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Education Week: “Schools Should Develop Students’ Civic Identities”

Web Hutchins • November 13, 2012

While it is unclear how many times a teenager can be forced to recite the checks and balances between the three branches of government before becoming comatose, it is crystal clear that such “lessons” still constitute the bulk of civics education in American classrooms.

Educational Leadership: “Groomed for Citizenship”

Web Hutchins • April 1, 2012

Focus on politics and public service promotes student expertise both in and out of school.

The Civics for All Initiative

Common K-12 Curricular Structures, Frameworks, and Traditions:

Annual Mock Elections each November, K-12
One New K-12 Civics/Elections unit in each year's social studies classes; depending on teacher preference and student interest, units would be 3 - 10 class periods each autumn
Two K-12 Civics Frameworks Banners:
1. Essential Civics for All Questions – posted in every K-12 classroom
2. Political Spectrum – posted in all gr: 6-12 social studies classrooms
K-12 Media Literacy – especially related to electoral politics and current events
Civics Website – updated reg. with shared curriculum, elections lesson plan ideas, current events lessons, links, etc.
Community Engagement:
1. Voter Registration/Participation Drives – K-12 students, classes, and schools can compete to see who can register the most new voters in their communities and/or get already registered voters (including parents) to actually vote.
2. Parent/Guardian Engagement – students are given homework assignments to discuss the mock elections issues and races with their parents/guardians.
Interdisciplinary Civics (optional) – K-12 teachers in non-social studies disciplines are encouraged to relate their classwork to the mock elections (e.g. math classes could help students understand taxation formulas, science could help students understand environmental initiatives, etc.)
School Culture of Democracy (optional) – principals, teachers, and schools can make the mock election process a celebration of democracy and community engagement to whatever extent desired via ASB involvement, parent and community involvement (election officials), etc.
The Civics for All Initiative Budget:
1. One-time, foundational expenses - $ 280,000
2. Ongoing, annual expenses - $ 56,500