandated. State commissions, councils or task forces on civic education have been established in Alaska, Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Virginia. Missouri has persuaded the state Board of Education to reinstate state assessment in civic education. West Virginia has adopted new course requirements and new state standards. Illinois has a new grant program, designed by the Illinois Campaign, with a civic education audit schools must fill out to receive funds.

These are just a few highlights of the successes of the state campaigns since 2003. More—much more—remains to be done and will be done to restore the civic mission of our schools.