As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, civic learning is having a moment—but new data suggest that more support is needed to move students from knowing the basics to participating in civics learning and practice within their communities. This brief is the first in a three-part series from the American School District Panel (ASDP), a research partnership between RAND and CRPE that surveys hundreds of school district leaders.
key findings
- 90% of district leaders report embedding civics in a required academic class, but far fewer give students structured chances to apply that knowledge. Just 13% require experiential civics opportunities, and only 23% mandate community service or volunteer work.
- District leaders told us they want more than knowledge transfer—they want students who can analyze issues, make decisions, and participate in their communities.
- Professional learning hasn’t caught up: it’s far more likely to cover state standards than civics skills, instructional materials, or how to facilitate discussion of controversial topics.
Getting civics into more classrooms isn’t the hard part anymore. Building the conditions for students to actually practice it is—which means clearer goals, shared instructional resources, stronger teacher training, and more consistent chances for students to practice civic skills. Read the full brief for:
- What districts are (and aren’t) offering students, by opportunity type
- Where district leaders’ goals diverge from what’s actually being taught
- The specific professional learning gaps holding teachers back
- What districts, states, and civic learning advocates can do next
