The latest news about civics knowledge and activities of our nation’s young people is troubling. The results of the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), considered the “nations report card,” reveal that less than one-quarter of U.S. high school seniors are “proficient” in civics, while more than one-third scored below the “basic” level.
The upside of this discouraging information is that Close Up, and our partners in the broader civic education community, knows what it takes to deliver effective civic education. According to research by the Civic Mission of Schools, students who receive opportunities to: 1) engage in simulations of trials, legislative deliberation, and diplomacy, and 2) engage in debates about current local, national, and international issues have heightened political knowledge, greater interest in politics, improved critical thinking and communications skills, increased civic knowledge, and more interest in discussing public affairs out of school.
Close Up is dedicated to empowering young people for a lifetime of informed and active citizenship. We are proud to work with strategic partners and the boarder civic learning community to advocate for high quality civic education opportunities.
Check out the research from Dr. Paula McAvoy, from NC State University, and Dr. Gregory McAvoy, at UNC Greensboro, published in the Peabody Journal of Education that highlights how deliberation can help foster civil discussion about political issues.
According to a 2019 survey, only 39% of Americans were able to name all three branches of the federal government. – Annenberg Public Policy Center
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