All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement

The Report of the Commission on Youth Voting and Civic Knowledge

2013 This report should be cited as: All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement: The Report of the Commission on Youth Voting and Civic Knowledge (Medford, MA: Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2013), www.civicyouth.org/about-circle/ ALL TOGETHER NOW: COLLABORATION AND commission-on-youth-voting-civic-knowledge/ INNOVATION FOR YOUTH ENGAGEMENT The Report of the Commission on Youth Voting and Civic Knowledge

A Call to Action...... 5 Planning a Discussion...... 37

Main Recommendations...... 7 Appendix A: Selected Previous Research on Youth Political Engagement...... 39 Selected recommendations for national, state, and local policymakers...... 8 Appendix B: Data Collected for the Commission...... 40 Selected recommendations for school districts and educators...... 8 1. The Youth Engagement Fund Surveys...... 41 Recommendations for families and communities...... 9 2. The National Youth Survey...... 41 Recommendations for collaboration...... 9 3. Analysis of official turnout tatisticss ...... 43 Research for this Report...... 9 4. A National Civics Teacher Survey...... 44 About the Commission...... 10 5. Stakeholder interviews...... 45 New Data on Youth Voting and Civic Knowledge...... 11 Appendix C: Examples of Good Practice...... 45 Today’s Special Challenges and Opportunities for Youth Civic Engagement...... 13 1. Coalitions...... 45 1. Deep polarization and ideological conflict...... 13 2. Programs...... 48 2. Growing inequality of civic opportunites...... 15 Diverse and accessible opportunities for civically disadvantaged and non-college youth...... 48 Table 1: Voter Turnout Among 18-29 Year Old Citizens ...... 15 Engagement in controversy and disagreement that promotes youth 3. An increasingly diverse youth population...... 17 voice/expression, information seeking and deliberation...... 48 4. A powerful role for social media...... 18 Lower barriers to youth political participation and increase Fundamental Goals...... 23 transparency of the political system...... 49 1. Free expression and civil deliberation...... 23 High-quality civic learning experiences and assessments that develop 2. Equality and quality of political engagement...... 24 higher order knowledge and skills in the context of real-life issues...... 50 Recommendations...... 27 Systems or networks of opportunities and support...... 52 1. Stitch together a quilt of helpful policies...... 27 Notes...... 54 Table 2: Summary of State Policy Effects...... 28 2. Involve families...... 30 3. Support teachers...... 31 4. Encourage collaboration...... 33 5. Innovate and evaluate...... 35 This report should be cited as: All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement: The Report of the Commission on Youth Voting and Civic Knowledge (Medford, MA: Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2013), www.civicyouth.org/about-circle/ ALL TOGETHER NOW: COLLABORATION AND commission-on-youth-voting-civic-knowledge/ INNOVATION FOR YOUTH ENGAGEMENT The Report of the Commission on Youth Voting and Civic Knowledge

A Call to Action...... 5 Planning a Discussion...... 37

Main Recommendations...... 7 Appendix A: Selected Previous Research on Youth Political Engagement...... 39 Selected recommendations for national, state, and local policymakers...... 8 Appendix B: Data Collected for the Commission...... 40 Selected recommendations for school districts and educators...... 8 1. The Youth Engagement Fund Surveys...... 41 Recommendations for families and communities...... 9 2. The National Youth Survey...... 41 Recommendations for collaboration...... 9 3. Analysis of official turnout tatisticss ...... 43 Research for this Report...... 9 4. A National Civics Teacher Survey...... 44 About the Commission...... 10 5. Stakeholder interviews...... 45 New Data on Youth Voting and Civic Knowledge...... 11 Appendix C: Examples of Good Practice...... 45 Today’s Special Challenges and Opportunities for Youth Civic Engagement...... 13 1. Coalitions...... 45 1. Deep polarization and ideological conflict...... 13 2. Programs...... 48 2. Growing inequality of civic opportunites...... 15 Diverse and accessible opportunities for civically disadvantaged and non-college youth...... 48 Table 1: Voter Turnout Among 18-29 Year Old Citizens ...... 15 Engagement in controversy and disagreement that promotes youth 3. An increasingly diverse youth population...... 17 voice/expression, information seeking and deliberation...... 48 4. A powerful role for social media...... 18 Lower barriers to youth political participation and increase Fundamental Goals...... 23 transparency of the political system...... 49 1. Free expression and civil deliberation...... 23 High-quality civic learning experiences and assessments that develop 2. Equality and quality of political engagement...... 24 higher order knowledge and skills in the context of real-life issues...... 50 Recommendations...... 27 Systems or networks of opportunities and support...... 52 1. Stitch together a quilt of helpful policies...... 27 Notes...... 54 Table 2: Summary of State Policy Effects...... 28 2. Involve families...... 30 3. Support teachers...... 31 4. Encourage collaboration...... 33 5. Innovate and evaluate...... 35 As a teacher we surveyed for this report said, civic education “is essential if we are to continue as a free democratic society. Not to educate the next generation will ensure the destruction of our American way of life as we know it.” A Call to Action

Each new generation must On the other hand, more schools matter, civic education become active, informed, than half of young people must be a shared responsibility. responsible, and effective did not vote. And on some The outcomes are acceptable citizens. As a teacher we topics, most young people only when all the relevant surveyed for this report said, were misinformed. A majority institutions invite, support, civic education “is essential if (51.2%) of under 25-year- and educate young people to we are to continue as a free olds believed that the federal engage in politics and civic democratic society. Not to government spends more life. Improving the quality and educate the next generation on foreign aid than on Social quantity of youth participation will ensure the destruction of Security, when in fact Social will require new collaborations; our American way of life as we Security costs about 20 for example, state election know it.” times more. (Older adults officials and schools should have also been found to be work together to make voting Data show that many young misinformed on similar topics.) Americans are reasonably Our research, like many other well informed and active. studies, finds that young For instance, 45% of citizens people from disadvantaged between the ages of 18 and 29 backgrounds are far less likely Breaking the pattern of the past voted in the 2012 election. In to be informed and to vote. forty years will require new ideas a national survey conducted and the active support of all for this Commission, 76% of These shortcomings cannot sectors of society. people under the age of 25 be attributed to the schools who voted could correctly alone, since families, friends, This report is intended to answer at least one (out political campaigns, election engage Americans in a new of two) factual questions officials, the mass media, social discussion, leading to experiments, about where the presidential media, and community-based partnerships, and reforms. candidates stood on a organizations are among the campaign issue and state their other important influences own opinion on that issue. on young people. In fact, our research shows that while positive effect. Certainly, the Although levels of turnout current policies in states and and knowledge have not major school districts do not changed dramatically over come close to achieving the time, the Commission believes goals of civic education, which that the present moment is a 18-29 year olds who voted in 2012 are to provide all young people particularly challenging one with the knowledge, skills, for civic educators, whether % and dispositions they need they work in schools or other 45 to be active and responsible settings. Civic education citizens. Either the policies are is a low priority for most misconceived, the quality of policymakers and private Voters under 25 who correctly answered one (of two) implementation is inadequate, funders, and the very idea factual questions on a candidate’s stance or both. of trying to engage young % people in politics has become 76 For example, we find that controversial. Breaking the testing civics has no positive pattern of the past forty years impact, but that could be will require new ideas and the YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP Citizens under 25 who believed more money is because the tests are not well active support of all sectors AS CITIZENS UNDER THE spent on foreign aid than Social Security designed, teachers are not of society—including youth INFLUENCE OF: well prepared and supported themselves. Just as we should % to teach the material, or the teach young people to work • Their own parents and family 51 curriculum is misaligned together to address public members; with the tests. The quality problems—each contributing • Schools and colleges; 18-29s who knew their state’s voter registration of implementation requires his or her assets and ideas— deadline in July 2012. more attention, and there is so people of all ages must • Peer groups, both in-person and an urgent need to experiment collaborate to improve youth online; % with wholly new strategies and civic engagement. This policies, some of which are report is intended to engage • Community groups and religious 21 congregations; suggested in this report. Americans in a new discussion about educating the next • Neighborhood and community Despite enormous shifts in generation of voters, leading to norms; the nature of campaigns experiments, partnerships, and and political issues, news reforms. • National news and entertainment and electronic media, the media; demographics of the youth Main • Social media; and procedures understandable underlying social and political we accounted for other factors population, and education policy and voting law, changes and to educate students about problems in conjunction with that are related to voting. Recommendations • The formal political system. voting rules. service projects in high school. States with many restrictive in youth turnout and civic measures in place on Election knowledge have been limited The following Civic education is best understood Some of the existing strategies The effects of policies are Day also saw lower turnout by since 1972. The average youth recommendations emerged as a shared responsibility, requiring for civic education are strongly more difficult to estimate than non-college youth. turnout (for ages 18-24) in from the Commissioners’ collaboration. supported by research and the effects of educational presidential years from 1972- deliberations, which were deserve to be maintained strategies and practices. 2012 was 43.7%. The rate in informed by an in-depth Research conducted for this and expanded. For instance, There are only 50 states, and 2012 was just a bit below the analysis of prior research and report does not by any means teaching young people they differ in many ways. mean at 41.2%. Since 1972, extensive original research rule out the benefits of some explicitly about politics and We find that some policies the 50% threshold has never conducted during and after existing policies, such as elections is related to higher probably have detrimental been breached. Meanwhile, the 2012 election (see the mandatory courses and tests levels of political knowledge; consequences. For example, the best national data on civic next section for a summary of or convenient means of voter thus schools should be young people without knowledge—from the National the new research). No single registration. However, the data encouraged and supported college experience who lived Assessment of Educational reform listed here is a panacea, collected for the Commission to cover politics in classes in the states with photo ID Progress (NAEP) Civics but combining several of them and previous studies suggest that reach all students. Young requirements were less likely Assessment—show very small would help build a supportive that none of the existing state adults are also more civically to vote in 2012 than those who changes since the 1970s.1 policies has an impressive engaged if they discussed lived in other states, even when

6 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 7 positive effect. Certainly, the Although levels of turnout current policies in states and and knowledge have not major school districts do not changed dramatically over come close to achieving the time, the Commission believes goals of civic education, which that the present moment is a 18-29 year olds who voted in 2012 are to provide all young people particularly challenging one with the knowledge, skills, for civic educators, whether % and dispositions they need they work in schools or other 45 to be active and responsible settings. Civic education citizens. Either the policies are is a low priority for most misconceived, the quality of policymakers and private Voters under 25 who correctly answered one (of two) implementation is inadequate, funders, and the very idea factual questions on a candidate’s stance or both. of trying to engage young % people in politics has become 76 For example, we find that controversial. Breaking the testing civics has no positive pattern of the past forty years impact, but that could be will require new ideas and the YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP Citizens under 25 who believed more money is because the tests are not well active support of all sectors AS CITIZENS UNDER THE spent on foreign aid than Social Security designed, teachers are not of society—including youth INFLUENCE OF: well prepared and supported themselves. Just as we should % to teach the material, or the teach young people to work • Their own parents and family 51 curriculum is misaligned together to address public members; with the tests. The quality problems—each contributing • Schools and colleges; 18-29s who knew their state’s voter registration of implementation requires his or her assets and ideas— deadline in July 2012. more attention, and there is so people of all ages must • Peer groups, both in-person and an urgent need to experiment collaborate to improve youth online; % with wholly new strategies and civic engagement. This policies, some of which are report is intended to engage • Community groups and religious 21 congregations; suggested in this report. Americans in a new discussion about educating the next • Neighborhood and community Despite enormous shifts in generation of voters, leading to norms; the nature of campaigns experiments, partnerships, and and political issues, news reforms. • National news and entertainment and electronic media, the media; demographics of the youth Main • Social media; and procedures understandable underlying social and political we accounted for other factors population, and education policy and voting law, changes and to educate students about problems in conjunction with that are related to voting. Recommendations • The formal political system. voting rules. service projects in high school. States with many restrictive in youth turnout and civic measures in place on Election knowledge have been limited The following Civic education is best understood Some of the existing strategies The effects of policies are Day also saw lower turnout by since 1972. The average youth recommendations emerged as a shared responsibility, requiring for civic education are strongly more difficult to estimate than non-college youth. turnout (for ages 18-24) in from the Commissioners’ collaboration. supported by research and the effects of educational presidential years from 1972- deliberations, which were deserve to be maintained strategies and practices. 2012 was 43.7%. The rate in informed by an in-depth Research conducted for this and expanded. For instance, There are only 50 states, and 2012 was just a bit below the analysis of prior research and report does not by any means teaching young people they differ in many ways. mean at 41.2%. Since 1972, extensive original research rule out the benefits of some explicitly about politics and We find that some policies the 50% threshold has never conducted during and after existing policies, such as elections is related to higher probably have detrimental been breached. Meanwhile, the 2012 election (see the mandatory courses and tests levels of political knowledge; consequences. For example, the best national data on civic next section for a summary of or convenient means of voter thus schools should be young people without knowledge—from the National the new research). No single registration. However, the data encouraged and supported college experience who lived Assessment of Educational reform listed here is a panacea, collected for the Commission to cover politics in classes in the states with photo ID Progress (NAEP) Civics but combining several of them and previous studies suggest that reach all students. Young requirements were less likely Assessment—show very small would help build a supportive that none of the existing state adults are also more civically to vote in 2012 than those who changes since the 1970s.1 policies has an impressive engaged if they discussed lived in other states, even when

6 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 7 environment for youth civic of current, controversial political • Assign students to read and • Discuss current events (including • Align states’ high school civics CIRCLE surveyed 4,483 learning and engagement. issues in the curriculum. discuss news in class and with upcoming elections) and political curricula with voting reforms representative individuals The main body of the report their parents or other adults. issues. that encourage pre-registration (ages 18-24) by cell phone and explains whether each of these • Lower the voting age to 17 in in schools. land-line phones. At least 75 recommendations is based municipal or state elections • Teach in detail the current • Obtain and discuss high-quality participants came from each of on extensive experience and so that students can be voting laws that apply in the news, to the extent possible. • Support the study of civics and the 50 states and Washington, evaluation data or is a new encouraged to vote while they state, as many young people do government among college DC (75-131 per state) to allow idea that the Commissioners are taking a required civics class. not know the specifics of the • Encourage children to form students who are headed for us to estimate the effects of advocate on a pilot basis. laws that govern voting in their and express their own views on teaching careers. state policies using a statistical • Increase the scale and quality of own jurisdictions. current controversial issues. model. Participants of Black Selected recommendations national and community service • Hold contests and award and Hispanic backgrounds were for national, state, and local programs that involve elements • Emphasize youth conducting • Support the discussion of certificates of civic achievement. slightly oversampled. policymakers of deliberation, collaboration, community research and controversial issues in schools. Students enrolled in k-12 and work on social issues, producing local journalism, with schools would be eligible, • The Teacher Survey: In May and • Make voting more accessible and make sure they are open the twin goals of enhancing • If eligible, vote, and talk to but community groups would June 2013, CIRCLE surveyed a through reforms such as Same to youth who do not attend students’ communications skills children about why they vote. participate in judging and national sample of high school Day Registration; automatic college. and making a contribution awarding the prizes. Parents government and social studies registration of eligible high to the community in light of • Involve their children in out-of- and other adults could also be teachers. We collected 720 school students or pre- Selected recommendations the severe gap in professional school groups and organizations eligible for awards. complete teacher responses. registration of 17-year-old for school districts and reporting. that address political and social students; and online registration educators concerns. Research for this • Stakeholder interviews: with easy mobile updating. • Provide standards, curricular CIRCLE interviewed 15 • Implement high school course materials, and professional Recommendations for Report stakeholders (nonprofit leaders • Implement state standards for requirements with valid development that ensure collaboration and advocates, including civics that focus on developing assessments that measure students discuss the root causes To investigate the full range of young adults) and coded and advanced civic skills, such as higher-order skills and the of social problems when they • Develop and support statewide influences on informed youth summarized their ideas. deliberation and collaboration, application of knowledge. participate in service-learning coalitions that advocate for voting, CIRCLE organized rather than memorizing facts. Courses should teach the and ensure that student groups favorable policies and work to and staffed a scholarly, • Analysis of national data: Standards should be more registration and voting process address social issues. ensure that policies are well nonpartisan commission. CIRCLE analyzed National Exit challenging, more coherent, and explicitly and engage students implemented. (For instance, as Research for the Commission Poll and the U.S. Census Current more concerned with politics in following the news and • Strengthen standards and well as advocating a civics test, was funded by the S.D. Population Survey, Voting and than the typical state standards deliberating about issues. curricula for digital media the coalition will help design a Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, W.T. Registration Supplement (CPS in place today. Because these literacy and coordinate digital good test, align it with materials Grant Foundation, the Robert Voting Supplement) data to standards will be challenging, • Adopt explicit policies that media literacy and civic and curricula, and help provide R. McCormick Foundation, calculate youth turnout and to they will require both deep protect teachers’ careers if education. professional development for the Spencer Foundation and examine relationships between attention to civics within the they teach about controversial teachers.) the Youth Engagement Fund. turnout and laws at the state social studies curriculum and issues, as long as they • Implement multi-player role- To inform the Commission’s level. support from other disciplines, encourage discussion of diverse playing video games as tools for • Award badges for excellence deliberations, CIRCLE such as English/language arts perspectives on those issues. civic education. in civics. These portable, online conducted the following • Policy scans: CIRCLE conducted and the sciences. certificates would demonstrate ambitious and original research a full scan of all the states’ • Provide professional Recommendations for families advanced civic skills, knowledge, projects in 2012-2013: civic education policies and a • Experiment with assessments development that goes well and communities and actual contributions. separate scan of their teacher of civic skills that use portfolios beyond one-day events and Badges could be designed and • The Youth Engagement Fund certification requirements. of students’ work instead that is available to all teachers, Families and caring adults awarded by various institutions polls: CIRCLE conducted a We categorized these laws to of standardized tests. (This including those serving contribute to the younger (e.g., schools and religious nationally representative online incorporate them in statistical reform is currently being disadvantaged students.2 generation’s civic development congregations), but the sectors survey of 1,695 youth (ages models of the effects of policies implemented in Tennessee, and in many ways. Families cannot should share ideas and set 18-29) in June/July 2012 and on youth outcomes. the experience there will provide • Use assessment systems that be required to teach civic voluntary standards. surveyed 1,109 of the same valuable lessons.) reward students’ discussion and education, and even advice youth in October 2012 to track • A literature review: CIRCLE investigation of current events should be offered cautiously • Encourage parents to change during the campaign completed a comprehensive • Enact state and district and issues. out of respect for families’ participate in civic activities season. literature review, highlights of policies that support teachers’ autonomy and diversity. But in within schools, e.g., by judging which are briefly summarized as obligation to include discussions general, families should: students’ portfolios or by joining • The National Youth Survey: Appendix A. discussions of current events. Immediately after the election,

8 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 9 environment for youth civic of current, controversial political • Assign students to read and • Discuss current events (including • Align states’ high school civics CIRCLE surveyed 4,483 learning and engagement. issues in the curriculum. discuss news in class and with upcoming elections) and political curricula with voting reforms representative individuals The main body of the report their parents or other adults. issues. that encourage pre-registration (ages 18-24) by cell phone and explains whether each of these • Lower the voting age to 17 in in schools. land-line phones. At least 75 recommendations is based municipal or state elections • Teach in detail the current • Obtain and discuss high-quality participants came from each of on extensive experience and so that students can be voting laws that apply in the news, to the extent possible. • Support the study of civics and the 50 states and Washington, evaluation data or is a new encouraged to vote while they state, as many young people do government among college DC (75-131 per state) to allow idea that the Commissioners are taking a required civics class. not know the specifics of the • Encourage children to form students who are headed for us to estimate the effects of advocate on a pilot basis. laws that govern voting in their and express their own views on teaching careers. state policies using a statistical • Increase the scale and quality of own jurisdictions. current controversial issues. model. Participants of Black Selected recommendations national and community service • Hold contests and award and Hispanic backgrounds were for national, state, and local programs that involve elements • Emphasize youth conducting • Support the discussion of certificates of civic achievement. slightly oversampled. policymakers of deliberation, collaboration, community research and controversial issues in schools. Students enrolled in k-12 and work on social issues, producing local journalism, with schools would be eligible, • The Teacher Survey: In May and • Make voting more accessible and make sure they are open the twin goals of enhancing • If eligible, vote, and talk to but community groups would June 2013, CIRCLE surveyed a through reforms such as Same to youth who do not attend students’ communications skills children about why they vote. participate in judging and national sample of high school Day Registration; automatic college. and making a contribution awarding the prizes. Parents government and social studies registration of eligible high to the community in light of • Involve their children in out-of- and other adults could also be teachers. We collected 720 school students or pre- Selected recommendations the severe gap in professional school groups and organizations eligible for awards. complete teacher responses. registration of 17-year-old for school districts and reporting. that address political and social students; and online registration educators concerns. Research for this • Stakeholder interviews: with easy mobile updating. • Provide standards, curricular CIRCLE interviewed 15 • Implement high school course materials, and professional Recommendations for Report stakeholders (nonprofit leaders • Implement state standards for requirements with valid development that ensure collaboration and advocates, including civics that focus on developing assessments that measure students discuss the root causes To investigate the full range of young adults) and coded and advanced civic skills, such as higher-order skills and the of social problems when they • Develop and support statewide influences on informed youth summarized their ideas. deliberation and collaboration, application of knowledge. participate in service-learning coalitions that advocate for voting, CIRCLE organized rather than memorizing facts. Courses should teach the and ensure that student groups favorable policies and work to and staffed a scholarly, • Analysis of national data: Standards should be more registration and voting process address social issues. ensure that policies are well nonpartisan commission. CIRCLE analyzed National Exit challenging, more coherent, and explicitly and engage students implemented. (For instance, as Research for the Commission Poll and the U.S. Census Current more concerned with politics in following the news and • Strengthen standards and well as advocating a civics test, was funded by the S.D. Population Survey, Voting and than the typical state standards deliberating about issues. curricula for digital media the coalition will help design a Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, W.T. Registration Supplement (CPS in place today. Because these literacy and coordinate digital good test, align it with materials Grant Foundation, the Robert Voting Supplement) data to standards will be challenging, • Adopt explicit policies that media literacy and civic and curricula, and help provide R. McCormick Foundation, calculate youth turnout and to they will require both deep protect teachers’ careers if education. professional development for the Spencer Foundation and examine relationships between attention to civics within the they teach about controversial teachers.) the Youth Engagement Fund. turnout and laws at the state social studies curriculum and issues, as long as they • Implement multi-player role- To inform the Commission’s level. support from other disciplines, encourage discussion of diverse playing video games as tools for • Award badges for excellence deliberations, CIRCLE such as English/language arts perspectives on those issues. civic education. in civics. These portable, online conducted the following • Policy scans: CIRCLE conducted and the sciences. certificates would demonstrate ambitious and original research a full scan of all the states’ • Provide professional Recommendations for families advanced civic skills, knowledge, projects in 2012-2013: civic education policies and a • Experiment with assessments development that goes well and communities and actual contributions. separate scan of their teacher of civic skills that use portfolios beyond one-day events and Badges could be designed and • The Youth Engagement Fund certification requirements. of students’ work instead that is available to all teachers, Families and caring adults awarded by various institutions polls: CIRCLE conducted a We categorized these laws to of standardized tests. (This including those serving contribute to the younger (e.g., schools and religious nationally representative online incorporate them in statistical reform is currently being disadvantaged students.2 generation’s civic development congregations), but the sectors survey of 1,695 youth (ages models of the effects of policies implemented in Tennessee, and in many ways. Families cannot should share ideas and set 18-29) in June/July 2012 and on youth outcomes. the experience there will provide • Use assessment systems that be required to teach civic voluntary standards. surveyed 1,109 of the same valuable lessons.) reward students’ discussion and education, and even advice youth in October 2012 to track • A literature review: CIRCLE investigation of current events should be offered cautiously • Encourage parents to change during the campaign completed a comprehensive • Enact state and district and issues. out of respect for families’ participate in civic activities season. literature review, highlights of policies that support teachers’ autonomy and diversity. But in within schools, e.g., by judging which are briefly summarized as obligation to include discussions general, families should: students’ portfolios or by joining • The National Youth Survey: Appendix A. discussions of current events. Immediately after the election,

8 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 9 In all, we surveyed or Foundation and Professor Program Assistant; Felicia interviewed 6,913 people of Education, University of Sullivan, Senior Researcher; (some more than once, to Wisconsin-Madison and Nancy Thomas, Director of detect changes over time) and CIRCLE’s Initiative for the Study scanned the relevant laws of • Joseph Kahne, Professor of of Higher Education and Public all 50 states plus the District Education at Mills College Life. of Columbia for the purpose and Chair of the MacArthur of producing this report. Foundation Research Network Additional details are available on Youth and Participatory in Appendix B. Politics New Data on Youth Voting and Civic Knowledge • Alex Keyssar, Matthew W. About the Stirling Jr., Professor of History Commission and Social Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at The members of the Harvard University Commission are among the Many of the statistics and specific findings presented in this report have previously been released publicly under most distinguished scholarly • Michael McDevitt, Professor the aegis of the Commission. But this report is the first-ever presentation of several findings, such as the following: experts on youth political of Journalism and Mass engagement, representing Communication, University of «« For young people without college experience, the existence of a photo ID law in their state predicted lower diverse disciplines and Colorado, Boulder turnout in 2012, even after we included many other potential explanations in our statistical models. (Future institutions. They studied and elections may differ from 2012, when the photo ID laws were highly controversial and actively opposed.) discussed the findings from the • Richard G. Niemi, Don Alonzo new research and then jointly Watson Professor of Political «« Allowing people to register to vote on the same day that they vote had a positive effect on youth turnout in wrote this report. Science, University of Rochester 2012, and that finding is consistent with previous research.

• David Campbell, Professor of • Eric Plutzer, Professor of «« About one in four high school civics or American government teachers believe that the parents of their Political Science and Director of Political Science, Penn State students or other adults in their community would object if they brought discussion of politics into the the Rooney Center for the Study University classroom. of American Democracy, the University of Notre Dame • Debra Satz, Marta Sutton Weeks «« Ninety percent of teachers believe that their principal would support their decision to teach about an Professor of Ethics in Society election (and 46% would expect strong support from principals). But only 38% of teachers think they would • Constance Flanagan, Professor, and Professor of Philosophy, get strong support from their district, and only 28% think parents would strongly support them. If teachers Department of Interdisciplinary Stanford University perceive strong support, they are significantly more likely to provide an open climate for discussion in class Studies, University of Wisconsin- and tend to prefer more deliberative forms of discussion. Teachers with more experience are more likely to Madison • Ismail K. White, Assistant perceive support. Professor of Political Science, • Lisa García Bedolla, Professor, Ohio State University «« Attending racially diverse high schools predicted lower electoral engagement and lower levels of informed Graduate School of Education, voting, probably because it is more difficult to discuss controversial issues in diverse contexts, and 3 University of California, Berkeley Staff: CIRCLE provided individuals feel less encouragement to participate politically when others around them disagree. On the research and other forms of other hand, discussion of controversial current issues in school and parental support for controversial • Trey Grayson, Director of the support for the Commission. discussions diminished the negative relationship between diversity and electoral engagement. Institute of Politics at Harvard CIRCLE Director Peter Levine University and former Secretary was the Principal Investigator «« Only eight states (California, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) of State of Kentucky on all the research efforts and include social studies in their assessments of schools’ performance, usually as a very small proportion of coordinated the Commission. the schools’ scores. • Eitan Hersh, Assistant Professor Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, of Political Science at Yale CIRCLE’s Deputy Director, had «« Only ten states (Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, University primary responsibility for the and Wisconsin) require teachers of government or civics to be certified in civics or government. research. Other key staff were: • Diana Hess, Senior Vice Surbhi Godsay, Researcher; President, the Spencer Abby Kiesa, Youth Coordinator & Researcher; Kathy O’Connor,

10 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 11 In all, we surveyed or Foundation and Professor Program Assistant; Felicia interviewed 6,913 people of Education, University of Sullivan, Senior Researcher; (some more than once, to Wisconsin-Madison and Nancy Thomas, Director of detect changes over time) and CIRCLE’s Initiative for the Study scanned the relevant laws of • Joseph Kahne, Professor of of Higher Education and Public all 50 states plus the District Education at Mills College Life. of Columbia for the purpose and Chair of the MacArthur of producing this report. Foundation Research Network Additional details are available on Youth and Participatory in Appendix B. Politics New Data on Youth Voting and Civic Knowledge • Alex Keyssar, Matthew W. About the Stirling Jr., Professor of History Commission and Social Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at The members of the Harvard University Commission are among the Many of the statistics and specific findings presented in this report have previously been released publicly under most distinguished scholarly • Michael McDevitt, Professor the aegis of the Commission. But this report is the first-ever presentation of several findings, such as the following: experts on youth political of Journalism and Mass engagement, representing Communication, University of «« For young people without college experience, the existence of a photo ID law in their state predicted lower diverse disciplines and Colorado, Boulder turnout in 2012, even after we included many other potential explanations in our statistical models. (Future institutions. They studied and elections may differ from 2012, when the photo ID laws were highly controversial and actively opposed.) discussed the findings from the • Richard G. Niemi, Don Alonzo new research and then jointly Watson Professor of Political «« Allowing people to register to vote on the same day that they vote had a positive effect on youth turnout in wrote this report. Science, University of Rochester 2012, and that finding is consistent with previous research.

10 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 11 Challenges and Opportunities

Every generation needs civic Today’s young people enter parties were more divided than education. Young people do civic and political life at a the public was.5 not automatically acquire the time characterized by four skills, knowledge, motivations, interrelated trends, each of Polarization contributes to and values necessary to which poses special challenges failures of governance, such contribute to the republic; and opportunities: as repeated fiscal crises in they must be educated and Washington, DC. The constant encouraged. This principle 1. Deep controversy and struggle has long been recognized. for advantage also lead The great champion of free polarization and many Americans to disdain public education, Horace ideological conflict politics, to mistrust their Mann, wrote in 1846, “since the achievement of We are living in a period of American independence, bitter partisan and ideological the universal and ever- conflict, especially in official repeated argument in political settings like the favor of public schools THE CHALLENGE: U.S. Congress. Americans has been that the disagree about political issues, Civic education is especially difficult general intelligence but professional politicians when young people have good reasons which they are are more polarized than the to view politics as polarized and capable of diffusing public and more polarized dysfunctional. is indispensable to than political leaders used the continuance Young people do not automatically acquire to be. In February 2013, 76% of republican THE OPPORTUNITY: of registered voters said that government.”4 the skills, knowledge, motivations, and values American politics had become Teaching a new generation to be civil, But each more divisive lately, 74% responsible, and constructive citizens necessary to contribute to the republic; they must generation believed that this was a bad may be part of the solution to our faces unique trend, and 55% agreed that the polarized and dysfunctional politics. be educated and encouraged. circumstances.

12 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement Challenges and Opportunities

12 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement Table 1: Voter Turnout Among 18 to 29 Year Old Citizens fellow citizens, and sometimes of the League of Young Voters, Commission is concerned Voter Turnout Among 18 to 29 Year Old Citizens in Presidential Years, 2. Growing to view other Americans’ said, “The worst thing is that about civic education, one by Educational Attainment political participation with civic engagement, generally, explanation for these low 100% inequality of civic hostility. Although low trust for has become a partisan issue.” scores may be that the 90% opportunities Congress is widely known, it (“The best thing,” he added, presidential campaign was 80% may be just as significant that “is that young people are confusing and was reported in 70% The national college “a dwindling majority (57%) connected, smart, and are able confusing ways. 60% attendance gap exemplifies [of Americans] say they have to lift up above the partisan 50% the deep inequality of our a good deal of confidence in nature of our political system.”) In a separate study that 40% educational institutions. Even the wisdom of the American Cynicism about the capacity CIRCLE conducted during the 30% though a college degree has people when it comes to of youth to be responsible 2012 election campaign for the 20% become the main gateway to making political decisions.”6 citizens leaves educators and Democracy Fund, more than 10% the middle class, about half of policymakers little room to 80 percent of a random sample 0% 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 young people do not obtain Young people are special propose reforms that entail of adults said that campaign any college credits, and most targets of suspicion. some risk but potentially advertising frequently depends BA or More Some College Experience in that group come from lower- Commissioners are struck by high returns. Beyond making on selective evidence or High School Graduate (no college experience) income communities. American the controversy about whether specific suggestions for information taken out of Less Than High School children in the top quarter of youth voting is desirable, and reforms, the Commission context. In open-ended the income distribution have whether promoting it can be hopes to encourage the spirit responses, an outright But the American people own minds about issues. Sixty- an 80% chance of attending a nonpartisan goal. In one of of tolerance and goodwill majority of this sample took clearly regard the political five percent said that it was college while they are young our stakeholder interviews conducive to innovation. the opportunity to denounce process as dysfunctional, and “definitely” an important duty adults, whereas young (see Appendix B5), Rob “Biko” political advertising in very the Commission understands of citizens “to discuss political Americans whose families are Baker, the Executive Director Disagreements among national general and often furious ways. the public’s critical stance. issues civilly with people who in the bottom quarter of the elites involve not only values One comment—“It is rampant Civic education cannot be hold very different views.” income distribution have just a and goals for society, but also and I despise it”—succinctly just a matter of teaching 17% chance of entering college.10 basic factual issues regarding captures the spirit of those and persuading young In the best civics classes and science and economics. In responses. Some respondents people to participate in out-of-school civic programs, designing the National Youth shifted the blame to fellow the existing system; it must diverse young people discuss RELEVANT Survey, we found it difficult to citizens, whom they described acknowledge deep-seated and important issues with civility, RECOMMENDATIONS write politically neutral, purely in scathing terms, e.g., “It’s a understandable critiques of creativity, reliable information, factual questions, because sad state of affairs that the politics. Young people are still and a shared desire to address • Enact state and district policies so many premises about the political advertising used today at a formative stage in their public problems. These that support teachers’ obligation issues—and even about where is effective because of a largely development, and our political opportunities are antidotes THE CHALLENGE: to include discussions of current, the major parties’ candidates ignorant electorate.”7 process may be confusing to the worst features of our controversial political issues in stood on the issues—were them and teaching them to official politics. What works Almost all of the most inspiring the curriculum. hotly contested. For a young Members of the Commission distrust institutions, their fellow well in civic learning—e.g., and intellectually challenging person, political discourse disagree about how to evaluate citizens, and most sources of encouraging youth to forms of civic education—both • Assign students to read and as a whole can be confusing aspects of the current American news and information. exchange opinions in open in school and out of school—are discuss news in class and with and may promote blanket political system. For instance, and respectful climates—is available disproportionately to their parents or other adults. skepticism or cynicism, and we the Commissioners hold mixed At the same time, civic also what the larger political advantaged young people. should acknowledge that this feelings about negative ads, education that emphasizes system needs. By contrast, • Implement state standards for is both a rational response and which may alienate people deliberative values, critical trying to shield students THE OPPORTUNITY: civics that focus on developing one intended by those who from politics but also tend thinking, and collaboration from rancorous politics is advanced civic skills, such as would poison the well of civil to be substantive.8 Some looks increasingly important unnecessarily defensive, if K-12 education can reach deliberation and collaboration, deliberation. Commissioners regard the and attractive. One teacher not harmful. Some scholars everyone and has the potential rather than memorizing facts. hundreds of millions of dollars we surveyed said, “Especially believe that the discomfort to promote civic and political Standards should be more In that survey, just 22% of in political advertising as a sign given the political divide in many adults feel about political equality as well as skills useful challenging, more coherent, and Americans between the ages of corruption; others view this America today, teaching civil discussion could be due to for school and work. more concerned with politics of 18 and 24 could choose the as evidence that Americans discourse is vital.” Virtually all their lack of participation in than the typical state standards in issue of greatest importance are actively participating in of the teachers we surveyed political dialogue when they 9 place today. to themselves and answer two politics by making campaign said that their students were were children and teenagers. (out of two) factual questions contributions. free to disagree openly with Perhaps the surest way to about the candidates’ positions them about political and social ensure incivility in American on that issue. Although the issues. All of them said that culture is to take politics out of students should make up their political education.

14 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 15 Table 1: Voter Turnout Among 18 to 29 Year Old Citizens fellow citizens, and sometimes of the League of Young Voters, Commission is concerned Voter Turnout Among 18 to 29 Year Old Citizens in Presidential Years, 2. Growing to view other Americans’ said, “The worst thing is that about civic education, one by Educational Attainment political participation with civic engagement, generally, explanation for these low 100% inequality of civic hostility. Although low trust for has become a partisan issue.” scores may be that the 90% opportunities Congress is widely known, it (“The best thing,” he added, presidential campaign was 80% may be just as significant that “is that young people are confusing and was reported in 70% The national college “a dwindling majority (57%) connected, smart, and are able confusing ways. 60% attendance gap exemplifies [of Americans] say they have to lift up above the partisan 50% the deep inequality of our a good deal of confidence in nature of our political system.”) In a separate study that 40% educational institutions. Even the wisdom of the American Cynicism about the capacity CIRCLE conducted during the 30% though a college degree has people when it comes to of youth to be responsible 2012 election campaign for the 20% become the main gateway to making political decisions.”6 citizens leaves educators and Democracy Fund, more than 10% the middle class, about half of policymakers little room to 80 percent of a random sample 0% 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 young people do not obtain Young people are special propose reforms that entail of adults said that campaign any college credits, and most targets of suspicion. some risk but potentially advertising frequently depends BA or More Some College Experience in that group come from lower- Commissioners are struck by high returns. Beyond making on selective evidence or High School Graduate (no college experience) income communities. American the controversy about whether specific suggestions for information taken out of Less Than High School children in the top quarter of youth voting is desirable, and reforms, the Commission context. In open-ended the income distribution have whether promoting it can be hopes to encourage the spirit responses, an outright But the American people own minds about issues. Sixty- an 80% chance of attending a nonpartisan goal. In one of of tolerance and goodwill majority of this sample took clearly regard the political five percent said that it was college while they are young our stakeholder interviews conducive to innovation. the opportunity to denounce process as dysfunctional, and “definitely” an important duty adults, whereas young (see Appendix B5), Rob “Biko” political advertising in very the Commission understands of citizens “to discuss political Americans whose families are Baker, the Executive Director Disagreements among national general and often furious ways. the public’s critical stance. issues civilly with people who in the bottom quarter of the elites involve not only values One comment—“It is rampant Civic education cannot be hold very different views.” income distribution have just a and goals for society, but also and I despise it”—succinctly just a matter of teaching 17% chance of entering college.10 basic factual issues regarding captures the spirit of those and persuading young In the best civics classes and science and economics. In responses. Some respondents people to participate in out-of-school civic programs, designing the National Youth shifted the blame to fellow the existing system; it must diverse young people discuss RELEVANT Survey, we found it difficult to citizens, whom they described acknowledge deep-seated and important issues with civility, RECOMMENDATIONS write politically neutral, purely in scathing terms, e.g., “It’s a understandable critiques of creativity, reliable information, factual questions, because sad state of affairs that the politics. Young people are still and a shared desire to address • Enact state and district policies so many premises about the political advertising used today at a formative stage in their public problems. These that support teachers’ obligation issues—and even about where is effective because of a largely development, and our political opportunities are antidotes THE CHALLENGE: to include discussions of current, the major parties’ candidates ignorant electorate.”7 process may be confusing to the worst features of our controversial political issues in stood on the issues—were them and teaching them to official politics. What works Almost all of the most inspiring the curriculum. hotly contested. For a young Members of the Commission distrust institutions, their fellow well in civic learning—e.g., and intellectually challenging person, political discourse disagree about how to evaluate citizens, and most sources of encouraging youth to forms of civic education—both • Assign students to read and as a whole can be confusing aspects of the current American news and information. exchange opinions in open in school and out of school—are discuss news in class and with and may promote blanket political system. For instance, and respectful climates—is available disproportionately to their parents or other adults. skepticism or cynicism, and we the Commissioners hold mixed At the same time, civic also what the larger political advantaged young people. should acknowledge that this feelings about negative ads, education that emphasizes system needs. By contrast, • Implement state standards for is both a rational response and which may alienate people deliberative values, critical trying to shield students THE OPPORTUNITY: civics that focus on developing one intended by those who from politics but also tend thinking, and collaboration from rancorous politics is advanced civic skills, such as would poison the well of civil to be substantive.8 Some looks increasingly important unnecessarily defensive, if K-12 education can reach deliberation and collaboration, deliberation. Commissioners regard the and attractive. One teacher not harmful. Some scholars everyone and has the potential rather than memorizing facts. hundreds of millions of dollars we surveyed said, “Especially believe that the discomfort to promote civic and political Standards should be more In that survey, just 22% of in political advertising as a sign given the political divide in many adults feel about political equality as well as skills useful challenging, more coherent, and Americans between the ages of corruption; others view this America today, teaching civil discussion could be due to for school and work. more concerned with politics of 18 and 24 could choose the as evidence that Americans discourse is vital.” Virtually all their lack of participation in than the typical state standards in issue of greatest importance are actively participating in of the teachers we surveyed political dialogue when they 9 place today. to themselves and answer two politics by making campaign said that their students were were children and teenagers. (out of two) factual questions contributions. free to disagree openly with Perhaps the surest way to about the candidates’ positions them about political and social ensure incivility in American on that issue. Although the issues. All of them said that culture is to take politics out of students should make up their political education.

14 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 15 Economic stratification has engagement by education from low-income households Unequal opportunities are government.21 Randomized in social media,24 although we worsened since the 1980s. has been consistent since the to exceed the “proficient” especially unfortunate because experiments have also found will have more to say below A Century Foundation task voting age was lowered to 18 cut-off. Not only are White high-quality civic education is educational and health on the vast opportunities force finds that the proportion in 1972. and wealthy students more sometimes found to provide benefits from programs that afforded by social media once of students who come from likely to receive recommended the greatest benefits to least involve community service harnessed in civic education. the bottom quarter of the Meanwhile, rates of civic education experiences advantaged students.18 In and activism.22 These positive socioeconomic distribution participation in churches, in school, but the content and analyzing the 2012 National outcomes provide additional Research also indicates that grew in the community college voluntary associations, topics they discuss and the Youth Survey, we found that reasons not to tolerate deep civic education is not affording population while it decreased grassroots political parties, way these are presented are discussion of controversial inequalities in the availability of young women an equal significantly in the four-year and unions, as well as often tailored to White and issues in schools was most civic education. desire to become politically college population. Today, readership of daily news, have middle-class students rather beneficial for students who engaged and to represent the socioeconomically least fallen for working-class young than students of color and lacked experience with their communities. College advantaged students represent people, who report a deep poor students.15 political discussion at home, women are less likely than 28% of community college lack of opportunity to learn and those individuals came men to aspire to political enrollment but less than 10% and practice citizenship.13 Civic The educational reform disproportionately from low- careers at a local and national at “very,” “highly,” and “most” engagement looks especially movements of the last 20 years income families. Other research level,25 to discuss politics on competitive colleges.11 daunting for young adults have generally overlooked shows that an open climate a regular basis, and to believe who lack strong connections civics, thereby allowing for classroom expression “Women’s they have the leadership Levels of civic engagement to organizations and who disparities to persist and engenders increased attention qualities, competitiveness, are also unequal. Young adults struggle with long hours, grow. As the United States to news and political media sense of and social competency who had attended college economic insecurity, needs in Department of Education and discussion between that would qualify them for voted at almost twice the rate their families and households, acknowledged in 2012, parents and children in Latino their own office.26 Women’s sense of of their non-college-educated and debt. Chrissy Faessen, “unfortunately, civic learning families, on topics such as their own leadership potential peers in 2012.12 The gap in Vice President for Marketing and democratic engagement immigration and access leadership falls during the college years, and Communications for Rock are add-ons rather than to higher education.19 On while men’s rises.27 These the Vote, reflected on this essential parts of the core the other hand, CIRCLE’s potential factors may partly explain why civic opportunity gap, saying, academic mission in too many analysis of the NAEP Civics women represent just 18.3% RELEVANT “when we enter classrooms schools and on too many data found that discussion, falls during of Congress and 17.5% of city 16 RECOMMENDATIONS in under-served communities, college campuses today.” debate, and role-playing mayors.28 or when we bring in an artist simulations in school boosted the college • Make voting more accessible ambassador to help deliver our Indeed, just nine states civic knowledge more for On the other hand, young through reforms such as Same message, and we ask students, require students to pass a advantaged students than years, while African Americans, who are on Day Registration; automatic ‘What issues do you care social studies test in order to for disadvantaged students, average less engaged in most registration of eligible high school about?’ it’s typically the first graduate from high school, which points to the need men’s rises. forms of civic engagement students or pre-registration of time they’ve ever been asked and just eight states have for materials, activities, and than Whites, voted at the 17-year-old students; and online that.” standardized tests that cover professional development that highest rate of any young registration with easy mobile civics/American government.17 address the special needs of racial/ethnic group in 2008 updating. Civics continues to be well Only eight states include disadvantaged youth.20 and 2012, and they came taught in some advantaged social studies in their overall close to young Whites in • Increase the scale and quality of communities, but much less assessments of school When young people several previous elections so in schools that serve low- performance, usually as a ” national and community service experience high-quality civic before Barack Obama was programs that involve elements income and minority youth.14 very small proportion of the education, they can gain skills, a national candidate. Given of deliberation, collaboration, and Both class and race are related schools’ scores. In 2013, the networks, confidence, and the longstanding history of work on social issues, and make to a lower likelihood of scoring NAEP Civics Assessment interests that are also useful in Inequality takes other forms as systematic discrimination sure they are open to youth who in the “proficient” range on the was canceled because of college and the workforce. For well. For example, conservative against African Americans do not attend college. NAEP Civics Assessment, but budget cuts while other NAEP example, young adolescents and Republican youth have and persistent inequality in the gap is even larger when assessments went ahead. who begin high school with been much less likely to education and employment, • Provide professional development we compare White, wealthy States such as California that similar backgrounds and participate in the last two this is an important reminder that goes well beyond one-day students to Black or Hispanic require high school civics only achievement levels are much national elections compared that things can change for the events and that is available to all students who come from less in the 12th grade overlook the more likely to graduate to their peers with centrist or better. teachers, including those serving affluent backgrounds. White, many young people who have and attend college if they liberal views.23 Recent research disadvantaged students. wealthy students are four to dropped out before then. participate in community adds that conservatives are six times as likely as Hispanic service through high school less likely to participate in or Black students who come courses or serve on student dissemination of news content

16 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 17 Economic stratification has engagement by education from low-income households Unequal opportunities are government.21 Randomized in social media,24 although we worsened since the 1980s. has been consistent since the to exceed the “proficient” especially unfortunate because experiments have also found will have more to say below A Century Foundation task voting age was lowered to 18 cut-off. Not only are White high-quality civic education is educational and health on the vast opportunities force finds that the proportion in 1972. and wealthy students more sometimes found to provide benefits from programs that afforded by social media once of students who come from likely to receive recommended the greatest benefits to least involve community service harnessed in civic education. the bottom quarter of the Meanwhile, rates of civic education experiences advantaged students.18 In and activism.22 These positive socioeconomic distribution participation in churches, in school, but the content and analyzing the 2012 National outcomes provide additional Research also indicates that grew in the community college voluntary associations, topics they discuss and the Youth Survey, we found that reasons not to tolerate deep civic education is not affording population while it decreased grassroots political parties, way these are presented are discussion of controversial inequalities in the availability of young women an equal significantly in the four-year and unions, as well as often tailored to White and issues in schools was most civic education. desire to become politically college population. Today, readership of daily news, have middle-class students rather beneficial for students who engaged and to represent the socioeconomically least fallen for working-class young than students of color and lacked experience with their communities. College advantaged students represent people, who report a deep poor students.15 political discussion at home, women are less likely than 28% of community college lack of opportunity to learn and those individuals came men to aspire to political enrollment but less than 10% and practice citizenship.13 Civic The educational reform disproportionately from low- careers at a local and national at “very,” “highly,” and “most” engagement looks especially movements of the last 20 years income families. Other research level,25 to discuss politics on competitive colleges.11 daunting for young adults have generally overlooked shows that an open climate a regular basis, and to believe who lack strong connections civics, thereby allowing for classroom expression “Women’s they have the leadership Levels of civic engagement to organizations and who disparities to persist and engenders increased attention qualities, competitiveness, are also unequal. Young adults struggle with long hours, grow. As the United States to news and political media sense of and social competency who had attended college economic insecurity, needs in Department of Education and discussion between that would qualify them for voted at almost twice the rate their families and households, acknowledged in 2012, parents and children in Latino their own office.26 Women’s sense of of their non-college-educated and debt. Chrissy Faessen, “unfortunately, civic learning families, on topics such as their own leadership potential peers in 2012.12 The gap in Vice President for Marketing and democratic engagement immigration and access leadership falls during the college years, and Communications for Rock are add-ons rather than to higher education.19 On while men’s rises.27 These the Vote, reflected on this essential parts of the core the other hand, CIRCLE’s potential factors may partly explain why civic opportunity gap, saying, academic mission in too many analysis of the NAEP Civics women represent just 18.3% RELEVANT “when we enter classrooms schools and on too many data found that discussion, falls during of Congress and 17.5% of city 16 RECOMMENDATIONS in under-served communities, college campuses today.” debate, and role-playing mayors.28 or when we bring in an artist simulations in school boosted the college • Make voting more accessible ambassador to help deliver our Indeed, just nine states civic knowledge more for On the other hand, young through reforms such as Same message, and we ask students, require students to pass a advantaged students than years, while African Americans, who are on Day Registration; automatic ‘What issues do you care social studies test in order to for disadvantaged students, average less engaged in most registration of eligible high school about?’ it’s typically the first graduate from high school, which points to the need men’s rises. forms of civic engagement students or pre-registration of time they’ve ever been asked and just eight states have for materials, activities, and than Whites, voted at the 17-year-old students; and online that.” standardized tests that cover professional development that highest rate of any young registration with easy mobile civics/American government.17 address the special needs of racial/ethnic group in 2008 updating. Civics continues to be well Only eight states include disadvantaged youth.20 and 2012, and they came taught in some advantaged social studies in their overall close to young Whites in • Increase the scale and quality of communities, but much less assessments of school When young people several previous elections so in schools that serve low- performance, usually as a ” national and community service experience high-quality civic before Barack Obama was programs that involve elements income and minority youth.14 very small proportion of the education, they can gain skills, a national candidate. Given of deliberation, collaboration, and Both class and race are related schools’ scores. In 2013, the networks, confidence, and the longstanding history of work on social issues, and make to a lower likelihood of scoring NAEP Civics Assessment interests that are also useful in Inequality takes other forms as systematic discrimination sure they are open to youth who in the “proficient” range on the was canceled because of college and the workforce. For well. For example, conservative against African Americans do not attend college. NAEP Civics Assessment, but budget cuts while other NAEP example, young adolescents and Republican youth have and persistent inequality in the gap is even larger when assessments went ahead. who begin high school with been much less likely to education and employment, • Provide professional development we compare White, wealthy States such as California that similar backgrounds and participate in the last two this is an important reminder that goes well beyond one-day students to Black or Hispanic require high school civics only achievement levels are much national elections compared that things can change for the events and that is available to all students who come from less in the 12th grade overlook the more likely to graduate to their peers with centrist or better. teachers, including those serving affluent backgrounds. White, many young people who have and attend college if they liberal views.23 Recent research disadvantaged students. wealthy students are four to dropped out before then. participate in community adds that conservatives are six times as likely as Hispanic service through high school less likely to participate in or Black students who come courses or serve on student dissemination of news content

16 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 17 political philosophies that fall A diverse but internally These participatory politics in civic and political life.37 well within the appropriate range segregated high school can are interactive, draw on young Kahne and Middaugh report THE CHALLENGE: THE CHALLENGE: of debate. One size does not be seen as a microcosm of people’s social networks, and that Internet access “varies fit all: civic education must be 21st Century young America. are not guided by institutions only a fraction among the four Obtaining information online Civic education (in and out of school) attentive to diverse perspectives Discussions of current events (political parties, newspaper racial groups we studied—all requires special literacy skills, and 38 must reflect the backgrounds and and must honor students’ and collaborative action are editors, or large non-profit above 94%.” Recent research social media may contribute to circumstances of diverse young experiences and the cultural more difficult—but also more and for-profit organizations). shows that participation in political polarization when people people, and schools must encourage context of the communities in necessary and potentially more Actions might include social media empowers Latino 29 share material from like-minded discussions of difficult issues when which they live. At the same fruitful—because of the diversity. writing or commenting on youth as information leaders in sources. 39 their students have highly diverse time, an important goal is to a blog about a social issue immigrant communities. backgrounds. bring diverse young Americans 4. A powerful role or circulating information into a common conversation THE OPPORTUNITY: or perspectives via social Third, social media have the about the public good. for social media media. Drawing as they do potential to allow diverse THE OPPORTUNITY: Social media offer new venues for on practices that are part young people to interact engagement and dialogue and new Diverse young people enrich Although diverse, today’s Young people are the most of the lives of most youth, even when their schools and ways to interact constructively. There discussions and collaborations in their young people experience avid and creative users of new it is perhaps not surprising neighborhoods are segregated. are new opportunities to tap social schools, communities, and the nation. pervasively segregated schools media, which penetrate almost that they are increasingly practices to foster more widespread Civic education can meet a national and communities. For example, all aspects of their lives. In common.35 In addition, many We see great value in and equitable civic and political need to prepare young people to the national youth population 2012, 92% of youth (18-29) youth now get their news connecting social media participation. deliberate and collaborate with is multiracial, but only 15.2% of in the United States used at through participatory channels. with the civics curriculum so diverse fellow citizens. White public school students least one social media site, up Forty-five percent of youth that the attributes of digital attend multiracial schools, from just 8% in 2005.32 Forty- reported getting news on interaction—spontaneity, those with at least a tenth of four percent of young adults political issues at least once a access, and assertion of their students coming from who used a social media site week from family and friends political voice—are guided three or more groups.30 promoted political material by via Facebook and Twitter. by the deliberative principles posting or “liking” it.33 By way of comparison, 49% of formal instruction. Many Previous research has revealed for action, discussion of reported getting such news programs and platforms have 3. An increasingly that discussions of current Increasingly, core acts of civic issues, and circulation of both from a newspaper or magazine and are being developed diverse youth issues are least common in and political engagement such information and perspectives (online or offline combined).36 for youth both in and out racially diverse schools.31 as raising money, mobilization rely on digital media. As recent of school. These programs population Our analysis of the 2012 campaigns against Ugandan In addition to the sheer and platforms connect social National Youth Survey adds warlord Joseph Kony and the frequency of use, several media to youth interests and Effective civic education must that students who attend Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) factors make digital media youth networks as a means meet young people where multiracial schools are least illustrate, large numbers of particularly significant for they are and address their likely to discuss current events RELEVANT young people can quickly youth. needs and values, while also with families and friends. Also, RECOMMENDATIONS mobilize online. With their drawing them into a common when other factors are held low cost and broad reach, First, social media create more public life. RELEVANT constant, we find that young • Experiment with assessments social media are able to draw space for youth leadership adults are less likely to vote if of civic skills that use portfolios people with common interests and active engagement than RECOMMENDATIONS Today’s young people are they attended racially diverse of students’ work instead of together, even over vast do major political institutions, diverse to an unprecedented • Emphasize in the curriculum schools. It may appear harder standardized tests. distances. The immediacy of which rarely give youth youth conducting community degree. More than one quarter to broach difficult topics and social media also means that significant roles. Drawing of young Americans (ages 18- research and producing local to encourage participation if • Provide standards, curricular online discussions of political on social media, youth 29) have at least one parent journalism. the student body is diverse. materials, and professional issues can be held in “real can be actively engaged who was born in a country At the same time, our analysis development that ensure time.” in consuming, circulating, other than the United States. • Strengthen standards and shows that when young people students discuss the root causes discussing, curating, and Thirty-eight percent of the 18- curricula for digital media attend diverse schools and of social problems when they Of particular relevance, social producing civic and political 29s are people of color. literacy and coordinate digital experience discussions of participate in service-learning media appear to enable forms content. media literacy and civic current events or belong to and that student groups address of participatory politics that In a racially and culturally education. extracurricular groups that social issues. expand opportunities for Second, youth engagement in diverse America, students and address social problems, youth to engage civically participatory politics is more their families have different • Implement multiplayer role- they are more engaged and • Award badges for excellence in and politically in ways that equitably distributed by race experiences with politics and playing video games as tools knowledgeable. civics. promote their voice and and income than are youth for civic education. government and hold varying sometimes their influence.34 voting or adult participation

18 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 19 political philosophies that fall A diverse but internally These participatory politics in civic and political life.37 well within the appropriate range segregated high school can are interactive, draw on young Kahne and Middaugh report THE CHALLENGE: THE CHALLENGE: of debate. One size does not be seen as a microcosm of people’s social networks, and that Internet access “varies fit all: civic education must be 21st Century young America. are not guided by institutions only a fraction among the four Obtaining information online Civic education (in and out of school) attentive to diverse perspectives Discussions of current events (political parties, newspaper racial groups we studied—all requires special literacy skills, and 38 must reflect the backgrounds and and must honor students’ and collaborative action are editors, or large non-profit above 94%.” Recent research social media may contribute to circumstances of diverse young experiences and the cultural more difficult—but also more and for-profit organizations). shows that participation in political polarization when people people, and schools must encourage context of the communities in necessary and potentially more Actions might include social media empowers Latino 29 share material from like-minded discussions of difficult issues when which they live. At the same fruitful—because of the diversity. writing or commenting on youth as information leaders in sources. 39 their students have highly diverse time, an important goal is to a blog about a social issue immigrant communities. backgrounds. bring diverse young Americans 4. A powerful role or circulating information into a common conversation THE OPPORTUNITY: or perspectives via social Third, social media have the about the public good. for social media media. Drawing as they do potential to allow diverse THE OPPORTUNITY: Social media offer new venues for on practices that are part young people to interact engagement and dialogue and new Diverse young people enrich Although diverse, today’s Young people are the most of the lives of most youth, even when their schools and ways to interact constructively. There discussions and collaborations in their young people experience avid and creative users of new it is perhaps not surprising neighborhoods are segregated. are new opportunities to tap social schools, communities, and the nation. pervasively segregated schools media, which penetrate almost that they are increasingly practices to foster more widespread Civic education can meet a national and communities. For example, all aspects of their lives. In common.35 In addition, many We see great value in and equitable civic and political need to prepare young people to the national youth population 2012, 92% of youth (18-29) youth now get their news connecting social media participation. deliberate and collaborate with is multiracial, but only 15.2% of in the United States used at through participatory channels. with the civics curriculum so diverse fellow citizens. White public school students least one social media site, up Forty-five percent of youth that the attributes of digital attend multiracial schools, from just 8% in 2005.32 Forty- reported getting news on interaction—spontaneity, those with at least a tenth of four percent of young adults political issues at least once a access, and assertion of their students coming from who used a social media site week from family and friends political voice—are guided three or more groups.30 promoted political material by via Facebook and Twitter. by the deliberative principles posting or “liking” it.33 By way of comparison, 49% of formal instruction. Many Previous research has revealed for action, discussion of reported getting such news programs and platforms have 3. An increasingly that discussions of current Increasingly, core acts of civic issues, and circulation of both from a newspaper or magazine and are being developed diverse youth issues are least common in and political engagement such information and perspectives (online or offline combined).36 for youth both in and out racially diverse schools.31 as raising money, mobilization rely on digital media. As recent of school. These programs population Our analysis of the 2012 campaigns against Ugandan In addition to the sheer and platforms connect social National Youth Survey adds warlord Joseph Kony and the frequency of use, several media to youth interests and Effective civic education must that students who attend Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) factors make digital media youth networks as a means meet young people where multiracial schools are least illustrate, large numbers of particularly significant for they are and address their likely to discuss current events RELEVANT young people can quickly youth. needs and values, while also with families and friends. Also, RECOMMENDATIONS mobilize online. With their drawing them into a common when other factors are held low cost and broad reach, First, social media create more public life. RELEVANT constant, we find that young • Experiment with assessments social media are able to draw space for youth leadership adults are less likely to vote if of civic skills that use portfolios people with common interests and active engagement than RECOMMENDATIONS Today’s young people are they attended racially diverse of students’ work instead of together, even over vast do major political institutions, diverse to an unprecedented • Emphasize in the curriculum schools. It may appear harder standardized tests. distances. The immediacy of which rarely give youth youth conducting community degree. More than one quarter to broach difficult topics and social media also means that significant roles. Drawing of young Americans (ages 18- research and producing local to encourage participation if • Provide standards, curricular online discussions of political on social media, youth 29) have at least one parent journalism. the student body is diverse. materials, and professional issues can be held in “real can be actively engaged who was born in a country At the same time, our analysis development that ensure time.” in consuming, circulating, other than the United States. • Strengthen standards and shows that when young people students discuss the root causes discussing, curating, and Thirty-eight percent of the 18- curricula for digital media attend diverse schools and of social problems when they Of particular relevance, social producing civic and political 29s are people of color. literacy and coordinate digital experience discussions of participate in service-learning media appear to enable forms content. media literacy and civic current events or belong to and that student groups address of participatory politics that In a racially and culturally education. extracurricular groups that social issues. expand opportunities for Second, youth engagement in diverse America, students and address social problems, youth to engage civically participatory politics is more their families have different • Implement multiplayer role- they are more engaged and • Award badges for excellence in and politically in ways that equitably distributed by race experiences with politics and playing video games as tools knowledgeable. civics. promote their voice and and income than are youth for civic education. government and hold varying sometimes their influence.34 voting or adult participation

18 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 19 of energizing and deepening information. But often schools learning and engagement in and after-school contexts lack civic and political life (see the infrastructure to enable examples in Appendix C). youth to engage online, and policies often prevent digital However, online groups can activity in educational settings. often create “echo chambers,” as shared interests reinforce shared political views.40 Rather than exposing citizens to the healthy give-and-take of democratic debate, social media may reinforce their political predispositions, potentially spreading the partisan rancor so common among our elected officials. Young people can also fail to develop a “public voice” capable of affecting public “Youth will need opinion if they mostly interact with peer groups online.41 digital media literacy Social media enable youth skills to critically and adults to circumvent gatekeepers who historically engage with all the helped vet information. Youth will need digital media literacy information (and skills to critically engage with all the information (and misinformation) they misinformation) they can now find online, to seek out a range can now find online, of perspectives, and to be thoughtful about the content to seek out a range they circulate and create.42 Linda Nguyen, Director of Civic of perspectives, and Engagement for the Alliance for Children and Families, to be thoughtful told us in a stakeholder interview, “I don’t know if about the content there’s a lack of [sources for political information]. It’s more they circulate and about who can you trust? Who are the trusted sources create. and how are we supporting those trusted sources?” In our Teacher Survey, all the respondents agreed that students must learn to identify credible information, and all but a handful of teachers also ” thought that students must learn to produce credible

20 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement of energizing and deepening information. But often schools learning and engagement in and after-school contexts lack civic and political life (see the infrastructure to enable examples in Appendix C). youth to engage online, and policies often prevent digital However, online groups can activity in educational settings. often create “echo chambers,” as shared interests reinforce shared political views.40 Rather than exposing citizens to the healthy give-and-take of democratic debate, social media may reinforce their political predispositions, potentially spreading the partisan rancor so common among our elected officials. Young people can also fail to develop a “public voice” capable of affecting public “Youth will need opinion if they mostly interact with peer groups online.41 digital media literacy Social media enable youth skills to critically and adults to circumvent gatekeepers who historically engage with all the helped vet information. Youth will need digital media literacy information (and skills to critically engage with all the information (and misinformation) they misinformation) they can now find online, to seek out a range can now find online, of perspectives, and to be thoughtful about the content to seek out a range they circulate and create.42 Linda Nguyen, Director of Civic of perspectives, and Engagement for the Alliance for Children and Families, to be thoughtful told us in a stakeholder interview, “I don’t know if about the content there’s a lack of [sources for political information]. It’s more they circulate and about who can you trust? Who are the trusted sources create. and how are we supporting those trusted sources?” In our Teacher Survey, all the respondents agreed that students must learn to identify credible information, and all but a handful of teachers also ” thought that students must learn to produce credible

20 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement Fundamental Goals

Civic education (defined still a valid objective. However, welcoming attitude toward broadly) addresses a wide in the Commission’s view, this process of developing and range of social concerns. For different objectives have expressing a political identity. example, it is important for emerged as urgent priorities young people to belong to today. These are compelling In the National Youth Survey, supportive groups and to needs because of the difficult discussions of current issues develop positive relationships context sketched above. predicted greater electoral with peers and adults. Helping engagement. We also find that children, adolescents, and 1. Free expression when parents encouraged their young adults build such adolescent children to express Just as young people must be free to adopt and networks is one role for civic and civil opinions and disagreements, education. In the late 1990s, deliberation these young people had higher concerns about increasingly electoral engagement, political express their own views, they must also be taught disconnected young people knowledge, and informed Young people need the came to the fore and voting in 2012. Teachers in and expected to interact with peers and older space and encouragement contributed to the movement our Teacher Survey put a high to form and refine their own for service-learning in k-12 priority on civic discussion. citizens in ways that involve genuinely understanding positions on political issues, schools.43 even if their views happen Just as young people must alternative views, learning from these discussions, to be controversial. Adults, Disconnection remains a be free to adopt and express schools, political officials, and collaborating on common goals. concern, and enlisting young their own views, they must also and youth themselves must people in voluntary groups is be taught and expected to adopt a generally tolerant and interact with peers and older National Youth Survey, citizen, and we need both a citizens in ways that involve CIRCLE defined “informed wide array of such programs genuinely understanding voting” as registering, voting, and a vibrant discussion of alternative views, learning answering at least one (out what constitutes excellence in from these discussions, and of two) campaign knowledge citizenship.45 collaborating on common questions correctly, answering goals. four or more general political knowledge questions correctly, 2. Equality and voting consistently with one’s personal opinion on quality of political a campaign issue of one’s engagement choice, and following the news fairly or very closely during the election season. Overall, The electorate should just 10.3% met all of these represent the American criteria for informed voting. people as a whole. As noted The proportion rose to 28% if above, low-income young individuals who met five out of people, people of color, and the six criteria were included. young people from immigrant People with more educational backgrounds receive less attainment and people who effective civic education, both had experienced high quality inside schools and in families civics in high school all scored and communities. Low-income above average. and Latino youth participate at much lower rates. Meanwhile, The rates of knowledge and Republican youth have been engagement should be higher disproportionately disengaged and more equal. At a time in the past decade. Young when media organizations are women are less encouraged, either partisan or not investing and are less confident in their in serious journalism (or both), abilities, to seek leadership it is especially important to roles in public life. promote civic knowledge among young people. Civic education is relevant to these gaps because, when “Quality” can be defined done well, it can motivate and to encompass more than excite students to participate. knowledge and voting Besides, political influence consistently with one’s requires knowledge. Voting own values. It can also confers no power unless the include ethics and sense of voter understands issues, purpose, meaning “a stable candidates, and political and generalized intention institutions at the local as to accomplish something well as state, national, and both meaningful to the self global levels. Thus the quality and of consequence to the of engagement (in this case, world beyond the self.”44 defined in terms of knowledge) Excellent programs for civic is closely related to equality; engagement always aim at both are essential. some kind of quality, but they have understandably diverse In analyzing the 2012 conceptions of the good

24 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 25 interact with peers and older National Youth Survey, citizen, and we need both a citizens in ways that involve CIRCLE defined “informed wide array of such programs genuinely understanding voting” as registering, voting, and a vibrant discussion of alternative views, learning answering at least one (out what constitutes excellence in from these discussions, and of two) campaign knowledge citizenship.45 collaborating on common questions correctly, answering goals. four or more general political knowledge questions correctly, 2. Equality and voting consistently with one’s personal opinion on quality of political a campaign issue of one’s engagement choice, and following the news fairly or very closely during the election season. Overall, The electorate should just 10.3% met all of these represent the American criteria for informed voting. people as a whole. As noted The proportion rose to 28% if above, low-income young individuals who met five out of people, people of color, and the six criteria were included. young people from immigrant People with more educational backgrounds receive less attainment and people who effective civic education, both had experienced high quality inside schools and in families civics in high school all scored and communities. Low-income above average. and Latino youth participate at much lower rates. Meanwhile, The rates of knowledge and Republican youth have been engagement should be higher disproportionately disengaged and more equal. At a time in the past decade. Young when media organizations are women are less encouraged, either partisan or not investing and are less confident in their in serious journalism (or both), abilities, to seek leadership it is especially important to roles in public life. promote civic knowledge among young people. Civic education is relevant to these gaps because, when “Quality” can be defined done well, it can motivate and to encompass more than excite students to participate. knowledge and voting Besides, political influence consistently with one’s requires knowledge. Voting own values. It can also confers no power unless the include ethics and sense of voter understands issues, purpose, meaning “a stable candidates, and political and generalized intention institutions at the local as to accomplish something well as state, national, and both meaningful to the self global levels. Thus the quality and of consequence to the of engagement (in this case, world beyond the self.”44 defined in terms of knowledge) Excellent programs for civic is closely related to equality; engagement always aim at both are essential. some kind of quality, but they have understandably diverse In analyzing the 2012 conceptions of the good

24 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 25 Recommendations

1. Stitch together school and being politically previous research, Same-Day engaged as a young adult. But Registration (SDR) has been a quilt of helpful that relationship diminishes found to boost youth turnout, policies once we take into account although the impacts are the individual’s educational modest.46 success and family background Concerned Americans often (see Appendix B1 for details). We looked closely at respond to data about low Relying on previous research, the election of 2012 (see civics test scores or poor the Commission still argues Appendices B2 and B3 for voter turnout with a simple that civics courses matter, details). That year may not suggestion directed at a single but their impact is relatively set a reliable precedent for institution. For example, they modest and depends heavily subsequent elections, because may call for civics to be taught on the quality of instruction restrictive laws were new, and tested in k-12 schools. and whether young people see in rapid flux, and subject to Youth as well as older adults the topics in their social studies much explicit discussion and typically support this idea classes as relevant to current pushback. Nevertheless, we in surveys, and some of the issues and their own lives. found: stakeholders we interviewed An important reason that the called for it. But, according An important reason that the students who recall students who recall better civic • SDR was a significant predictor to the 2012 National Youth education are more engaged of higher youth turnout in better civic education are more engaged is that Survey and federal data from is that they also receive more the 2012 election, even when the National Assessment of support from families, peers, we also considered individual they also receive more support from families, Educational Progress, nearly and communities. Thus civic demographic background 90% of high school students education is best understood indicators such as education, peers, and communities. Thus civic education already take at least one civics as a shared responsibility, race, gender, marital status, class. Most states have course requiring collaboration. and unemployment status, is best understood as a shared responsibility, requirements in civics, and and statewide characteristics almost all civics teachers test requiring collaboration. Another common suggestion such as the poverty rate, the their students. is to make voting easier. Of all adult turnout rate in 2010, and the proposed voting reforms, whether the state was politically The 2012 National Youth the one that has the best contested in 2012. Survey reveals a very strong empirical support is allowing relationship between recalling citizens to register on the • Young people without college interactive and engaging same day that they vote. In education were both more civics experiences in high affected by the restrictive the competitiveness of the Research has not ruled out Indeed, states that restricted toward youth engagement, we of knowledge to current measures and more responsive to race, and the state’s poverty other effects of state policies. early voting before the 2012 should enact practical reforms events: Some Commissioners measures that facilitated voting. rate. At the same time, non- Some effects could have been election saw marginally higher that make a positive difference, specifically advocate a course They were less likely to vote if college youth were more likely missed because of limitations youth turnout than other even if the effect of each on Electoral Participation that their states had introduced photo to vote, according to our model, in the data and analytical states, according to CIRCLE’s reform is relatively small. Some covers the registration and ID laws (whether those laws were when their state had passed or methods. For instance, it is statistical model, which may examples include: voting process explicitly (in a in effect or not) or put any limit implemented SDR. The positive possible that some restrictive suggest that campaigning session or two) and devotes on when and where people could effect of SDR was particularly voting laws enacted in 2012 against the restrictions • Same Day Registration and the rest of the semester to register to vote. The total number important when their states had negative effects that were worked. But if that is true, then other voting reforms that are following the news and studying of restrictive measures also also had a number of restrictive canceled out by grassroots restrictive laws may have a found to be equally or more and deliberating about issues. predicted lower turnout for non- measures. Thus it appears that campaigns that made “voter negative impact in subsequent effective than SDR at increasing CIRCLE’s analysis of the college youth, after accounting SDR can counteract the effects suppression” into a rallying cry. years, when the grassroots youth turnout: At this time, SDR National Youth Survey finds that for factors such as gender, race, of voter restrictions on the Biko Baker of the League of campaigns are weaker. has the best research support, young adults who recalled being age, educational attainment (i.e., populations most affected by Young Voters told us that Voter but it is not a panacea, and it is told to vote by a high school number of years of education those restrictions. ID laws “became the reasons In any case, research has best viewed as an example of a teacher and who remembered completed), employment status, why people were mobilizing.” repeatedly confirmed the policy that makes registration being taught specifically about following pattern: Young less of a barrier to voting. The voting in high school were more knowledgeable and more Table 2: Summary of State Policy Effects people’s civic engagement most popular suggestion in is strongly related to their our stakeholder interviews likely to vote in 2012 (holding individual and family was automatic registration of constant the other factors POLICY OUTCOME experiences—for example, all high school students who measured in the survey). whether they receive engaging are citizens. Another option, civic education in school, online registration with easy • State standards for civics that Political or civic knowledge (as measured discuss politics at home, or mobile updating, has been focus on developing advanced Voter turnout (as Political engagement by the National Youth are contacted by a political found to save Washington and civic skills, such as deliberation measured by the CPS (as measured by the Survey and the Knight campaign. The outcomes— Arizona considerable money and collaboration, rather than Voting Supplement) National Youth Survey) Foundation’s Future of the First Amendment voting and knowledge—vary while also serving voters memorizing facts: Standards Survey) from state to state. State well.48 A third promising should be more challenging, policies regarding civic approach is establishing more coherent, and more education and voting laws also voter preregistration at age concerned with politics than the State civics course requirements or test No effects detected No effects detected No effects detected vary. But once we consider all 16 in order to facilitate voter typical state standards in place requirements the relevant factors together registration programs at the today. Because these standards in one statistical model, the DMV and in high schools, ideally will be challenging, they will impact of the state laws twinned with voter education require both deep attention to civics within the social Photo ID Negative impact for themselves either vanishes and automatic activation of No effects detected No effects detected requirements non-college youth only or becomes very small. That preregistrants upon reaching studies curriculum and support is particularly true of policies voting age. FairVote has from other disciplines such as whose stated purpose is to sparked successful advocacy English/language arts and the increase engagement. for this proposal in eight states, sciences. Positive impact in including Colorado, Florida, Same Day previous studies and in No effects detected No effects detected Further support for that Maryland, and North Carolina. • Policies that encourage Registration (SDR) our 2012 model conclusion comes from the In general, these proposals have discussion of current, fact that state laws regarding not been tested in statistical controversial issues and that voter registration, voting, civic models. We did test online protect teachers’ careers education, and education registration and found it when they encourage such Restrictions on registration (e.g., a (more generally) have changed unrelated to turnout in 2012. But discussion: Again, the National Negative impact for shortened registration No effects detected No effects detected Youth Survey and other non-college youth dramatically since 1972, yet it could be improved with, for period or limits on who both youth turnout and example, automated reminders research finds that young may register voters) political knowledge show to vote. adults who experienced such modest changes over that discussions in adolescence are time. • Course requirements in high more knowledgeable and more Negative for non-college Sum of all restrictive schools, with valid assessments engaged. But many teachers youth and for White youth No effects detected No effects detected voting laws in 2012 If we hold—and wish to that measure higher-order told us that they would expect convey—a positive attitude skills and the application opposition from parents if they

This table is based on CIRCLE’s analysis of 2012 data and Lopez et al.47

28 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 29 affected by the restrictive the competitiveness of the Research has not ruled out Indeed, states that restricted toward youth engagement, we of knowledge to current measures and more responsive to race, and the state’s poverty other effects of state policies. early voting before the 2012 should enact practical reforms events: Some Commissioners measures that facilitated voting. rate. At the same time, non- Some effects could have been election saw marginally higher that make a positive difference, specifically advocate a course They were less likely to vote if college youth were more likely missed because of limitations youth turnout than other even if the effect of each on Electoral Participation that their states had introduced photo to vote, according to our model, in the data and analytical states, according to CIRCLE’s reform is relatively small. Some covers the registration and ID laws (whether those laws were when their state had passed or methods. For instance, it is statistical model, which may examples include: voting process explicitly (in a in effect or not) or put any limit implemented SDR. The positive possible that some restrictive suggest that campaigning session or two) and devotes on when and where people could effect of SDR was particularly voting laws enacted in 2012 against the restrictions • Same Day Registration and the rest of the semester to register to vote. The total number important when their states had negative effects that were worked. But if that is true, then other voting reforms that are following the news and studying of restrictive measures also also had a number of restrictive canceled out by grassroots restrictive laws may have a found to be equally or more and deliberating about issues. predicted lower turnout for non- measures. Thus it appears that campaigns that made “voter negative impact in subsequent effective than SDR at increasing CIRCLE’s analysis of the college youth, after accounting SDR can counteract the effects suppression” into a rallying cry. years, when the grassroots youth turnout: At this time, SDR National Youth Survey finds that for factors such as gender, race, of voter restrictions on the Biko Baker of the League of campaigns are weaker. has the best research support, young adults who recalled being age, educational attainment (i.e., populations most affected by Young Voters told us that Voter but it is not a panacea, and it is told to vote by a high school number of years of education those restrictions. ID laws “became the reasons In any case, research has best viewed as an example of a teacher and who remembered completed), employment status, why people were mobilizing.” repeatedly confirmed the policy that makes registration being taught specifically about following pattern: Young less of a barrier to voting. The voting in high school were more knowledgeable and more Table 2: Summary of State Policy Effects people’s civic engagement most popular suggestion in is strongly related to their our stakeholder interviews likely to vote in 2012 (holding individual and family was automatic registration of constant the other factors POLICY OUTCOME experiences—for example, all high school students who measured in the survey). whether they receive engaging are citizens. Another option, civic education in school, online registration with easy • State standards for civics that Political or civic knowledge (as measured discuss politics at home, or mobile updating, has been focus on developing advanced Voter turnout (as Political engagement by the National Youth are contacted by a political found to save Washington and civic skills, such as deliberation measured by the CPS (as measured by the Survey and the Knight campaign. The outcomes— Arizona considerable money and collaboration, rather than Voting Supplement) National Youth Survey) Foundation’s Future of the First Amendment voting and knowledge—vary while also serving voters memorizing facts: Standards Survey) from state to state. State well.48 A third promising should be more challenging, policies regarding civic approach is establishing more coherent, and more education and voting laws also voter preregistration at age concerned with politics than the State civics course requirements or test No effects detected No effects detected No effects detected vary. But once we consider all 16 in order to facilitate voter typical state standards in place requirements the relevant factors together registration programs at the today. Because these standards in one statistical model, the DMV and in high schools, ideally will be challenging, they will impact of the state laws twinned with voter education require both deep attention to civics within the social Photo ID Negative impact for themselves either vanishes and automatic activation of No effects detected No effects detected requirements non-college youth only or becomes very small. That preregistrants upon reaching studies curriculum and support is particularly true of policies voting age. FairVote has from other disciplines such as whose stated purpose is to sparked successful advocacy English/language arts and the increase engagement. for this proposal in eight states, sciences. Positive impact in including Colorado, Florida, Same Day previous studies and in No effects detected No effects detected Further support for that Maryland, and North Carolina. • Policies that encourage Registration (SDR) our 2012 model conclusion comes from the In general, these proposals have discussion of current, fact that state laws regarding not been tested in statistical controversial issues and that voter registration, voting, civic models. We did test online protect teachers’ careers education, and education registration and found it when they encourage such Restrictions on registration (e.g., a (more generally) have changed unrelated to turnout in 2012. But discussion: Again, the National Negative impact for shortened registration No effects detected No effects detected Youth Survey and other non-college youth dramatically since 1972, yet it could be improved with, for period or limits on who both youth turnout and example, automated reminders research finds that young may register voters) political knowledge show to vote. adults who experienced such modest changes over that discussions in adolescence are time. • Course requirements in high more knowledgeable and more Negative for non-college Sum of all restrictive schools, with valid assessments engaged. But many teachers youth and for White youth No effects detected No effects detected voting laws in 2012 If we hold—and wish to that measure higher-order told us that they would expect convey—a positive attitude skills and the application opposition from parents if they

This table is based on CIRCLE’s analysis of 2012 data and Lopez et al.47

28 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 29 discussed an election, and only had no college background. happens on the playground, However, in general, families responsibilities of citizenship, 38% of teachers thought the Further, CIRCLE’s Youth and what happens in sports, should: such as voting and jury duty. district would strongly support Engagement Fund polls (see and clubs, and all these other them in such cases. Appendix B1) found that most activities that kids are involved • Discuss current events When asked for their “general young people did not know with, are part of a kid’s (including upcoming elections) thoughts about the value • Community service programs the rules in place in their own citizenship education.” and political issues, of teaching about voting What open to youth who do not state, and many erroneously and political engagement,” “ attend college and that involve believed that photo IDs were Previous research and • Obtain and discuss high-quality one teacher replied, “Why is happens elements of deliberation, required. The patchwork of CIRCLE’s 2012 National news, to the extent possible, this an issue? Of course we collaboration, and work on constantly changing and Youth Survey underscore the teach politics. How would at home, social issues: YouthBuild often burdensome voting importance of each of these • Encourage children to form the country run otherwise?” transforms some deeply laws creates an inhospitable factors, with perhaps the and express their own views on Another said, “It’s why I get up and what marginalized young people climate, when we should be strongest effects attributable current controversial issues, at 5:30 a.m. every morning… into dedicated civic leaders.49 trying to encourage informed to parents and peer groups. My passion for voting and happens AmeriCorps programs have participation. The influence of parents and • If eligible, vote—and talk to engagement make every class positive effects on young other adults may be increasing. children about why they vote, seem vital.” on the people’s political engagement, In addition to enacting positive As more young people live with the biggest effects on reforms and resisting policies with their parents well into • Support the discussion of When a controversy arises in playground, less-advantaged participants. that convey negative views their 20s and take longer controversial issues in schools, and the news, these teachers tend Specific elements of these of youth voting, we must try to make the transition to to use it as an opportunity and what programs that boost civic entirely new strategies. Those adulthood, parents seem to • When possible, involve their for civil debates (94.2%) engagement include the diversity are explored in the following have stronger relationships children in out-of-school groups rather than avoid it at the happens of the Corps teams (which is pages. with their adolescent and and organizations that address risk of offending parents or helpful for all participants), young-adult children than in political and social concerns. distracting the class (5.8%). in sports, opportunities to contribute 2. Involve Families past generations.51 to and be a part of the Schools should also find ways Our analysis of the National community (which especially Our analysis of the National to engage parents in their Youth Survey also indicates and clubs, Young people develop as benefit less advantaged Corps Youth Survey (see Appendix children’s civic education. some important benefits of citizens under the influence of: and all members), and opportunities for B2 for details) finds that good teaching: leadership.50 parents’ encouraging their • their own parents and family 3. Support adolescent children to express • The quality of high school civics these other members; We must resist policies that opinions and disagreements Teachers classes (defined by the number convey a skeptical attitude predicted their electoral of research-based pedagogical activities • schools and colleges; toward young people’s engagement, political The burden for increasing civic practices that the respondents participation and that create knowledge, and informed learning and engagement, recalled) marginally predicted that kids • peers, both in-person and online; new costs and barriers. For voting in 2012. clearly, cannot rest on the young adults’ electoral example, restrictions on who shoulders of teachers alone, engagement and predicted their are involved • community groups and religious may register voters can be Parents cannot be required but they represent an essential informed voting in 2012. congregations; with, are perceived as exclusionary. to educate their children for asset for increasing civic Photo ID laws also seem likely citizenship in particular ways. engagement and learning. • Experiencing service-learning • neighborhood and community to convey a negative attitude, Even advice must be offered Our survey of high school in high school predicted civic part of norms; unless citizens can get help cautiously, since families civics and government engagement in 2012 if the obtaining IDs and the photo ID are diverse and complex, instructors (The Teacher service-learning involved a kid’s • national news and entertainment laws come as part of a package and no single style of civic Survey described in Appendix discussion of root causes of the media; citizenship that also includes SDR or other education is appropriate B4) may have drawn a problem underlying the service provisions to make voting in all homes. Schools and sample somewhat biased experience. When service was • social media; and education. more convenient. CIRCLE’s educators should be sensitive toward active and concerned required without a discussion analysis of the Census Bureau’s to various parenting styles educators; nonetheless, they of root causes, it appeared to • the formal political system. 2012 voting data found that and to differences in the ways reported a very high degree of have a negative effect on civic the existence of a photo ID that families relate to the US commitment to their schools’ engagement. As Marcie Taylor-Thoma of the law did not predict turnout political system, depending civic mission. Ninety-eight Maryland State Department levels for youth as a whole. But on their historical and current percent said that it was very • Being told to vote by a high of Education told us, “what photo ID laws were a negative experiences with politics and important or essential to school teacher and learning happens at home, and what ” factor for young adults who government. teach students to embrace the about voting predicted electoral engagement in 2012.

30 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 31 discussed an election, and only had no college background. happens on the playground, However, in general, families responsibilities of citizenship, 38% of teachers thought the Further, CIRCLE’s Youth and what happens in sports, should: such as voting and jury duty. district would strongly support Engagement Fund polls (see and clubs, and all these other them in such cases. Appendix B1) found that most activities that kids are involved • Discuss current events When asked for their “general young people did not know with, are part of a kid’s (including upcoming elections) thoughts about the value • Community service programs the rules in place in their own citizenship education.” and political issues, of teaching about voting What open to youth who do not state, and many erroneously and political engagement,” “ attend college and that involve believed that photo IDs were Previous research and • Obtain and discuss high-quality one teacher replied, “Why is happens elements of deliberation, required. The patchwork of CIRCLE’s 2012 National news, to the extent possible, this an issue? Of course we collaboration, and work on constantly changing and Youth Survey underscore the teach politics. How would at home, social issues: YouthBuild often burdensome voting importance of each of these • Encourage children to form the country run otherwise?” transforms some deeply laws creates an inhospitable factors, with perhaps the and express their own views on Another said, “It’s why I get up and what marginalized young people climate, when we should be strongest effects attributable current controversial issues, at 5:30 a.m. every morning… into dedicated civic leaders.49 trying to encourage informed to parents and peer groups. My passion for voting and happens AmeriCorps programs have participation. The influence of parents and • If eligible, vote—and talk to engagement make every class positive effects on young other adults may be increasing. children about why they vote, seem vital.” on the people’s political engagement, In addition to enacting positive As more young people live with the biggest effects on reforms and resisting policies with their parents well into • Support the discussion of When a controversy arises in playground, less-advantaged participants. that convey negative views their 20s and take longer controversial issues in schools, and the news, these teachers tend Specific elements of these of youth voting, we must try to make the transition to to use it as an opportunity and what programs that boost civic entirely new strategies. Those adulthood, parents seem to • When possible, involve their for civil debates (94.2%) engagement include the diversity are explored in the following have stronger relationships children in out-of-school groups rather than avoid it at the happens of the Corps teams (which is pages. with their adolescent and and organizations that address risk of offending parents or helpful for all participants), young-adult children than in political and social concerns. distracting the class (5.8%). in sports, opportunities to contribute 2. Involve Families past generations.51 to and be a part of the Schools should also find ways Our analysis of the National community (which especially Our analysis of the National to engage parents in their Youth Survey also indicates and clubs, Young people develop as benefit less advantaged Corps Youth Survey (see Appendix children’s civic education. some important benefits of citizens under the influence of: and all members), and opportunities for B2 for details) finds that good teaching: leadership.50 parents’ encouraging their • their own parents and family 3. Support adolescent children to express • The quality of high school civics these other members; We must resist policies that opinions and disagreements Teachers classes (defined by the number convey a skeptical attitude predicted their electoral of research-based pedagogical activities • schools and colleges; toward young people’s engagement, political The burden for increasing civic practices that the respondents participation and that create knowledge, and informed learning and engagement, recalled) marginally predicted that kids • peers, both in-person and online; new costs and barriers. For voting in 2012. clearly, cannot rest on the young adults’ electoral example, restrictions on who shoulders of teachers alone, engagement and predicted their are involved • community groups and religious may register voters can be Parents cannot be required but they represent an essential informed voting in 2012. congregations; with, are perceived as exclusionary. to educate their children for asset for increasing civic Photo ID laws also seem likely citizenship in particular ways. engagement and learning. • Experiencing service-learning • neighborhood and community to convey a negative attitude, Even advice must be offered Our survey of high school in high school predicted civic part of norms; unless citizens can get help cautiously, since families civics and government engagement in 2012 if the obtaining IDs and the photo ID are diverse and complex, instructors (The Teacher service-learning involved a kid’s • national news and entertainment laws come as part of a package and no single style of civic Survey described in Appendix discussion of root causes of the media; citizenship that also includes SDR or other education is appropriate B4) may have drawn a problem underlying the service provisions to make voting in all homes. Schools and sample somewhat biased experience. When service was • social media; and education. more convenient. CIRCLE’s educators should be sensitive toward active and concerned required without a discussion analysis of the Census Bureau’s to various parenting styles educators; nonetheless, they of root causes, it appeared to • the formal political system. 2012 voting data found that and to differences in the ways reported a very high degree of have a negative effect on civic the existence of a photo ID that families relate to the US commitment to their schools’ engagement. As Marcie Taylor-Thoma of the law did not predict turnout political system, depending civic mission. Ninety-eight Maryland State Department levels for youth as a whole. But on their historical and current percent said that it was very • Being told to vote by a high of Education told us, “what photo ID laws were a negative experiences with politics and important or essential to school teacher and learning happens at home, and what ” factor for young adults who government. teach students to embrace the about voting predicted electoral engagement in 2012.

30 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 31 • Specifically being taught about professional development to ensure that their civics shifted from a combination for their opinions. Should that Examples of supports for voting in high school predicted (PD) experiences in civics, and government teachers are of multiple-choice and be a priority? Well, of course, teachers would be: political knowledge in 2012. and 18% reported none. The well qualified. For example, performance tasks to almost but I don’t have time to teach most common training lasted Marcie Taylor-Thoma of the exclusively multiple-choice it. I am bound by a set of state • Explicit policies protecting • More extracurricular up to one day. If teachers said Maryland State Department exams since 2000. We did not guidelines as to what I am teachers’ careers if they teach participation in high school was they had experienced multi- of Education said, “We have… detect relationships between to teach even though there about controversial issues, associated with higher political day PD for civics, they were secondary school certified the existing state policies is no high stake testing for as long as they encourage knowledge today.52 more likely to feel support teachers who are teaching for testing and standards government classes.” discussion of diverse from their principal and district a high stakes assessment— and what students know or perspectives on those issues. The finding about and more likely to encourage government and civics test— whether they vote. But that • “Whenever possible I present extracurricular activities political discussions among who have never had a political may be because the only non-partisan information or • Professional development that is relevant to all teachers, their students. Teachers were science course in their life, accountability regimes in place present all points of view on goes well beyond one-day but government and civics more likely to receive PD if and they’re teaching civics today are multiple-choice controversial current issues. events and that is available to teachers certainly play they taught in more affluent and government…and I am exams that are very unlikely However, we have a full all teachers, including those important roles in advising communities, if they worked concerned whether or not they to address current events and curriculum to cover with a serving disadvantaged students. student groups. In our Teacher with college-bound students, are qualified to do that.” contemporary politics. state assessment necessary for Survey, 73% of the respondents if their schools had higher graduation, so the topics must • Changes in teacher education said that they advised at least daily attendance rates, and Second, standards and testing In the Teacher Survey, several fit into our curriculum rather to support the study of civics one group or team. Of those, if they perceived support for regimes do not encourage or open-ended responses than obstruct completion.” and government among college 24% oversaw two groups and teaching about elections. In reward the teaching of politics testified to the poor fit students interested in teaching 18% advised three or more other words, the teachers with and current issues. The Teacher between teaching about • “The foundations of democracy careers. groups. They most commonly the most need for professional Survey did provide some politics and the testing and are being lost due to all the coached a sports team development were least likely positive news on this score. accountability regimes in their emphasis on the math, science • Assessment systems that (30%), followed by student to receive it. Almost 84% said that spending states. For instance: and technology education/ reward students’ discussion and government (15%), a service time on the 2012 election testing that is taking over our investigation of current events club (15%), a debate team Teachers can also be prepared could help them achieve their • “Students do not ‘debate’—they schools.” and issues. (7%), or an arts and culture to teach civics before they goals for their course, and 81% argue and have no support club (5%). enter the profession. Shawn said it would help the course This concern also arose in 4. Encourage Healy, Civic Learning & meet state standards. Just several stakeholder interviews. Despite the important Engagement Scholar at over half said that teaching For example, Chrissy Faessen Collaboration benefits that teachers provide, the Robert R. McCormick the election could help them of Rock the Vote advocates the Teacher Survey—and Foundation, told us, “I do think meet the English/Language teaching about elections in None of the reforms presented previous research—reveals the from an institutionalization Arts Common Core standards. high schools. She reports that so far will, in isolation, solve challenges that they face. perspective, we should focus That may be because they “Should there are plenty of “good the problem of unequal a lot more on pre-service assign reading and writing curricula out there,” but the and insufficient political First, it is not easy to introduce teachers and what types assignments related to the that be a limitation is time, and that knowledge and engagement. and facilitate classroom of training they have… that election, at least when there is is caused by testing and We must stitch together a discussions about controversial prepare them to teach for a presidential race underway. priority? standards. “The one thing we supportive fabric out of many issues wisely and fairly and in democracy once they enter (Nearly half said that they always hear from educators is such policies. Certainly, no ways that benefit all students. the classroom full-time. I think spent more time on elections Well, of …, ‘That’s great, I’d love to do particular high school course— There is certainly a dearth of that’s a major oversight.” and politics in fall 2012 than all of this, but really I’ve got to and no tweak in the voting compelling examples of civil usual.) course, but get all of this curriculum in’ for process—is sufficient. Instead, discussion in the media and Indeed, only 10 states testing.” Shawn Healy from the we recommend an integrated public life. Yet many teachers require instructors who However, we know that state I don’t have McCormick Foundation said, approach that fosters a norm have learned how to lead teach civics or government testing and accountability “what we hear from teachers of civic engagement—not high quality discussions of classes to have certification measures do not reward time to is: ‘Hey this stuff is great…, I’d unlike the way that the anti- even the most controversial in that specific field. In teaching civics, let alone love to have a debate in my obesity movement is beginning political issues.53 Teachers most states, certification discussing current events. Our teach it. class about immigration or to use many tactics, some need opportunities to learn in any social studies area— scan of state policies finds abortion or whatever the topic more successful than others, inclusive discussion-based often, history—will count that just eight states have of the day is…, but I don’t feel but all promoting the norm teaching skills from specialists for civics. Although adding statewide, standardized tests supported, and I can’t take that of fighting obesity. The anti- and from one another. A a certification requirement specifically in civics/American risk.’” smoking movement provides typical teacher in our survey might have disadvantages, government.54 And social another example. No single reported having had just two most states lack any policy studies assessments have ” reform has led to the drop

32 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 33 • Specifically being taught about professional development to ensure that their civics shifted from a combination for their opinions. Should that Examples of supports for voting in high school predicted (PD) experiences in civics, and government teachers are of multiple-choice and be a priority? Well, of course, teachers would be: political knowledge in 2012. and 18% reported none. The well qualified. For example, performance tasks to almost but I don’t have time to teach most common training lasted Marcie Taylor-Thoma of the exclusively multiple-choice it. I am bound by a set of state • Explicit policies protecting • More extracurricular up to one day. If teachers said Maryland State Department exams since 2000. We did not guidelines as to what I am teachers’ careers if they teach participation in high school was they had experienced multi- of Education said, “We have… detect relationships between to teach even though there about controversial issues, associated with higher political day PD for civics, they were secondary school certified the existing state policies is no high stake testing for as long as they encourage knowledge today.52 more likely to feel support teachers who are teaching for testing and standards government classes.” discussion of diverse from their principal and district a high stakes assessment— and what students know or perspectives on those issues. The finding about and more likely to encourage government and civics test— whether they vote. But that • “Whenever possible I present extracurricular activities political discussions among who have never had a political may be because the only non-partisan information or • Professional development that is relevant to all teachers, their students. Teachers were science course in their life, accountability regimes in place present all points of view on goes well beyond one-day but government and civics more likely to receive PD if and they’re teaching civics today are multiple-choice controversial current issues. events and that is available to teachers certainly play they taught in more affluent and government…and I am exams that are very unlikely However, we have a full all teachers, including those important roles in advising communities, if they worked concerned whether or not they to address current events and curriculum to cover with a serving disadvantaged students. student groups. In our Teacher with college-bound students, are qualified to do that.” contemporary politics. state assessment necessary for Survey, 73% of the respondents if their schools had higher graduation, so the topics must • Changes in teacher education said that they advised at least daily attendance rates, and Second, standards and testing In the Teacher Survey, several fit into our curriculum rather to support the study of civics one group or team. Of those, if they perceived support for regimes do not encourage or open-ended responses than obstruct completion.” and government among college 24% oversaw two groups and teaching about elections. In reward the teaching of politics testified to the poor fit students interested in teaching 18% advised three or more other words, the teachers with and current issues. The Teacher between teaching about • “The foundations of democracy careers. groups. They most commonly the most need for professional Survey did provide some politics and the testing and are being lost due to all the coached a sports team development were least likely positive news on this score. accountability regimes in their emphasis on the math, science • Assessment systems that (30%), followed by student to receive it. Almost 84% said that spending states. For instance: and technology education/ reward students’ discussion and government (15%), a service time on the 2012 election testing that is taking over our investigation of current events club (15%), a debate team Teachers can also be prepared could help them achieve their • “Students do not ‘debate’—they schools.” and issues. (7%), or an arts and culture to teach civics before they goals for their course, and 81% argue and have no support club (5%). enter the profession. Shawn said it would help the course This concern also arose in 4. Encourage Healy, Civic Learning & meet state standards. Just several stakeholder interviews. Despite the important Engagement Scholar at over half said that teaching For example, Chrissy Faessen Collaboration benefits that teachers provide, the Robert R. McCormick the election could help them of Rock the Vote advocates the Teacher Survey—and Foundation, told us, “I do think meet the English/Language teaching about elections in None of the reforms presented previous research—reveals the from an institutionalization Arts Common Core standards. high schools. She reports that so far will, in isolation, solve challenges that they face. perspective, we should focus That may be because they “Should there are plenty of “good the problem of unequal a lot more on pre-service assign reading and writing curricula out there,” but the and insufficient political First, it is not easy to introduce teachers and what types assignments related to the that be a limitation is time, and that knowledge and engagement. and facilitate classroom of training they have… that election, at least when there is is caused by testing and We must stitch together a discussions about controversial prepare them to teach for a presidential race underway. priority? standards. “The one thing we supportive fabric out of many issues wisely and fairly and in democracy once they enter (Nearly half said that they always hear from educators is such policies. Certainly, no ways that benefit all students. the classroom full-time. I think spent more time on elections Well, of …, ‘That’s great, I’d love to do particular high school course— There is certainly a dearth of that’s a major oversight.” and politics in fall 2012 than all of this, but really I’ve got to and no tweak in the voting compelling examples of civil usual.) course, but get all of this curriculum in’ for process—is sufficient. Instead, discussion in the media and Indeed, only 10 states testing.” Shawn Healy from the we recommend an integrated public life. Yet many teachers require instructors who However, we know that state I don’t have McCormick Foundation said, approach that fosters a norm have learned how to lead teach civics or government testing and accountability “what we hear from teachers of civic engagement—not high quality discussions of classes to have certification measures do not reward time to is: ‘Hey this stuff is great…, I’d unlike the way that the anti- even the most controversial in that specific field. In teaching civics, let alone love to have a debate in my obesity movement is beginning political issues.53 Teachers most states, certification discussing current events. Our teach it. class about immigration or to use many tactics, some need opportunities to learn in any social studies area— scan of state policies finds abortion or whatever the topic more successful than others, inclusive discussion-based often, history—will count that just eight states have of the day is…, but I don’t feel but all promoting the norm teaching skills from specialists for civics. Although adding statewide, standardized tests supported, and I can’t take that of fighting obesity. The anti- and from one another. A a certification requirement specifically in civics/American risk.’” smoking movement provides typical teacher in our survey might have disadvantages, government.54 And social another example. No single reported having had just two most states lack any policy studies assessments have ” reform has led to the drop

32 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 33 in smoking rates; instead, rare for election officials For their part, educators designed, aligned with the these are ongoing efforts, engagement is that states, public health advocates used and schools to coordinate sometimes try to keep curriculum, and if the people not short-term campaigns for local governments, schools, a multi-pronged approach. their efforts to educate and parents and other community who face the assessment particular policy reforms. and nonprofits must innovate Similarly, Eric Braxton, register high school students. members at a distance from have opportunities to learn and experiment more. The U.S. Executive Director of the And some parents object to schools. Some negative views what they need to know. Examples of strategies for Department of Education’s Funders’ Collaborative on discussion of issues in schools. of parents emerged in the Otherwise, such assessments coordination include: “road map” to Advancing Civic Youth Organizing, supports In our Teacher Survey, a open-ended portion of our can be counterproductive. Learning and Engagement in “raising the profile and building quarter of the respondents Teacher Survey: Since progress requires • Directing some government and Democracy promises to help the connections between thought that parents would private funds to interdisciplinary, “identify promising practices in the groups that are already” object if political issues came • “[Students] need the tools to multi-partisan, and otherwise civic learning and democratic working on youth civic into their classrooms. Sixteen watch both left and right and diverse task forces or coalitions engagement—and encourage engagement. percent thought that parents middle media and come to their for civics at the state level. further research to learn what would object if they taught own decisions based on what is works.”58 Specifically, the There is evidence that when about voting. Although those right, not what is shoved down • Aligning a state’s high school Obama Administration has the various influences on numbers are far below 50%, their throats by uninformed civics curriculum with voting proposed a competitive fund youth coordinate to promote they still represent schools family or friends.” “ reforms that encourage pre- called “Effective Teaching and civic participation, the gains that serve millions of students. Foundations registration in schools. Learning for a Well-Rounded are much larger than those Open-ended responses • “So many of my students have Education” that would support from any single program. explored this issue further: said they would vote this way are able to • Offering civics teachers innovation in civics along For example, when students simply because that is the professional development with other subjects that discuss the same current • “My personal feeling [is] that way their parents vote. I want fund new opportunities in museums, were overlooked in No Child events at home and school, students should be informed my students to learn about colleges and universities, Left Behind. But at this time, they learn more and are more about what is going on with both sides of each issue and ideas, and presidential libraries, national there is no significant federal likely to vote.55 We also see politics in this country. However, make a decision based on their historic sites, and news media support for innovation in civics. much promise in policies that after the election in 2008, I feelings.” the problem organizations, among other would combine high school had many parents upset with places. “Often, innovation is supported civics education with school- me for discussing and showing It is essential to reduce we have by organizations like my own. based voter registration. the election results and the conflicts over civic education • Assigning students to read Foundations are able to fund inauguration in class. So, since and to promote coordination. right now…is and discuss news in class and new ideas, and the problem There are opportunities to then I have not talked about Hampton, VA, supports a youth encouraging them also to we have right now…is taking tie civic education to media most issues and especially civic engagement “system” taking those discuss with their parents and those great new ideas to scale literacy education. When the differences between the that includes service-learning other adults who are important and a foundation like my own teachers require students to Democrats and Republicans.” in courses; youth advisory great new in their lives. doesn’t have the capacity to seek diverse perspectives boards in each school, police bring these things to scale online, or when they require • “[I]t is vital that we as educators precinct, and city agency ideas to • Including civic outcomes in and that’s where government… students to create and share discuss voting and other means (drawn from the service- efforts to build 21st Century becomes a funder and needs information online, youth of political engagement in learning students); and paid scale. Skills. to come back in the equation,” become more likely to engage class. However, there is concern opportunities for youth city Shawn Healy of the McCormick in similar activities at home amongst the public that in doing planners—all overseen by a • Holding contests and awarding Foundation, told us. “I think and otherwise during their so there might be an attempt citywide Youth Commission. certificates of civic achievement. in the civic learning space it discretionary time.56 Another to push a political agenda. Due Hampton achieved strikingly Students enrolled in k-12 wouldn’t even take that large promising link is between to this fear of a backlash I think high levels of youth turnout in schools would be eligible, of a footprint. … From a federal civics and 21st Century skills, some teachers avoid the topic 2000 and 2004.57 ” but community groups would perspective, we’re talking a because civic skills heavily altogether.” many people’s contributions participate in judging and rounding error here.” overlap with workforce skills, Engaging young people and constant attention to awarding the prizes. Parents such as organizing and leading • “I did have a couple parents requires efforts by many quality, no new policy can and other adults could also be Eric Braxton of the Funders’ diverse teams of people show disapproval of having sectors. All parties must permanently improve youth eligible for awards. Collaborative on Youth to accomplish a common students watch presidential attend to the quality of engagement on its own. That Organizing, noted that funds purpose. debates. Parents were the implementation as well is why it is especially valuable 5. Innovate and often do not flow to the issue with what I was teaching. as the mere existence of to build durable, multi-sector organizations best able to These are all examples of The students loved getting to policies. For instance, a test collaborative coalitions for Evaluate innovate for civics. Small youth coordination and synergy. discuss and debate their views for students or a teacher civic education at the state organizing groups, he said, But sometimes the opposite of politics.” certification requirement level. Examples are described A final implication of “aren’t being supported at occurs. For example, it is can be valuable if it is well in Appendix C. In all cases, the research on youth the level of some other larger

34 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 35 in smoking rates; instead, rare for election officials For their part, educators designed, aligned with the these are ongoing efforts, engagement is that states, public health advocates used and schools to coordinate sometimes try to keep curriculum, and if the people not short-term campaigns for local governments, schools, a multi-pronged approach. their efforts to educate and parents and other community who face the assessment particular policy reforms. and nonprofits must innovate Similarly, Eric Braxton, register high school students. members at a distance from have opportunities to learn and experiment more. The U.S. Executive Director of the And some parents object to schools. Some negative views what they need to know. Examples of strategies for Department of Education’s Funders’ Collaborative on discussion of issues in schools. of parents emerged in the Otherwise, such assessments coordination include: “road map” to Advancing Civic Youth Organizing, supports In our Teacher Survey, a open-ended portion of our can be counterproductive. Learning and Engagement in “raising the profile and building quarter of the respondents Teacher Survey: Since progress requires • Directing some government and Democracy promises to help the connections between thought that parents would private funds to interdisciplinary, “identify promising practices in the groups that are already” object if political issues came • “[Students] need the tools to multi-partisan, and otherwise civic learning and democratic working on youth civic into their classrooms. Sixteen watch both left and right and diverse task forces or coalitions engagement—and encourage engagement. percent thought that parents middle media and come to their for civics at the state level. further research to learn what would object if they taught own decisions based on what is works.”58 Specifically, the There is evidence that when about voting. Although those right, not what is shoved down • Aligning a state’s high school Obama Administration has the various influences on numbers are far below 50%, their throats by uninformed civics curriculum with voting proposed a competitive fund youth coordinate to promote they still represent schools family or friends.” “ reforms that encourage pre- called “Effective Teaching and civic participation, the gains that serve millions of students. Foundations registration in schools. Learning for a Well-Rounded are much larger than those Open-ended responses • “So many of my students have Education” that would support from any single program. explored this issue further: said they would vote this way are able to • Offering civics teachers innovation in civics along For example, when students simply because that is the professional development with other subjects that discuss the same current • “My personal feeling [is] that way their parents vote. I want fund new opportunities in museums, were overlooked in No Child events at home and school, students should be informed my students to learn about colleges and universities, Left Behind. But at this time, they learn more and are more about what is going on with both sides of each issue and ideas, and presidential libraries, national there is no significant federal likely to vote.55 We also see politics in this country. However, make a decision based on their historic sites, and news media support for innovation in civics. much promise in policies that after the election in 2008, I feelings.” the problem organizations, among other would combine high school had many parents upset with places. “Often, innovation is supported civics education with school- me for discussing and showing It is essential to reduce we have by organizations like my own. based voter registration. the election results and the conflicts over civic education • Assigning students to read Foundations are able to fund inauguration in class. So, since and to promote coordination. right now…is and discuss news in class and new ideas, and the problem There are opportunities to then I have not talked about Hampton, VA, supports a youth encouraging them also to we have right now…is taking tie civic education to media most issues and especially civic engagement “system” taking those discuss with their parents and those great new ideas to scale literacy education. When the differences between the that includes service-learning other adults who are important and a foundation like my own teachers require students to Democrats and Republicans.” in courses; youth advisory great new in their lives. doesn’t have the capacity to seek diverse perspectives boards in each school, police bring these things to scale online, or when they require • “[I]t is vital that we as educators precinct, and city agency ideas to • Including civic outcomes in and that’s where government… students to create and share discuss voting and other means (drawn from the service- efforts to build 21st Century becomes a funder and needs information online, youth of political engagement in learning students); and paid scale. Skills. to come back in the equation,” become more likely to engage class. However, there is concern opportunities for youth city Shawn Healy of the McCormick in similar activities at home amongst the public that in doing planners—all overseen by a • Holding contests and awarding Foundation, told us. “I think and otherwise during their so there might be an attempt citywide Youth Commission. certificates of civic achievement. in the civic learning space it discretionary time.56 Another to push a political agenda. Due Hampton achieved strikingly Students enrolled in k-12 wouldn’t even take that large promising link is between to this fear of a backlash I think high levels of youth turnout in schools would be eligible, of a footprint. … From a federal civics and 21st Century skills, some teachers avoid the topic 2000 and 2004.57 ” but community groups would perspective, we’re talking a because civic skills heavily altogether.” many people’s contributions participate in judging and rounding error here.” overlap with workforce skills, Engaging young people and constant attention to awarding the prizes. Parents such as organizing and leading • “I did have a couple parents requires efforts by many quality, no new policy can and other adults could also be Eric Braxton of the Funders’ diverse teams of people show disapproval of having sectors. All parties must permanently improve youth eligible for awards. Collaborative on Youth to accomplish a common students watch presidential attend to the quality of engagement on its own. That Organizing, noted that funds purpose. debates. Parents were the implementation as well is why it is especially valuable 5. Innovate and often do not flow to the issue with what I was teaching. as the mere existence of to build durable, multi-sector organizations best able to These are all examples of The students loved getting to policies. For instance, a test collaborative coalitions for Evaluate innovate for civics. Small youth coordination and synergy. discuss and debate their views for students or a teacher civic education at the state organizing groups, he said, But sometimes the opposite of politics.” certification requirement level. Examples are described A final implication of “aren’t being supported at occurs. For example, it is can be valuable if it is well in Appendix C. In all cases, the research on youth the level of some other larger

34 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 35 organizations that aren’t as in more focused on politics than within schools, e.g., by judging Planning a Discussion tune to what’s happening on the typical state standards in students’ portfolios or by joining 59 the ground.” place today. discussions of current events. We tell youth that they should all contribute ideas and energy to address public problems, that they must collaborate, and that they should be persistent—not expecting complex issues to have Policies as well as programs • A statewide assessment of • Curricula that emphasize youth quick answers. The same advice applies to anyone who cares about youth civic engagement. offer opportunities for civic skills that uses portfolios conducting community research experimentation. As noted of students’ work instead of and producing local journalism Unlike some other reports about matters of public concern, All Together Now does not end with above, the effect of existing standardized tests, like the to address the severe gap in a short list of policy proposals. Trends in voting and civic knowledge have proven resistant to state laws on most forms system now being implemented professional reporting. The change despite substantial shifts in laws and policies over the past forty years. Also, needs and of civic engagement is in Tennessee. Online portfolios crisis of traditional journalism opportunities differ greatly from one community to another. Barriers to youth civic engagement unimpressive. But the variation are becoming increasingly represents an opportunity for are complex; and complex problems are more likely to be resolved when a broad range of people— in state laws is actually rather common throughout youth to address local issues not just public officials and specialists—come together to identify, talk about, and work together to limited. Some states require education and could be used and problems that would find solutions. one course on American to revolutionize assessment in otherwise go unnoticed by government; others do not. civics. local news media. Participation Making a significant impact in any community will require a process that is inclusive, carefully Some states mandate a in high school journalism planned, well-facilitated, and directly connected to action. CIRCLE and its partners plan to organize multiple-choice test of civic • Badges for excellence in civics. “contributes to socialization public dialogues in various communities about what specifically can be done in those places to knowledge; most do not. Some These would be portable, online into citizenship and, most further youth voting and civic knowledge. High school teachers are joining this discussion as part states allow early voting or certificates to demonstrate crucially, to the development of of the California Democracy School Civic Learning Initiative, and some of those instructors will also 62 Same Day Registration. But no advanced civic skills, knowledge, a collective sensibility.” involve their students. state has policies that make and actual contributions. civic education a priority They would be attractive to • Setting standards and providing If you are interested in organizing a process in which dialogue leads to change, look for more throughout k-12 education and college admissions offices curricular materials and resources at www.civicyouth.org this fall. also assesses higher-order and employers. They could professional development to outcomes such as deliberation be issued by schools but also ensure that students involved or policy analysis. And no state by community-based groups, in service-learning discuss the automatically registers its own thus encouraging collaboration root causes of social problems young citizens when they turn across sectors.60 and that student groups address 18 and then reaches out to social issues. them to vote. • Explicitly teaching the current voting laws that apply in the • Multi-player role-playing Statistical evidence from state, since our survey data and video games as tools for civic the past and present cannot previous studies61 have found education. prove that more ambitious that many young people do innovations would work in the not know the laws that govern In decades to come, we may future, but the states should voting in their own states, look back on the present try new strategies. States are particularly laws involving pre- era as the time when youth not the only laboratories of registration, regaining the right engagement began to rise democracy, because school to vote after a felony conviction, substantially. This will not be districts, municipalities, and photo ID requirements. because one of the policies or universities and community practices that has already been colleges, and community- • Lowering the voting age to implemented in certain states based nonprofits can also 17 in municipal (or state) and communities was imitated experiment with new policies elections so that students can nationally. Instead we will have and strategies. be encouraged to vote while stitched together a whole they are taking a required civics quilt of supportive policies, Examples of promising class. Takoma Park, MD enacted including some bold ones innovations (each of which this reform in May 2013, and that had not even been tried should be rigorously Lowell, MA is seeking the state’s in 2013. evaluated) include: support to do the same.

• New state standards for • Encouraging parents to civics that are shorter, more participate in civic activities challenging, more coherent, and

36 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 37 organizations that aren’t as in more focused on politics than within schools, e.g., by judging Planning a Discussion tune to what’s happening on the typical state standards in students’ portfolios or by joining 59 the ground.” place today. discussions of current events. We tell youth that they should all contribute ideas and energy to address public problems, that they must collaborate, and that they should be persistent—not expecting complex issues to have Policies as well as programs • A statewide assessment of • Curricula that emphasize youth quick answers. The same advice applies to anyone who cares about youth civic engagement. offer opportunities for civic skills that uses portfolios conducting community research experimentation. As noted of students’ work instead of and producing local journalism Unlike some other reports about matters of public concern, All Together Now does not end with above, the effect of existing standardized tests, like the to address the severe gap in a short list of policy proposals. Trends in voting and civic knowledge have proven resistant to state laws on most forms system now being implemented professional reporting. The change despite substantial shifts in laws and policies over the past forty years. Also, needs and of civic engagement is in Tennessee. Online portfolios crisis of traditional journalism opportunities differ greatly from one community to another. Barriers to youth civic engagement unimpressive. But the variation are becoming increasingly represents an opportunity for are complex; and complex problems are more likely to be resolved when a broad range of people— in state laws is actually rather common throughout youth to address local issues not just public officials and specialists—come together to identify, talk about, and work together to limited. Some states require education and could be used and problems that would find solutions. one course on American to revolutionize assessment in otherwise go unnoticed by government; others do not. civics. local news media. Participation Making a significant impact in any community will require a process that is inclusive, carefully Some states mandate a in high school journalism planned, well-facilitated, and directly connected to action. CIRCLE and its partners plan to organize multiple-choice test of civic • Badges for excellence in civics. “contributes to socialization public dialogues in various communities about what specifically can be done in those places to knowledge; most do not. Some These would be portable, online into citizenship and, most further youth voting and civic knowledge. High school teachers are joining this discussion as part states allow early voting or certificates to demonstrate crucially, to the development of of the California Democracy School Civic Learning Initiative, and some of those instructors will also 62 Same Day Registration. But no advanced civic skills, knowledge, a collective sensibility.” involve their students. state has policies that make and actual contributions. civic education a priority They would be attractive to • Setting standards and providing If you are interested in organizing a process in which dialogue leads to change, look for more throughout k-12 education and college admissions offices curricular materials and resources at www.civicyouth.org this fall. also assesses higher-order and employers. They could professional development to outcomes such as deliberation be issued by schools but also ensure that students involved or policy analysis. And no state by community-based groups, in service-learning discuss the automatically registers its own thus encouraging collaboration root causes of social problems young citizens when they turn across sectors.60 and that student groups address 18 and then reaches out to social issues. them to vote. • Explicitly teaching the current voting laws that apply in the • Multi-player role-playing Statistical evidence from state, since our survey data and video games as tools for civic the past and present cannot previous studies61 have found education. prove that more ambitious that many young people do innovations would work in the not know the laws that govern In decades to come, we may future, but the states should voting in their own states, look back on the present try new strategies. States are particularly laws involving pre- era as the time when youth not the only laboratories of registration, regaining the right engagement began to rise democracy, because school to vote after a felony conviction, substantially. This will not be districts, municipalities, and photo ID requirements. because one of the policies or universities and community practices that has already been colleges, and community- • Lowering the voting age to implemented in certain states based nonprofits can also 17 in municipal (or state) and communities was imitated experiment with new policies elections so that students can nationally. Instead we will have and strategies. be encouraged to vote while stitched together a whole they are taking a required civics quilt of supportive policies, Examples of promising class. Takoma Park, MD enacted including some bold ones innovations (each of which this reform in May 2013, and that had not even been tried should be rigorously Lowell, MA is seeking the state’s in 2013. evaluated) include: support to do the same.

• New state standards for • Encouraging parents to civics that are shorter, more participate in civic activities challenging, more coherent, and

36 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 37 Appendices

Appendix A: other nations and the voting Most high school students Selected Previous rates of older adults. Despite take American government this variability, the national in the 12th grade. Prominent Research on trend since 1972 (when the studies in political science in Youth Political voting age was lowered to the 1970s and 1980s concluded 18) has been largely flat, with that adolescent students Engagement youth turnout usually being were mostly unresponsive to about 20 percentage points conventional civics instruction, This section is a highly that of behind older voters. but research since the 1990s abbreviated version of the has increasingly documented literature review that CIRCLE Both voting rates and positive outcomes from published and made available civics test scores show very high-quality programs. to the Commission to inform large gaps by class and Civic education courses and its deliberations.63 race. Individuals with more programs in high school educational attainment vote at (including extracurricular Overall, the level of informed higher rates. In fact, according programs, such as mock trial, political participation is not to Nie, Junn, and Stehlik-Barry, and modules like Kids Voting acceptable. Civic knowledge, this is “the best documented USA that are embedded in as measured by the National finding in American political courses) have significant, Assessment of Educational behavior research.”64 To some positive effects on voting Progress (NAEP) Civics extent, educational attainment after graduation.66 These Assessment, is generally may be a proxy for social courses may boost voting considered poor, with only one status or personal motivation by enhancing students’ quarter of high school seniors and ability, but some careful knowledge, interest in reaching the “proficient” studies find that obtaining politics and issues, habits of level. The voter turnout of more education actually discussing politics, and sense young adults (18-29) varies by boosts voting.65 of membership and obligation. election, from 1% in the 2012 Extracurricular participation in Nevada caucuses to 51% in the All states have civics high school, with the exception 2008 national election, but standards, and many have of sports, is also positively is generally low compared to course or testing requirements. related to voting.67 But civic learning opportunities vary mobilized to vote and voting urban youth lacked acceptable 1. The Youth October) said they didn’t Only a small percentage (1.4%) widely across school districts are themselves educative identification.74 However, know what the photo ID indicated that they had no and schools, and different acts; (2) schools and colleges the available research did Engagement requirements were in their photo ID of any sort. However, student populations receive can mitigate deficiencies in not look closely at youth. Fund Surveys state. More than half (51.6%) non-college-experienced different levels and kinds of the electoral system by, for Also, voter identification did not know about early youth were five times more instruction. Prior educational example, teaching students requirements might not appear voting options when asked in likely than college-experienced Methods and sample success, family socioeconomic how to manage difficult voter to affect turnout because the the summer; 44.2% still didn’t youth to lack valid photo status (SES), and school SES registration rules; and (3) populations who lacked IDs know in October. Just 21% ID. Hispanics were over four With funding from the Youth have each been shown to voting laws can directly affect had low turnout anyway. In knew the registration deadline times more likely than Whites Education Fund, CIRCLE polled affect the quality of civics educators—for example, those that case, implementing new in July. In the summer, 61.0% and over six times more likely 1,695 nationally representative education a student is likely to who distribute registration requirements would place a of respondents were unsure than African Americans to be youth (ages 18-29) in June/ receive.68 forms in school. ceiling on their participation. whether they needed to without a photo ID. So while July and 1,109 of the same Many of the most controversial register 30 days or more the percentage of individuals youth between October 12 State laws regarding civic Some recent reforms in requirements were new in 2012. before the election. In October, without photo ID was small, and 23, 2012. Knowledge education vary, with some election laws are likely to That was true, for example, of only 40.4% didn’t know. But in they were disproportionately Networks administered the states requiring courses improve voter turnout. Two the particularly stringent photo many states, the deadline had members of some groups. online survey for CIRCLE, using and high-stakes tests, and studies have found that Same- ID laws adopted since 2010 in passed by then. a nationally representative others mandating nothing. Day Registration (SDR) is several states. The most common form sample built originally on a West found that state-level an effective mechanism for Across the board, likely voters of photo ID listed was a random sample of households. history and science course bringing young people to As of 2004, 5.3 million were more than twice as likely current state-issued driver’s Recruited households were requirements were strongly the polls because it allows Americans, of whom about 2 as unlikely voters to choose an license (80.7%). A distant given Internet access if correlated with the amount people to participate even if million are African Americans, answer to each of the voting second was a current U.S. needed. African Americans, of classroom time that they only become interested were ineligible to vote because law questions. They were also passport (39.9%), followed Latinos, and individuals who students spent on history.69 in an election during the of state laws disenfranchising more likely to be correct. by a current photo ID issued had never attended college Yet the one study prior to most intense final phase of felons and ex-felons. Felon- by a college or university in were oversampled. The survey the Commission’s report the campaign.71 Several other disenfranchisement laws not When young people chose the state where the student was conducted in English and that examined whether state reforms modestly improve only block the turnout of those an incorrect response in would vote (28.8%). Of those Spanish. Surveying the same laws affected student civic turnout. For example: directly affected, but they October, it was often because who said they had photo ID, people twice offered evidence knowledge found no impact.70 seem to depress the turnout they assumed that the law 91.3% indicated that it had of change over time. In general, the impact of • When schools encourage of non-felons from the same was stricter than it really was. an expiration date on it, 3.5% policy on civic learning has students to register, or allow 16- communities.75 African Americans were most indicated no expiration date, Most pertinent findings been little studied. In a time and 17-year-olds to “preregister,” likely to assume that their state and 5.2% were unsure. (Some of rapid change in educational available evidence suggests an had various requirements, and states required photo IDs with Appendix B: Data These surveys asked policies—marked by No Child increase in turnout.72 were also likely to be incorrect expiration dates.) young people about the Left Behind, the Common on the ID requirement largely Collected for the candidates, issues, and their Core State Standards, charter • States that mail information because of the assumption Commission own involvement in the 2. The National schools, and vouchers—the about polling locations and that strict laws were in place. campaign. Most relevant to literature on the effects of sample ballots to households Excluding those who were Youth Survey To inform the Commission, the Commission’s work were policy for civic education is seem to raise turnout unsure, African Americans CIRCLE collected and analyzed questions about state voting thin. significantly among less (61.2%) and Hispanic Methods and sample data during and after the laws and policies, which were advantaged young people.73 Americans (59.3%) were more 2012 election. Commissioners in rapid change during the The United States is unusual in likely to be incorrect about a CIRCLE commissioned advised on design and election season as many states allowing states to set widely Before 2012, the findings strict photo ID law than Whites Universal Survey, Inc. to recruit interpretation, but CIRCLE implemented new restrictions different policies governing of research on measures (39.8%). 4,483 individuals to participate is solely responsible for the and courts struck some elections, from Oregon’s that placed restrictions on in a 17-minute random-digit- analysis (and for any errors). of them down. Our survey exclusive use of mailed voting were mixed. Stringent Young people with college dialing phone interview. Additional, detailed results showed much confusion and ballots, to states that require residency requirements experience were better The sample was designed have been published on the misinformation about the individuals to appear during were sometimes found to informed than their non-college so that two-thirds of the CIRCLE website or will be actual laws, although young limited hours on Election Day dampen the participation of peers. Youth with some college respondents come from cell- published in peer-reviewed people knew more in October (having registered more than college students, but voter ID were almost seven percentage phone numbers and the rest academic papers. than in July. 30 days earlier) and present requirements did not appear points more likely to correctly from land-line numbers. The photo ID. Variations in election to have sizable effects on identify photo ID requirements interviews began the day after Many young people (43.3% law are relevant to civic overall turnout, even though in their state (56.9% college the 2012 Presidential election in the summer, and 41.7% in education because: (1) being many college students and and 48.7% non-college). and went on for six weeks,

40 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 41 learning opportunities vary mobilized to vote and voting urban youth lacked acceptable 1. The Youth October) said they didn’t Only a small percentage (1.4%) widely across school districts are themselves educative identification.74 However, know what the photo ID indicated that they had no and schools, and different acts; (2) schools and colleges the available research did Engagement requirements were in their photo ID of any sort. However, student populations receive can mitigate deficiencies in not look closely at youth. Fund Surveys state. More than half (51.6%) non-college-experienced different levels and kinds of the electoral system by, for Also, voter identification did not know about early youth were five times more instruction. Prior educational example, teaching students requirements might not appear voting options when asked in likely than college-experienced Methods and sample success, family socioeconomic how to manage difficult voter to affect turnout because the the summer; 44.2% still didn’t youth to lack valid photo status (SES), and school SES registration rules; and (3) populations who lacked IDs know in October. Just 21% ID. Hispanics were over four With funding from the Youth have each been shown to voting laws can directly affect had low turnout anyway. In knew the registration deadline times more likely than Whites Education Fund, CIRCLE polled affect the quality of civics educators—for example, those that case, implementing new in July. In the summer, 61.0% and over six times more likely 1,695 nationally representative education a student is likely to who distribute registration requirements would place a of respondents were unsure than African Americans to be youth (ages 18-29) in June/ receive.68 forms in school. ceiling on their participation. whether they needed to without a photo ID. So while July and 1,109 of the same Many of the most controversial register 30 days or more the percentage of individuals youth between October 12 State laws regarding civic Some recent reforms in requirements were new in 2012. before the election. In October, without photo ID was small, and 23, 2012. Knowledge education vary, with some election laws are likely to That was true, for example, of only 40.4% didn’t know. But in they were disproportionately Networks administered the states requiring courses improve voter turnout. Two the particularly stringent photo many states, the deadline had members of some groups. online survey for CIRCLE, using and high-stakes tests, and studies have found that Same- ID laws adopted since 2010 in passed by then. a nationally representative others mandating nothing. Day Registration (SDR) is several states. The most common form sample built originally on a West found that state-level an effective mechanism for Across the board, likely voters of photo ID listed was a random sample of households. history and science course bringing young people to As of 2004, 5.3 million were more than twice as likely current state-issued driver’s Recruited households were requirements were strongly the polls because it allows Americans, of whom about 2 as unlikely voters to choose an license (80.7%). A distant given Internet access if correlated with the amount people to participate even if million are African Americans, answer to each of the voting second was a current U.S. needed. African Americans, of classroom time that they only become interested were ineligible to vote because law questions. They were also passport (39.9%), followed Latinos, and individuals who students spent on history.69 in an election during the of state laws disenfranchising more likely to be correct. by a current photo ID issued had never attended college Yet the one study prior to most intense final phase of felons and ex-felons. Felon- by a college or university in were oversampled. The survey the Commission’s report the campaign.71 Several other disenfranchisement laws not When young people chose the state where the student was conducted in English and that examined whether state reforms modestly improve only block the turnout of those an incorrect response in would vote (28.8%). Of those Spanish. Surveying the same laws affected student civic turnout. For example: directly affected, but they October, it was often because who said they had photo ID, people twice offered evidence knowledge found no impact.70 seem to depress the turnout they assumed that the law 91.3% indicated that it had of change over time. In general, the impact of • When schools encourage of non-felons from the same was stricter than it really was. an expiration date on it, 3.5% policy on civic learning has students to register, or allow 16- communities.75 African Americans were most indicated no expiration date, Most pertinent findings been little studied. In a time and 17-year-olds to “preregister,” likely to assume that their state and 5.2% were unsure. (Some of rapid change in educational available evidence suggests an had various requirements, and states required photo IDs with Appendix B: Data These surveys asked policies—marked by No Child increase in turnout.72 were also likely to be incorrect expiration dates.) young people about the Left Behind, the Common on the ID requirement largely Collected for the candidates, issues, and their Core State Standards, charter • States that mail information because of the assumption Commission own involvement in the 2. The National schools, and vouchers—the about polling locations and that strict laws were in place. campaign. Most relevant to literature on the effects of sample ballots to households Excluding those who were Youth Survey To inform the Commission, the Commission’s work were policy for civic education is seem to raise turnout unsure, African Americans CIRCLE collected and analyzed questions about state voting thin. significantly among less (61.2%) and Hispanic Methods and sample data during and after the laws and policies, which were advantaged young people.73 Americans (59.3%) were more 2012 election. Commissioners in rapid change during the The United States is unusual in likely to be incorrect about a CIRCLE commissioned advised on design and election season as many states allowing states to set widely Before 2012, the findings strict photo ID law than Whites Universal Survey, Inc. to recruit interpretation, but CIRCLE implemented new restrictions different policies governing of research on measures (39.8%). 4,483 individuals to participate is solely responsible for the and courts struck some elections, from Oregon’s that placed restrictions on in a 17-minute random-digit- analysis (and for any errors). of them down. Our survey exclusive use of mailed voting were mixed. Stringent Young people with college dialing phone interview. Additional, detailed results showed much confusion and ballots, to states that require residency requirements experience were better The sample was designed have been published on the misinformation about the individuals to appear during were sometimes found to informed than their non-college so that two-thirds of the CIRCLE website or will be actual laws, although young limited hours on Election Day dampen the participation of peers. Youth with some college respondents come from cell- published in peer-reviewed people knew more in October (having registered more than college students, but voter ID were almost seven percentage phone numbers and the rest academic papers. than in July. 30 days earlier) and present requirements did not appear points more likely to correctly from land-line numbers. The photo ID. Variations in election to have sizable effects on identify photo ID requirements interviews began the day after Many young people (43.3% law are relevant to civic overall turnout, even though in their state (56.9% college the 2012 Presidential election in the summer, and 41.7% in education because: (1) being many college students and and 48.7% non-college). and went on for six weeks,

40 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 41 until all the participant data as belonging to other racial demographics and background We also tested measures • More extracurricular determine the youth turnout were collected. At least 75 groups. Participants were experiences, their experiences such as photo ID rules, proof participation in high school was rate in 2012 and to examine participants came from each of quite balanced ideologically, with various forms of civic of citizenship requirements, associated with higher political whether turnout varied at the the 50 states and Washington, with 28.1% identifying as education in schools, families, restrictions on early voting, knowledge today.76 state level depending on the DC (75-131 per state). “conservatives,” 27.4% as and community settings, their restrictions on registration, the voting laws and civic education Participants of Black and “liberals” and 33.2% as current involvement with civic sum of all restrictive measures, • Discussions of current issues in policies that were in place at Hispanic backgrounds were “moderates” (and 11.3% chose groups, the political climate of and the Election Performance young adulthood were related the time of the election. slightly oversampled to obtain “none of those”). However, their states, and the education Index (a composite measure to greater electoral engagement a large sample of each group consistent with other survey and voting laws in force in their of 17 measurable indicators of today. For this analysis, we created a (i.e., over 800 individuals in research on youth, they states. Detailed results will be election administration in the multilevel model that related each group, coming from were more likely to identify published in scholarly articles. state, such as polling location • Parents’ encouraging their youth voting to state laws. states with moderate to high as Democrats (38.2%) than wait times, online availability adolescent children to express The model also incorporated portion of Black and Hispanic Republicans (21.3%). Twenty- In short, youth knowledge of information, number of opinions and disagreements the individual respondents’ residents). eight percent considered and engagement varied rejected registration forms, predicted electoral engagement, age, gender, race, educational themselves independents, dramatically by state, but overseas ballots and accuracy political knowledge, and attainment, marital status, To keep the interview length 9.8% said they had no those differences could, in of voting technology), and informed voting in 2012. and employment status, under 20 minutes total, the political views, and 2.6% said general, be explained in terms found that none of these and the states’ battleground survey questions were asked they identified with another of individual-level factors such affected youth turnout or • Attending racially diverse high status (competitiveness in using three parallel forms, party. Forty-one percent of as demographics. State-level other indicators of civic schools was related to lower 2012), poverty rate, number each of which contained respondents were in college civics course requirements, engagement and political electoral engagement and of nonprofit organizations approximately 75 questions. at the time of the survey, tests, civic standards, and knowledge. We did, however, lower levels of informed voting, per capita, and turnout of All respondents answered the 36.7% employed full time, the content of state tests detect some effects when we probably because it is more over-30s in 2010 (the last core set of 45 questions. The 19.7% had at least one parent had no detectable impact used the much larger CPS difficult to discuss controversial two indicators were entered other 45 questions were split born overseas, and 21.1% were on the outcomes of interest. Voting Supplement to estimate issues and to motivate people as proxy measures of general among three parallel forms, themselves parents. The competitiveness of the individual propensity to vote: to participate in diverse civic and political engagement such that each form contained presidential race in 2012 see Appendix B3, below. contexts.77 On the other hand, level). We used multilevel two out of three “blocks” of Chief findings did boost a state’s youth’s school and family practices modeling because each youth questions, resulting in about propensity to vote, as did Although state policies did not and extracurricular activities was nested within a state, 30 additional questions. As a CIRCLE built statistical the availability of Same seem to matter, the following can compensate. Discussion of each of which was uniquely result, we have a large sample models to predict voter Day Registration (SDR). individual experiences did: controversial current issues in defined by a set of voting (about 2,900 individuals) for turnout, electoral engagement However, the effect of the school and parental support laws, civic education policies, every question, while being (registering and voting while competitiveness of the election • The quality of high school civics for controversial discussions and state-wide demographic able to ask a wide range of also following the news), and SDR was limited to voting, classes (defined by the number both diminished the negative characteristics affecting all questions. political knowledge (correctly and was not observed for of research-based pedagogical relationship between diversity residents in the state. answering items on a short other outcomes of interest practices that the respondents and electoral engagement. After the survey data collection quiz of general knowledge), such as civic knowledge and recalled) marginally predicted We modeled the effects of was completed with a total and informed voting, which informed voting. electoral engagement and 3. Analysis of photo ID requirements, all sample of 4,483 respondents we defined as registering, predicted informed voting in voter ID requirements, proof aged 18-24 (all U.S. citizens), voting, answering at least We tested other indicators 2012. Official Turnout of citizenship requirements, CIRCLE computed a one (out of two) campaign of voter laws and measures Statistics limitations on early voting, non-response and post- knowledge question correctly, to facilitate registration • Having experienced service- registration restrictions, state stratification weight so that the answering four or more general and voting, such as online learning in high school predicted civic education policies, the In November of every even- weighted frequencies matched political knowledge questions registration availability, no- civic engagement in 2012 if sum of all the restrictive numbered year, the U.S. the Census Current Population correctly, voting consistently excuse absentee voting, early the service-learning involved voting laws, and the number Census Bureau surveys a Survey March 2012 Supplement with one’s personal opinion voting, vote by mail, online discussion of root causes. of efforts taken to push back representative sample of US population data for citizens on a campaign issue of one’s registration, and extended against these restrictions (e.g., households and asks whether by gender and race/ethnicity. choice, and following the news voting hours but found no • Being told to vote by a high lawsuits, legislative repeals). respondents were registered Because of the oversamples fairly or very closely during the relationship between each of school teacher predicted and whether they voted. The of African American and election season. these measures and any of the electoral engagement in 2012. We also tested other laws sample size for the November Hispanic respondents, they outcomes of interest once we that were not new in the 2012 voting supplement was were weighted slightly As possible predictors of these controlled for individual-level • Specifically being taught about 2012 election cycle but were 151,598 people. Of those, 17,811 lower than respondents who outcomes, we considered covariates (e.g., educational voting in high school predicted designed to facilitate voting, were 18-29 year-old citizens. identified as White (54.4% of a wide range of factors, progress). political knowledge in 2012. such as Same Day Registration, CIRCLE analyzed this survey to the unweighted sample) or including the individuals’ extended voting hours, online

42 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 43 until all the participant data as belonging to other racial demographics and background We also tested measures • More extracurricular determine the youth turnout were collected. At least 75 groups. Participants were experiences, their experiences such as photo ID rules, proof participation in high school was rate in 2012 and to examine participants came from each of quite balanced ideologically, with various forms of civic of citizenship requirements, associated with higher political whether turnout varied at the the 50 states and Washington, with 28.1% identifying as education in schools, families, restrictions on early voting, knowledge today.76 state level depending on the DC (75-131 per state). “conservatives,” 27.4% as and community settings, their restrictions on registration, the voting laws and civic education Participants of Black and “liberals” and 33.2% as current involvement with civic sum of all restrictive measures, • Discussions of current issues in policies that were in place at Hispanic backgrounds were “moderates” (and 11.3% chose groups, the political climate of and the Election Performance young adulthood were related the time of the election. slightly oversampled to obtain “none of those”). However, their states, and the education Index (a composite measure to greater electoral engagement a large sample of each group consistent with other survey and voting laws in force in their of 17 measurable indicators of today. For this analysis, we created a (i.e., over 800 individuals in research on youth, they states. Detailed results will be election administration in the multilevel model that related each group, coming from were more likely to identify published in scholarly articles. state, such as polling location • Parents’ encouraging their youth voting to state laws. states with moderate to high as Democrats (38.2%) than wait times, online availability adolescent children to express The model also incorporated portion of Black and Hispanic Republicans (21.3%). Twenty- In short, youth knowledge of information, number of opinions and disagreements the individual respondents’ residents). eight percent considered and engagement varied rejected registration forms, predicted electoral engagement, age, gender, race, educational themselves independents, dramatically by state, but overseas ballots and accuracy political knowledge, and attainment, marital status, To keep the interview length 9.8% said they had no those differences could, in of voting technology), and informed voting in 2012. and employment status, under 20 minutes total, the political views, and 2.6% said general, be explained in terms found that none of these and the states’ battleground survey questions were asked they identified with another of individual-level factors such affected youth turnout or • Attending racially diverse high status (competitiveness in using three parallel forms, party. Forty-one percent of as demographics. State-level other indicators of civic schools was related to lower 2012), poverty rate, number each of which contained respondents were in college civics course requirements, engagement and political electoral engagement and of nonprofit organizations approximately 75 questions. at the time of the survey, tests, civic standards, and knowledge. We did, however, lower levels of informed voting, per capita, and turnout of All respondents answered the 36.7% employed full time, the content of state tests detect some effects when we probably because it is more over-30s in 2010 (the last core set of 45 questions. The 19.7% had at least one parent had no detectable impact used the much larger CPS difficult to discuss controversial two indicators were entered other 45 questions were split born overseas, and 21.1% were on the outcomes of interest. Voting Supplement to estimate issues and to motivate people as proxy measures of general among three parallel forms, themselves parents. The competitiveness of the individual propensity to vote: to participate in diverse civic and political engagement such that each form contained presidential race in 2012 see Appendix B3, below. contexts.77 On the other hand, level). We used multilevel two out of three “blocks” of Chief findings did boost a state’s youth’s school and family practices modeling because each youth questions, resulting in about propensity to vote, as did Although state policies did not and extracurricular activities was nested within a state, 30 additional questions. As a CIRCLE built statistical the availability of Same seem to matter, the following can compensate. Discussion of each of which was uniquely result, we have a large sample models to predict voter Day Registration (SDR). individual experiences did: controversial current issues in defined by a set of voting (about 2,900 individuals) for turnout, electoral engagement However, the effect of the school and parental support laws, civic education policies, every question, while being (registering and voting while competitiveness of the election • The quality of high school civics for controversial discussions and state-wide demographic able to ask a wide range of also following the news), and SDR was limited to voting, classes (defined by the number both diminished the negative characteristics affecting all questions. political knowledge (correctly and was not observed for of research-based pedagogical relationship between diversity residents in the state. answering items on a short other outcomes of interest practices that the respondents and electoral engagement. After the survey data collection quiz of general knowledge), such as civic knowledge and recalled) marginally predicted We modeled the effects of was completed with a total and informed voting, which informed voting. electoral engagement and 3. Analysis of photo ID requirements, all sample of 4,483 respondents we defined as registering, predicted informed voting in voter ID requirements, proof aged 18-24 (all U.S. citizens), voting, answering at least We tested other indicators 2012. Official Turnout of citizenship requirements, CIRCLE computed a one (out of two) campaign of voter laws and measures Statistics limitations on early voting, non-response and post- knowledge question correctly, to facilitate registration • Having experienced service- registration restrictions, state stratification weight so that the answering four or more general and voting, such as online learning in high school predicted civic education policies, the In November of every even- weighted frequencies matched political knowledge questions registration availability, no- civic engagement in 2012 if sum of all the restrictive numbered year, the U.S. the Census Current Population correctly, voting consistently excuse absentee voting, early the service-learning involved voting laws, and the number Census Bureau surveys a Survey March 2012 Supplement with one’s personal opinion voting, vote by mail, online discussion of root causes. of efforts taken to push back representative sample of US population data for citizens on a campaign issue of one’s registration, and extended against these restrictions (e.g., households and asks whether by gender and race/ethnicity. choice, and following the news voting hours but found no • Being told to vote by a high lawsuits, legislative repeals). respondents were registered Because of the oversamples fairly or very closely during the relationship between each of school teacher predicted and whether they voted. The of African American and election season. these measures and any of the electoral engagement in 2012. We also tested other laws sample size for the November Hispanic respondents, they outcomes of interest once we that were not new in the 2012 voting supplement was were weighted slightly As possible predictors of these controlled for individual-level • Specifically being taught about 2012 election cycle but were 151,598 people. Of those, 17,811 lower than respondents who outcomes, we considered covariates (e.g., educational voting in high school predicted designed to facilitate voting, were 18-29 year-old citizens. identified as White (54.4% of a wide range of factors, progress). political knowledge in 2012. such as Same Day Registration, CIRCLE analyzed this survey to the unweighted sample) or including the individuals’ extended voting hours, online

42 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 43 registration and in-person early teachers in the US.70 Of coaching a sports team (30.5%), issues (46.3% strongly agreed, • Chrissy Faessen, Vice fronts, contributions from voting. We tested the effects these 8,000, we contacted followed by student government 53.5% agreed not strongly) and President for Marketing and all sectors of society, and of the quality of election- 4,000 first by sending them (15.2%), a service club (14.8%), a respect students' opinions and Communications, Rock the Vote constant attention to the related administration and a U.S. mail letter enclosing debate team (7.2%), or an arts encourage them to express quality of implementation the availability of election- a $2 bill that invited them and culture club (4.7%). them during class (64.3% • Shawn Healy, Civic Learning and (not just mandates and related information using the to participate in the survey strongly agree, 35.5% agree). Engagement Scholar, Robert R. rules), a promising strategy Election Performance Index (a (which was available online Major findings All of them (67.9% strongly) said McCormick Foundation is to build durable coalitions composite measure created or on paper, upon request). that students should make up that advocate for better by Pew Research, composed About one week later, MDR • High school civics and American their own minds about issues. • Marcia Johnson-Blanco, Co- civic education in their of 17 measurable indicators of sent an invitation email, written government teachers expressed However, just over one third Director, Voting Rights Project, communities or states. These election administration in each by CIRCLE, to 4,837 teachers strong support for the civic (36.3%) of teachers felt that Lawyers’ Committee for Civil coalitions should draw on state, such as polling location (from the same pool) whose mission of their schools, with students had a say in how the Rights Under the Law educators, youth, and other wait times, online availability email addresses were available. 98% saying that teaching high school was run (about the stakeholders. They should take of information, number of MDR sent a follow-up email if students to embrace the same as young people’s report • Geraldine Mannion, Program advantage of opportunities rejected registration forms, a teacher opened an email but responsibilities of citizenship, on the same question). Director, U.S. Democracy and that arise in various sectors overseas ballots and accuracy did not click-through to the such as voting and jury duty, Special Opportunities Fund, (state education policies, of voting technology, based on survey. The survey was open is very important or absolutely 5. Stakeholder Carnegie Corporation of New state university systems, 2010 data), and the Election from May 10, 2013 to June essential (63.1% said it was York school districts, and voting Communication Index.78 1, 2013. In that time period, essential). This belief was shared Interviews laws, to name a few) and we received a total of 720 by teachers from all regions and • Linda Nguyen, Director of should be concerned about The analysis indicated that, responses (4 were in paper from schools that face different Between February and April, Civic Engagement, Alliance for implementation as well as after controlling for individual format). types and levels of challenges. CIRCLE staff interviewed the Children and Families the original passage of new and state-level predictors, following individuals for advice policies. youth turned out at a higher We cannot know how many • Teachers said that their on the project and this report. • Tobin Van Ostern, Advisor for rate if SDR was available. On teachers received one or both principals would support All interviews were conducted Strategic Partnerships, Young An illustrative and incomplete the other hand, non-college solicitation, so the response their decision to teach about “on the record” with explicit Invincibles (at the time of the list of existing coalitions youth were less likely to vote rate may range from 9.0% to the election (90%). The consent. The conversations interview, Van Ostern was follows: in states where photo ID rules 14.9%, which is higher than the district (86.6%) and parents were audio-recorded and Deputy Director of Campus were in place (even if the 1—2% rate for email surveys. (85.6%) would be similarly analyzed by more than one Progress) • In California, educators, provisions were passed but Previous studies suggest that supportive. However, teachers CIRCLE staff person. Their legislators, policymakers, not yet implemented), and in the U.S. mail outreach has a were somewhat unsure of ideas are woven into the main • Rob Richie, Executive Director, labor leaders, the business states with a large number of positive impact on response the community’s reaction text of this report. FairVote community, religious groups, voting restrictions. For non- rates. Of those who started to “bringing politics” into and the general public are college youth only, it appears the survey, 86% finished the classrooms. A quarter (24.8%) • Lee Arbetman, Executive • Jonathan Romm, Senior increasingly aware that the that SDR was a particularly last questions in the survey. of the teachers thought that Director, Street Law, Inc. Consultant, Campus Election educational mission must also important buffer against the parents or other adults in Engagement Project focus on preparing students non-participation when many Participant characteristics the community would object • Rob “Biko” Baker, Executive to become responsible, restrictive rules were in place. to it, and 16.4% thought that Director, League of Young • Marcie Taylor-Thoma, Social actively engaged citizens in • 91.3% taught at public schools, parents and other adults in the Voters Studies Coordinator, Division of our democratic society. To 4. A National 1.7% came from private parochial community might object to Curriculum, Assessment, and achieve this goal, Chief Justice schools, 1% from private secular teaching about election and • Brian Brady, Executive Director, Accountability, Maryland State of California Tani Cantil-Sakauye Civics Teacher religious schools, 1.1% from voting. Mikva Challenge Department of Education convened a high-profile and Survey public charters, and 0.8% from diverse group for a summit on private charter schools. • Teachers said they try to create • Robert M. Brandon, President, Appendix C: civic education in February 2013. what researchers call an “open Fair Elections Legal Network Supreme Court Justice Sandra Working with an educational • About half of the teachers climate classroom,” where Examples of good Day O’Connor was the keynote marketing firm called MDR, had between 6 and 15 years students feel free to form and • Eric Braxton, Executive Director, speaker. Since the meeting, we reached out to a potential practice of experience, while almost a express opinions about issues. Funders’ Collaborative on Youth State Superintendent of Public pool of 8,000 people who quarter had 21 or more years of Virtually all of the teachers Organizing Instruction Tom Torlakson and were identified as “civics and teaching experience. said that students should feel 1. Coalitions Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye government teachers” in U.S. free to disagree openly with • Toby Crittenden, Executive have established a Task Force high schools, which is thought • Most (73%) of the teachers them about political and social Director, Washington Bus Since improving youth on k-12 Civic Learning that has to be about half of all the high advised at least one student Project engagement and knowledge been charged with making school civics and government group, most commonly requires action on many recommendations for elevating

44 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 45 registration and in-person early teachers in the US.70 Of coaching a sports team (30.5%), issues (46.3% strongly agreed, • Chrissy Faessen, Vice fronts, contributions from voting. We tested the effects these 8,000, we contacted followed by student government 53.5% agreed not strongly) and President for Marketing and all sectors of society, and of the quality of election- 4,000 first by sending them (15.2%), a service club (14.8%), a respect students' opinions and Communications, Rock the Vote constant attention to the related administration and a U.S. mail letter enclosing debate team (7.2%), or an arts encourage them to express quality of implementation the availability of election- a $2 bill that invited them and culture club (4.7%). them during class (64.3% • Shawn Healy, Civic Learning and (not just mandates and related information using the to participate in the survey strongly agree, 35.5% agree). Engagement Scholar, Robert R. rules), a promising strategy Election Performance Index (a (which was available online Major findings All of them (67.9% strongly) said McCormick Foundation is to build durable coalitions composite measure created or on paper, upon request). that students should make up that advocate for better by Pew Research, composed About one week later, MDR • High school civics and American their own minds about issues. • Marcia Johnson-Blanco, Co- civic education in their of 17 measurable indicators of sent an invitation email, written government teachers expressed However, just over one third Director, Voting Rights Project, communities or states. These election administration in each by CIRCLE, to 4,837 teachers strong support for the civic (36.3%) of teachers felt that Lawyers’ Committee for Civil coalitions should draw on state, such as polling location (from the same pool) whose mission of their schools, with students had a say in how the Rights Under the Law educators, youth, and other wait times, online availability email addresses were available. 98% saying that teaching high school was run (about the stakeholders. They should take of information, number of MDR sent a follow-up email if students to embrace the same as young people’s report • Geraldine Mannion, Program advantage of opportunities rejected registration forms, a teacher opened an email but responsibilities of citizenship, on the same question). Director, U.S. Democracy and that arise in various sectors overseas ballots and accuracy did not click-through to the such as voting and jury duty, Special Opportunities Fund, (state education policies, of voting technology, based on survey. The survey was open is very important or absolutely 5. Stakeholder Carnegie Corporation of New state university systems, 2010 data), and the Election from May 10, 2013 to June essential (63.1% said it was York school districts, and voting Communication Index.78 1, 2013. In that time period, essential). This belief was shared Interviews laws, to name a few) and we received a total of 720 by teachers from all regions and • Linda Nguyen, Director of should be concerned about The analysis indicated that, responses (4 were in paper from schools that face different Between February and April, Civic Engagement, Alliance for implementation as well as after controlling for individual format). types and levels of challenges. CIRCLE staff interviewed the Children and Families the original passage of new and state-level predictors, following individuals for advice policies. youth turned out at a higher We cannot know how many • Teachers said that their on the project and this report. • Tobin Van Ostern, Advisor for rate if SDR was available. On teachers received one or both principals would support All interviews were conducted Strategic Partnerships, Young An illustrative and incomplete the other hand, non-college solicitation, so the response their decision to teach about “on the record” with explicit Invincibles (at the time of the list of existing coalitions youth were less likely to vote rate may range from 9.0% to the election (90%). The consent. The conversations interview, Van Ostern was follows: in states where photo ID rules 14.9%, which is higher than the district (86.6%) and parents were audio-recorded and Deputy Director of Campus were in place (even if the 1—2% rate for email surveys. (85.6%) would be similarly analyzed by more than one Progress) • In California, educators, provisions were passed but Previous studies suggest that supportive. However, teachers CIRCLE staff person. Their legislators, policymakers, not yet implemented), and in the U.S. mail outreach has a were somewhat unsure of ideas are woven into the main • Rob Richie, Executive Director, labor leaders, the business states with a large number of positive impact on response the community’s reaction text of this report. FairVote community, religious groups, voting restrictions. For non- rates. Of those who started to “bringing politics” into and the general public are college youth only, it appears the survey, 86% finished the classrooms. A quarter (24.8%) • Lee Arbetman, Executive • Jonathan Romm, Senior increasingly aware that the that SDR was a particularly last questions in the survey. of the teachers thought that Director, Street Law, Inc. Consultant, Campus Election educational mission must also important buffer against the parents or other adults in Engagement Project focus on preparing students non-participation when many Participant characteristics the community would object • Rob “Biko” Baker, Executive to become responsible, restrictive rules were in place. to it, and 16.4% thought that Director, League of Young • Marcie Taylor-Thoma, Social actively engaged citizens in • 91.3% taught at public schools, parents and other adults in the Voters Studies Coordinator, Division of our democratic society. To 4. A National 1.7% came from private parochial community might object to Curriculum, Assessment, and achieve this goal, Chief Justice schools, 1% from private secular teaching about election and • Brian Brady, Executive Director, Accountability, Maryland State of California Tani Cantil-Sakauye Civics Teacher religious schools, 1.1% from voting. Mikva Challenge Department of Education convened a high-profile and Survey public charters, and 0.8% from diverse group for a summit on private charter schools. • Teachers said they try to create • Robert M. Brandon, President, Appendix C: civic education in February 2013. what researchers call an “open Fair Elections Legal Network Supreme Court Justice Sandra Working with an educational • About half of the teachers climate classroom,” where Examples of good Day O’Connor was the keynote marketing firm called MDR, had between 6 and 15 years students feel free to form and • Eric Braxton, Executive Director, speaker. Since the meeting, we reached out to a potential practice of experience, while almost a express opinions about issues. Funders’ Collaborative on Youth State Superintendent of Public pool of 8,000 people who quarter had 21 or more years of Virtually all of the teachers Organizing Instruction Tom Torlakson and were identified as “civics and teaching experience. said that students should feel 1. Coalitions Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye government teachers” in U.S. free to disagree openly with • Toby Crittenden, Executive have established a Task Force high schools, which is thought • Most (73%) of the teachers them about political and social Director, Washington Bus Since improving youth on k-12 Civic Learning that has to be about half of all the high advised at least one student Project engagement and knowledge been charged with making school civics and government group, most commonly requires action on many recommendations for elevating

44 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 45 the status of civic learning and 2004 to expand and improve engagement in California’s civic learning in our schools curriculum, instructional and colleges and universities. practices, professional Its co-chairs are Justice Sandra development for teachers, Day O’Connor (United States student testing, accountability Supreme Court, retired) and systems, existing infrastructure, Lee Hamilton, former Member and partnerships with the of the United States House community and business. of Representatives. The Campaign works with more • The Florida Joint Center for than 60 partners to advocate Citizenship is a partnership changes in state, local, and between the Lou Frey Institute national policy that promote of Politics and Government civic learning and implement at the University of Central the recommendations in the Florida and the Bob Graham “Guardian of Democracy: The Center for Public Service at Civic Mission of Schools,” the University of Florida. The a report published by the Joint Center grew from a 2006 Campaign in 2011 as an bipartisan effort, launched updated and expanded by Congressman Lou Frey version of the “Civic Mission and Senator Bob Graham, to of Schools” report, published improve civic education in in 2003 by the Carnegie Florida. Since then, with the help Corporation of New York and of many other organizations and CIRCLE. people, the state’s social studies standards and benchmarks have been revised and strengthened and the Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Civics Education Act has added civics to Florida’s list of tested subjects.

• The Illinois Civic Mission Coalition is a broad, nonpartisan consortium including educators, administrators, students, universities, funders, elected officials, policymakers, and representatives from the private and non-profit sectors. They advocate for implementing the Civic Blueprint for Illinois High Schools, a report jointly written by 80 civic leaders, policy makers and teachers at a conference in 2009. The report emphasizes six key ideas that can be adopted in every high school in the state.

At the national level, the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools was founded in

46 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 47 the status of civic learning and 2004 to expand and improve engagement in California’s civic learning in our schools curriculum, instructional and colleges and universities. practices, professional Its co-chairs are Justice Sandra development for teachers, Day O’Connor (United States student testing, accountability Supreme Court, retired) and systems, existing infrastructure, Lee Hamilton, former Member and partnerships with the of the United States House community and business. of Representatives. The Campaign works with more • The Florida Joint Center for than 60 partners to advocate Citizenship is a partnership changes in state, local, and between the Lou Frey Institute national policy that promote of Politics and Government civic learning and implement at the University of Central the recommendations in the Florida and the Bob Graham “Guardian of Democracy: The Center for Public Service at Civic Mission of Schools,” the University of Florida. The a report published by the Joint Center grew from a 2006 Campaign in 2011 as an bipartisan effort, launched updated and expanded by Congressman Lou Frey version of the “Civic Mission and Senator Bob Graham, to of Schools” report, published improve civic education in in 2003 by the Carnegie Florida. Since then, with the help Corporation of New York and of many other organizations and CIRCLE. people, the state’s social studies standards and benchmarks have been revised and strengthened and the Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Civics Education Act has added civics to Florida’s list of tested subjects.

At the national level, the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools was founded in

46 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 47 2. Programs KidsVoting USA http://kidsvotingusa.org/ The following examples of youth-oriented programming incorporate content oriented towards KidsVoting USA is a national network that works with community-based groups to increase civic and political action. The examples are illustrative and by no means exhaustive and were not civic learning for youth in k-12 schools. It combines classroom instruction, family dialogue and chosen by means of a formal comparison of their impact. They all appear to be promising. Some experience with voting in a “real-life” simulation. have been studied rigorously, but some have not. Thus we do not endorse any one program per se, but welcome their spirit of innovation and encourage careful evaluation. Mikva Challenge http://www.mikvachallenge.org/programs/ Diverse and accessible opportunities for civically disadvantaged and non-college youth The Mikva Challenges works with underserved teenagers in Chicago to develop their civic Americorps leadership. Their programs place youth in experiential learning environments where they work on http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps community activism projects, participate in electoral campaigns and research and lobby for issues of importance to them at the school and city level. AmeriCorps programs focus on workforce skills in the context of community-based service. In addition to learning work skills, Americorps members learn to develop an appreciation for Puget SoundOff citizenship and build their capacity to lead in community settings. http://pugetsoundoff.org/ Civic Justice Corps Puget SoundOff was created by youth for youth as a safe place for anyone between 13 and 21 to http://www.corpsnetwork.org/impact/workforce-development/civic-justice connect, collaborate and take action. The organizers specifically seek to create a space where youth can 1) express their opinions; 2) discover new perspectives; 3) build groups around common Civic Justice Corps works with previously incarcerated and court-involved youth. Part of the Corps interests; and 4) take action on issues. Network, it connects young adults with their community and engages them in community-based service. The organization encourages its members to assess and listen to their communities’ needs, YOUMedia take action, vote, speak their minds with confidence, and lead others to solve problems. http://youmediachicago.org/ YouthBuild YOUmedia is located at five Chicago Public Library locations and was created to connect young https://youthbuild.org/ adults, books, media, mentors, and institutions throughout the city of Chicago in one dynamic space designed to inspire collaboration and creativity. High school and middle school age students YouthBuild engages young people ages 16 to 24 in programs that focus on learning job skills who engage with YOUmedia have access to thousands of books, laptops and desktop computers by building affordable housing and become actively engaged in their communities. Program and a variety of media creation tools and software, all of which allow them to stretch their participants also elect their own members to a policy committee which is part of the organization’s imaginations and their digital media skills. By working both in teams and individually, students have governing structure. Leadership development and civic engagement skills are learned through an opportunity to engage in projects that promote critical thinking, creativity, and skill-building. hands-on experience. Lower barriers to youth political participation and increase transparency of the political system Engagement in controversy and disagreement that promotes youth voice/expression, information seeking and deliberation Arizona EZ Voter https://servicearizona.com/webapp/evoter/selectLanguage The Black Youth Project http://www.blackyouthproject.com Arizona provides a simple-to-use online voter registration process in both English and Spanish. Online registration in Arizona was implemented in 2002, and between 2002 and 2004, the state The Black Youth Project seeks to combine knowledge, voice and action. Its leaders are committed experienced a 9.5% increase in voter registration. Registration must be completed at least 29 days to producing research about the ideas, attitudes, decision-making, and lived experiences of before the election. Eighteen other states have implemented or passed legislation that would allow black youth, with special attention to their political and civic engagement. They work to amplify similar ease of registration (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2013). the perspectives of young black people without censorship or control and have built a space on the Internet where black youth can speak for themselves about the issues that concern them. Community PlanIt Informed with culturally-specific knowledge, they work to mobilize Black youth and their allies to http://engagementgamelab.org/blog/2012/08/02/community-planit/ make positive change and build the world within which they want to live. Community PlanIt is a game-based environment used to inform community and institutional Facing History and Ourselves planning efforts. The game has been piloted in Detroit, Boston Public Schools, Salem, MA and http://www.facing.org/ other locales. The youth and adults contribute to community planning processes through engaged dialogue and interactions online. Both populations have reported the value of hearing or being Facing History and Ourselves works with classroom educators to improve both the academic part of a process that was multi-generational. performance and civic learning of their students. The program provides curricula that promote rigorous investigations of the Holocaust and other situations of genocide and mass violence.

48 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 49 2. Programs KidsVoting USA http://kidsvotingusa.org/ The following examples of youth-oriented programming incorporate content oriented towards KidsVoting USA is a national network that works with community-based groups to increase civic and political action. The examples are illustrative and by no means exhaustive and were not civic learning for youth in k-12 schools. It combines classroom instruction, family dialogue and chosen by means of a formal comparison of their impact. They all appear to be promising. Some experience with voting in a “real-life” simulation. have been studied rigorously, but some have not. Thus we do not endorse any one program per se, but welcome their spirit of innovation and encourage careful evaluation. Mikva Challenge http://www.mikvachallenge.org/programs/ Diverse and accessible opportunities for civically disadvantaged and non-college youth The Mikva Challenges works with underserved teenagers in Chicago to develop their civic Americorps leadership. Their programs place youth in experiential learning environments where they work on http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps community activism projects, participate in electoral campaigns and research and lobby for issues of importance to them at the school and city level. AmeriCorps programs focus on workforce skills in the context of community-based service. In addition to learning work skills, Americorps members learn to develop an appreciation for Puget SoundOff citizenship and build their capacity to lead in community settings. http://pugetsoundoff.org/ Civic Justice Corps Puget SoundOff was created by youth for youth as a safe place for anyone between 13 and 21 to http://www.corpsnetwork.org/impact/workforce-development/civic-justice connect, collaborate and take action. The organizers specifically seek to create a space where youth can 1) express their opinions; 2) discover new perspectives; 3) build groups around common Civic Justice Corps works with previously incarcerated and court-involved youth. Part of the Corps interests; and 4) take action on issues. Network, it connects young adults with their community and engages them in community-based service. The organization encourages its members to assess and listen to their communities’ needs, YOUMedia take action, vote, speak their minds with confidence, and lead others to solve problems. http://youmediachicago.org/ YouthBuild YOUmedia is located at five Chicago Public Library locations and was created to connect young https://youthbuild.org/ adults, books, media, mentors, and institutions throughout the city of Chicago in one dynamic space designed to inspire collaboration and creativity. High school and middle school age students YouthBuild engages young people ages 16 to 24 in programs that focus on learning job skills who engage with YOUmedia have access to thousands of books, laptops and desktop computers by building affordable housing and become actively engaged in their communities. Program and a variety of media creation tools and software, all of which allow them to stretch their participants also elect their own members to a policy committee which is part of the organization’s imaginations and their digital media skills. By working both in teams and individually, students have governing structure. Leadership development and civic engagement skills are learned through an opportunity to engage in projects that promote critical thinking, creativity, and skill-building. hands-on experience. Lower barriers to youth political participation and increase transparency of the political system Engagement in controversy and disagreement that promotes youth voice/expression, information seeking and deliberation Arizona EZ Voter https://servicearizona.com/webapp/evoter/selectLanguage The Black Youth Project http://www.blackyouthproject.com Arizona provides a simple-to-use online voter registration process in both English and Spanish. Online registration in Arizona was implemented in 2002, and between 2002 and 2004, the state The Black Youth Project seeks to combine knowledge, voice and action. Its leaders are committed experienced a 9.5% increase in voter registration. Registration must be completed at least 29 days to producing research about the ideas, attitudes, decision-making, and lived experiences of before the election. Eighteen other states have implemented or passed legislation that would allow black youth, with special attention to their political and civic engagement. They work to amplify similar ease of registration (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2013). the perspectives of young black people without censorship or control and have built a space on the Internet where black youth can speak for themselves about the issues that concern them. Community PlanIt Informed with culturally-specific knowledge, they work to mobilize Black youth and their allies to http://engagementgamelab.org/blog/2012/08/02/community-planit/ make positive change and build the world within which they want to live. Community PlanIt is a game-based environment used to inform community and institutional Facing History and Ourselves planning efforts. The game has been piloted in Detroit, Boston Public Schools, Salem, MA and http://www.facing.org/ other locales. The youth and adults contribute to community planning processes through engaged dialogue and interactions online. Both populations have reported the value of hearing or being Facing History and Ourselves works with classroom educators to improve both the academic part of a process that was multi-generational. performance and civic learning of their students. The program provides curricula that promote rigorous investigations of the Holocaust and other situations of genocide and mass violence.

48 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 49 League of Women Voters - California—Easy Voter Guide DoSomething.org http://www.easyvoterguide.org/ http://www.dosomething.org/

The League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and the California State Library DoSomething.org is a nationwide not-for-profit for young people and social change. Their more collaborate to provide free, independent, nonpartisan voter guides in several languages and than 1.6 million members work on causes such as bullying, animal cruelty, homelessness, and formats. This is one of many examples of such services offered at the state or local level, informed cancer. DoSomething.org spearheads national campaigns so 13- to 25-year-olds can make an by market research, and intended to address low voter turnout by providing relevant information. impact—without ever needing money, an adult, or a car. More than 2.4 million people took action through DoSomething.org in 2012. League of Young Voters http://youngvoter.org/ Educational Video Center http://www.evc.org/ The League of Young Voters uses cultural organizing and social media outreach as part of their grassroots organizing campaigns. The League focuses on relevant local issues to keep young The Educational Video Center is dedicated to teaching documentary video skills as a means to voters mobilized and engaged in off-election years. Their impact includes improved knowledge of develop the artistic, critical literacy, and career skills of young people, while nurturing their idealism voting and registration mechanics as well as candidates and issues. and commitment to social change. EVC’s teaching methodology brings together the powerful traditions of student-centered progressive education and independent community documentary Rock the Vote Democracy Class filmaking. http://www.rockthevote.com/about/democracy-class.html Generation Citizen Democracy Class is a one-class-period program targeting high school students across the U.S. The http://www.generationcitizen.org program uses video, a classroom discussion and a mock election to teach young people the skills to navigate the elections process and encourages them to get involved. Generation Citizen is an “action civics” program delivered in classrooms. Over the course of the twice-weekly semester-long program, students choose an issue they care about, develop a High-quality civic learning experiences and assessments that develop higher-order knowledge focused, strategic plan to address the issue, take real action, and then reflect on their successes and skills in the context of real-life issues and challenges. Each semester culminates in a Civics Day, in which student representatives from classes in each city present their work to other students, community members, and public officials, Center for Civic Education celebrating their work and gaining feedback to further their efforts. http://new.civiced.org Girls, Inc - Building Better Citizens The Center for Civic Education’s programs help elementary and secondary students to develop (1) http://archive.affiliatecentral.girlsinc.org/program/other_programs/documents/Building_Better_ an increased understanding of the institutions of constitutional democracy and the fundamental Citizens.pdf principles and values upon which they are founded, (2) the skills necessary to participate as competent and responsible citizens, and (3) the willingness to use democratic procedures for Building Better Citizens is an “action civics,” out-of-school program that promotes civic education, making decisions and managing conflict. engagement, and activism for girls ages 12-14. The program encourages girls to participate in the political process and express their needs, hopes, and concerns through community activism, Constitutional Rights Foundation volunteerism, and political leadership. Family involvement throughout the program’s duration is an http://www.crf-usa.org/ integral component of the program’s success in promoting and encouraging girls to understand and participate in their community and government. Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) provides youth with a deeper understanding of citizenship through values expressed in the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights, and educates young Global Classrooms - Model UN people to become active and responsible participants in our society. CRF develops, produces, and http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/about-global-classrooms-model-un distributes programs and materials to teachers, students, and public-minded citizens all across the United States. Global Classrooms is an educational program that engages middle school and high school students in an exploration of current world issues through interactive simulations and curricular materials. Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago Global Classrooms cultivates literacy, life skills and the attitudes necessary for active citizenship. http://www.crfc.org/ At the core of Global Classrooms is Model United Nations, wherein students step into the shoes of UN Ambassadors and debate a range of issues on the UN agenda. Model Congress simulations are The Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago (CRFC) strengthens American democracy by also a version of this type of classroom activity. providing elementary and secondary students with hands-on learning about the Constitution to prepare them for informed civic engagement. CRFC designs and conducts local, national, and international programs that emphasize current and historical controversies involving rights, law, and policy.

50 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 51 League of Women Voters - California—Easy Voter Guide DoSomething.org http://www.easyvoterguide.org/ http://www.dosomething.org/

50 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 51 iCivics Democracy Schools Initiative http://www.icivics.org/ http://mccormickfoundation.org/democracyschools iCivics prepares young Americans to become knowledgeable, engaged 21st century citizens Democracy Schools are an initiative of the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition (ICMC). Part of the through free, web-based interactive games. iCivics has produced 17 educational video games as National Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, the ICMC seeks to restore education to its well as teaching materials that have been used in classrooms in all 50 states. core purpose—preparing America’s youngest citizens to be informed and active participants in our democracy. Illinois high school students deserve enhanced opportunities to learn and practice civic Street Law, Inc. engagement behaviors, and the ICMC has created a process by which high schools affirm their http://www.streetlaw.org/ commitment to civic learning by seeking recognition as a Democracy School. Democracy Schools are supported in improving civic learning practices in schools while improving organizational Street Law creates classroom and community programs that teach people about law, democracy, culture, including connections to community stakeholders. and human rights worldwide. Street Law participants benefit from “real-life” lessons and insights, which they can use to effect positive change for the rest of their lives. The organization offers Teens Leading the Way accessible, engaging, and interactive programs designed to empower students and communities to http://www.utec-lowell.org/programs/teensleadingtheway become active, legally-savvy contributors to society. Teens Leading The Way (TLTW) is a statewide, youth-led coalition that seeks to empower young TakingIT Global people to create lasting change through policy-making. TLTW youth (ages 15-20) create and http://www.tigweb.org/ maintain campaigns to bring about social change on the state level. Their current campaign is pushing for a new civics course that would focus on: understanding of the three branches and TakingITGlobal’s mission is to empower youth to understand and act on the world’s greatest legislative process, youth rights, the history of youth and social movements, and a very strong challenges. TIG uses the power of online community to facilitate global education, social applied learning component that emphasizes how to create change in one’s community through an entrepreneurship, and civic engagement for millions of youth worldwide. Founded in 1999, the TIG understanding of the legislative or other governmental processes. website website creates a social network for global citizenship, bringing together over 400,000 members with more than 22,000 non-profit organizations across 13 languages. The Family Dinner Project http://thefamilydinnerproject.org/ Systems or networks of opportunities and supports The Family Dinner Project is a grassroots effort to combine food, fun and conversation about Boys & Girls Clubs—Torch Clubs and Keystone Program things that matter. Families come together to share their experiences and insights to help each http://www.bgca.org/whatwedo/characterleadership/Pages/CharacterLeadership.aspx other realize the benefits of family dinners. Together, they identify tips for setting dinnertime goals, overcome obstacles such as conflicting schedules, and engage everyone in meaningful The Boys & Girls Clubs of America provide several programs that build character and leadership. conversation to improve the frequency and quality of their mealtime interaction. Efforts like these They aim to help youth become responsible, caring citizens and focus on the acquisition of skills can link classroom activities with family interventions that improve youth political knowledge and for participating in the democratic process. The programs provide opportunities for planning, efficacy.80 decision-making, contributing to the Club and community and celebrating national heritage. Youth on Board City of Hampton’s Youth Leads https://youthonboard.org http://hampton.gov/documentcenter/view/89 YOB supports the power of students to transform their communities by recognizing that Since 1990, the City of Hampton (Virginia) has placed a high priority on engaging young people in when young people are fully engaged they commit themselves to making their schools, their community decision-making and the overall life of the community. This focus on youth began with communities, and their own lives better. Through a partnership with the Boston Public School the creation of the Coalition for Youth, a group of city leaders convened by City Council to develop district (BPS), YOB co-administers a city-wide body of student leaders that represents most a plan of action to ensure that Hampton’s youth would become productive members of the high schools in the district, known as the Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC). BSAC, which community and workforce. Two young people were hired in the Planning Department as the first consists almost entirely of low-income students of color, identifies and organizes around pertinent Youth Planners. The Youth Planners designed the new Youth Commission to be an effective voice student issues, thereby putting students at the center of the decisions that affect them the most. for the youth of Hampton and to serve as a board of youth who would be responsible for the Youth Component of the 2010 Comprehensive Plan (1989) developed by the Youth Planners.

52 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 53 iCivics Democracy Schools Initiative http://www.icivics.org/ http://mccormickfoundation.org/democracyschools iCivics prepares young Americans to become knowledgeable, engaged 21st century citizens Democracy Schools are an initiative of the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition (ICMC). Part of the through free, web-based interactive games. iCivics has produced 17 educational video games as National Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, the ICMC seeks to restore education to its well as teaching materials that have been used in classrooms in all 50 states. core purpose—preparing America’s youngest citizens to be informed and active participants in our democracy. Illinois high school students deserve enhanced opportunities to learn and practice civic Street Law, Inc. engagement behaviors, and the ICMC has created a process by which high schools affirm their http://www.streetlaw.org/ commitment to civic learning by seeking recognition as a Democracy School. Democracy Schools are supported in improving civic learning practices in schools while improving organizational Street Law creates classroom and community programs that teach people about law, democracy, culture, including connections to community stakeholders. and human rights worldwide. Street Law participants benefit from “real-life” lessons and insights, which they can use to effect positive change for the rest of their lives. The organization offers Teens Leading the Way accessible, engaging, and interactive programs designed to empower students and communities to http://www.utec-lowell.org/programs/teensleadingtheway become active, legally-savvy contributors to society. Teens Leading The Way (TLTW) is a statewide, youth-led coalition that seeks to empower young TakingIT Global people to create lasting change through policy-making. TLTW youth (ages 15-20) create and http://www.tigweb.org/ maintain campaigns to bring about social change on the state level. Their current campaign is pushing for a new civics course that would focus on: understanding of the three branches and TakingITGlobal’s mission is to empower youth to understand and act on the world’s greatest legislative process, youth rights, the history of youth and social movements, and a very strong challenges. TIG uses the power of online community to facilitate global education, social applied learning component that emphasizes how to create change in one’s community through an entrepreneurship, and civic engagement for millions of youth worldwide. Founded in 1999, the TIG understanding of the legislative or other governmental processes. website website creates a social network for global citizenship, bringing together over 400,000 members with more than 22,000 non-profit organizations across 13 languages. The Family Dinner Project http://thefamilydinnerproject.org/ Systems or networks of opportunities and supports The Family Dinner Project is a grassroots effort to combine food, fun and conversation about Boys & Girls Clubs—Torch Clubs and Keystone Program things that matter. Families come together to share their experiences and insights to help each http://www.bgca.org/whatwedo/characterleadership/Pages/CharacterLeadership.aspx other realize the benefits of family dinners. Together, they identify tips for setting dinnertime goals, overcome obstacles such as conflicting schedules, and engage everyone in meaningful The Boys & Girls Clubs of America provide several programs that build character and leadership. conversation to improve the frequency and quality of their mealtime interaction. Efforts like these They aim to help youth become responsible, caring citizens and focus on the acquisition of skills can link classroom activities with family interventions that improve youth political knowledge and for participating in the democratic process. The programs provide opportunities for planning, efficacy.80 decision-making, contributing to the Club and community and celebrating national heritage. Youth on Board City of Hampton’s Youth Leads https://youthonboard.org http://hampton.gov/documentcenter/view/89 YOB supports the power of students to transform their communities by recognizing that Since 1990, the City of Hampton (Virginia) has placed a high priority on engaging young people in when young people are fully engaged they commit themselves to making their schools, their community decision-making and the overall life of the community. This focus on youth began with communities, and their own lives better. Through a partnership with the Boston Public School the creation of the Coalition for Youth, a group of city leaders convened by City Council to develop district (BPS), YOB co-administers a city-wide body of student leaders that represents most a plan of action to ensure that Hampton’s youth would become productive members of the high schools in the district, known as the Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC). BSAC, which community and workforce. Two young people were hired in the Planning Department as the first consists almost entirely of low-income students of color, identifies and organizes around pertinent Youth Planners. The Youth Planners designed the new Youth Commission to be an effective voice student issues, thereby putting students at the center of the decisions that affect them the most. for the youth of Hampton and to serve as a board of youth who would be responsible for the Youth Component of the 2010 Comprehensive Plan (1989) developed by the Youth Planners.

52 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 53 Notes 15 Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Do Discussion, Debate, and Simulations Boost NAEP Civics Performance? (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2013.) 1 National Center for Education Statistics, The Nation’s Report Card: Civics 2010 (NCES 2011–466) (Washington, D.C.: Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 2011); Lawrence 16 United States Department of Education. Advancing Civic Learning and Engagement in C. Stedman, The NAEP Long-Term Trend Assessment: A Review of Its Transformation, Use, and Democracy: A Road Map and Call to Action (Washington, DC: United States Department of Findings (Washington, DC: National Assessment Governing Board, 2009). Education, 2012). 2 “Disadvantaged” is defined in our statistical models as students in schools with low daily 17 Surbhi Godsay, et al. State Civic Education Requirements (Medford, MA: Center for Information attendance rates where most students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2012). 3 Diana C. Mutz, “The Consequences of Cross-Cutting Networks for Political Participation,” 18 Judith Torney-Purta and Britt S. Wilkenfeld, Paths to 21st Century Competencies through Civic American Journal of Political Science 46.4 (2002), pp. 838-55; Robert D. Putnam. “E Pluribus Education Classrooms: An Analysis of Survey Results from Ninth-Graders (Washington, DC: Unum: Diversity and Community in the Twenty-first Century: The 2006 Johan Skytte Prize Lecture,” Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools and American Bar Association Division for Public Scandinavian Political Studies 30.2 (2007), pp. 137-74. Education, 2009). 4 Horace Mann, “Report for 1846.” Life and Works of Horace Mann, vol. 5, edited by M. T. Peabody 19 Michael McDevitt and Mary Butler, “Latino Youth as Information Leaders: Implications for Family Mann, G. C. Mann, and F. P. Mann (Boston/New York: Lee & Shepard/C.T. Dillingham, 1891). Interaction and Civic Engagement in Immigrant Communities,” InterActions: UCLA Journal of Education and Information Studies 7.2, Article 2 (2011). 5 Bipartisan Policy Center, National Survey of Registered Voters Regarding Political Polarization. Feb. 18-21, 2013 (Washington, DC: Bipartisan Policy Center, 2013). 20 Kawashima-Ginsberg. 6 Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 21 Alberto Dávila and Marie T. Mora, Civic Engagement and High School Academic Progress: An 1987-2007 (Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, 2007) Analysis Using NELS Data, CIRCLE Working Paper 52 (College Park, MD: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2007). 7 CIRCLE (2013), unpublished data. 22 Richard F. Catalano, et al., “Positive Youth Development in the United States: Research on 8 John G. Greer, In Defense of Negativity: Attack Ads in Presidential Campaigns (Chicago: University Findings on Evaluations of Positive Youth Development Programs,” Annals of the American of Chicago Press, 2006) Academy of Political and Social Science 591 (2004), pp. 98-124. 9 For example, see Pamela J. Conover, Donald D. Searing, and Ivor M. Crewe, “The Deliberative 23 For research predating the 2012 election, see Michael McDevitt, Spiral of Rebellion: Conflict Potential of Political Discussion,” British Journal of Political Science 32 (2002), pp. 21-62. Seeking of Democratic Adolescents in Republican Counties, CIRCLE Working Paper 68 (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2009). 10 Martha J. Bailey and Susan M. Dynarski, “Inequality in Postsecondary Education.” In Whither Opportunity? Rising Inequality, Schools, and Children’s Life Chances, edited by Greg J. Duncan and 24 Brian E. Weeks and R. Lance Holbert, “Predicting Dissemination of News Content in Social Media: Richard J. Murnane (New York: Russell Sage, 2011), pp. 117-131, A Focus on Reception, Friending, and Partisanship,” Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 90.2 (2013), pp. 212-32. 11 Century Foundation Task Force on Preventing Community Colleges from Becoming Separate and Unequal, Bridging the Higher Education Divide: Strengthening Community Colleges and Restoring 25 Jennifer Lawless and Richard Fox, Girls Just Wanna Not Run: The Gender Gap in Young the American Dream (New York: Century Foundation Press, 2013). Americans’ Political Ambition (Washington, DC: American University, 2013). 12 CIRCLE Staff, The Youth Vote in 2012 (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic 26 John H. Pryor, et al., The American Freshman: Forty Year Trends (Los Angeles: Higher Education Learning and Engagement, 2013). Research Institute, 2007); John H. Pryor, et al., American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2012 (Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute, 2013). 13 Constance Flanagan, Peter Levine, and Richard Settersten, Civic Engagement and the Changing Transition to Adulthood (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and 27 Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg and Nancy Thomas, Civic Engagement and Political Leadership among Engagement, 2009); Surbhi Godsay, et al. “That’s Not Democracy”: How Out-Of-School Youth Women – A Call for Solutions (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning Engage in Civic Life and What Stands in Their Way (Medford, MA: Center for Information and and Engagement, 2013). Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2012). 28 Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University, “Current Numbers of Women 14 Joseph Kahne and Ellen Middaugh, Democracy for Some: The Civic Opportunity Gap in High Officeholders,” 2013. School, CIRCLE Working Paper 59 (College Park, MD: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2008); Meira Levinson, No Citizen Left Behind (Cambridge, MA: 29 Cathy J. Cohen, Democracy Remixed: Black Youth and the Future of American Politics (New York: Harvard University Press, 2012). Oxford University Press, 2010); Shawn Ginwright and Julio Cammarota, “Youth Activism in the

54 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 55 Notes 15 Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Do Discussion, Debate, and Simulations Boost NAEP Civics Performance? (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2013.) 1 National Center for Education Statistics, The Nation’s Report Card: Civics 2010 (NCES 2011–466) (Washington, D.C.: Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 2011); Lawrence 16 United States Department of Education. Advancing Civic Learning and Engagement in C. Stedman, The NAEP Long-Term Trend Assessment: A Review of Its Transformation, Use, and Democracy: A Road Map and Call to Action (Washington, DC: United States Department of Findings (Washington, DC: National Assessment Governing Board, 2009). Education, 2012). 2 “Disadvantaged” is defined in our statistical models as students in schools with low daily 17 Surbhi Godsay, et al. State Civic Education Requirements (Medford, MA: Center for Information attendance rates where most students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2012). 3 Diana C. Mutz, “The Consequences of Cross-Cutting Networks for Political Participation,” 18 Judith Torney-Purta and Britt S. Wilkenfeld, Paths to 21st Century Competencies through Civic American Journal of Political Science 46.4 (2002), pp. 838-55; Robert D. Putnam. “E Pluribus Education Classrooms: An Analysis of Survey Results from Ninth-Graders (Washington, DC: Unum: Diversity and Community in the Twenty-first Century: The 2006 Johan Skytte Prize Lecture,” Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools and American Bar Association Division for Public Scandinavian Political Studies 30.2 (2007), pp. 137-74. Education, 2009). 4 Horace Mann, “Report for 1846.” Life and Works of Horace Mann, vol. 5, edited by M. T. Peabody 19 Michael McDevitt and Mary Butler, “Latino Youth as Information Leaders: Implications for Family Mann, G. C. Mann, and F. P. Mann (Boston/New York: Lee & Shepard/C.T. Dillingham, 1891). Interaction and Civic Engagement in Immigrant Communities,” InterActions: UCLA Journal of Education and Information Studies 7.2, Article 2 (2011). 5 Bipartisan Policy Center, National Survey of Registered Voters Regarding Political Polarization. Feb. 18-21, 2013 (Washington, DC: Bipartisan Policy Center, 2013). 20 Kawashima-Ginsberg. 6 Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 21 Alberto Dávila and Marie T. Mora, Civic Engagement and High School Academic Progress: An 1987-2007 (Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, 2007) Analysis Using NELS Data, CIRCLE Working Paper 52 (College Park, MD: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2007). 7 CIRCLE (2013), unpublished data. 22 Richard F. Catalano, et al., “Positive Youth Development in the United States: Research on 8 John G. Greer, In Defense of Negativity: Attack Ads in Presidential Campaigns (Chicago: University Findings on Evaluations of Positive Youth Development Programs,” Annals of the American of Chicago Press, 2006) Academy of Political and Social Science 591 (2004), pp. 98-124. 9 For example, see Pamela J. Conover, Donald D. Searing, and Ivor M. Crewe, “The Deliberative 23 For research predating the 2012 election, see Michael McDevitt, Spiral of Rebellion: Conflict Potential of Political Discussion,” British Journal of Political Science 32 (2002), pp. 21-62. Seeking of Democratic Adolescents in Republican Counties, CIRCLE Working Paper 68 (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2009). 10 Martha J. Bailey and Susan M. Dynarski, “Inequality in Postsecondary Education.” In Whither Opportunity? Rising Inequality, Schools, and Children’s Life Chances, edited by Greg J. Duncan and 24 Brian E. Weeks and R. Lance Holbert, “Predicting Dissemination of News Content in Social Media: Richard J. Murnane (New York: Russell Sage, 2011), pp. 117-131, A Focus on Reception, Friending, and Partisanship,” Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 90.2 (2013), pp. 212-32. 11 Century Foundation Task Force on Preventing Community Colleges from Becoming Separate and Unequal, Bridging the Higher Education Divide: Strengthening Community Colleges and Restoring 25 Jennifer Lawless and Richard Fox, Girls Just Wanna Not Run: The Gender Gap in Young the American Dream (New York: Century Foundation Press, 2013). Americans’ Political Ambition (Washington, DC: American University, 2013). 12 CIRCLE Staff, The Youth Vote in 2012 (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic 26 John H. Pryor, et al., The American Freshman: Forty Year Trends (Los Angeles: Higher Education Learning and Engagement, 2013). Research Institute, 2007); John H. Pryor, et al., American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2012 (Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute, 2013). 13 Constance Flanagan, Peter Levine, and Richard Settersten, Civic Engagement and the Changing Transition to Adulthood (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and 27 Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg and Nancy Thomas, Civic Engagement and Political Leadership among Engagement, 2009); Surbhi Godsay, et al. “That’s Not Democracy”: How Out-Of-School Youth Women – A Call for Solutions (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning Engage in Civic Life and What Stands in Their Way (Medford, MA: Center for Information and and Engagement, 2013). Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2012). 28 Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University, “Current Numbers of Women 14 Joseph Kahne and Ellen Middaugh, Democracy for Some: The Civic Opportunity Gap in High Officeholders,” 2013. School, CIRCLE Working Paper 59 (College Park, MD: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2008); Meira Levinson, No Citizen Left Behind (Cambridge, MA: 29 Cathy J. Cohen, Democracy Remixed: Black Youth and the Future of American Politics (New York: Harvard University Press, 2012). Oxford University Press, 2010); Shawn Ginwright and Julio Cammarota, “Youth Activism in the

54 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 55 Urban Community: Learning Critical Civic Praxis within Community Organizations,” International Pedagogical Goals,” PS: Political Science & Politics 37.02 (2004), pp. 241-7. Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 20(6), 693 - 710.6 (2007), pp. 693-710; Levinson; and Beth C. Rubin, “‘There’s Still not Justice’: Youth Civic Identity Development amid Distinct School 46 Adam J. Berinsky, “The Perverse Consequences of Electoral Reform in The United States,” and Community Contexts,” Teachers College Record 109.2 (2007), pp. 449-81. American Politics Research 33.4 (2005), pp. 471-91; Barry C. Burden, et al., Election Laws, Mobilization, and Turnout: The Unanticipated Consequences of Election Reform (Madison, WI: 30 Gary Orfield, John Kucsera, and Genevieve Siegel-Hawley.E Pluribus Separation: Deepening University of Wisconsin Madison, 2012). Double Segregation for More Students (Los Angeles: Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles, 2012). 47 Mark Hugo Lopez, et al., “Schools, Education Policy, and the Future of the First Amendment,” Political Communication 26.1 (2009), pp. 84-101. 31 For example, David E. Campbell, “Sticking Together: Classroom Diversity and Civic Education,” American Politics Research 35.1 (2007), pp. 51-78. 48 Matt A. Barreto, et al., Online Voter Registration (OLVR) Systems in Arizona and Washington: Evaluating Usage, Public Confidence and Implementation Processes (Berkeley, CA: Washington 32 Maeve Duggan and Joanna Brenner, Pew Internet: Social Networking (Washington, DC: Pew Institute of the Study of Ethnicity and Race and the Election Administration Research Center, Research Center, 2013). 2010).

33 Lee Rainie, et al., Social Media and Political Engagement (Washington, DC: Pew Internet & 49 CIRCLE (Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement), Pathways into American Life at Pew Research Center, 2012). Leadership: A Study of Youthbuild Graduates (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2012). 34 See Cathy J. Cohen, Joseph Kahne, Benjamin Bowyer, Ellen Middaugh, and Jon Rogowski, Participatory Politics: New Media and Youth Political Action (Oakland, CA: MacArthur Research 50 Constance A. Flanagan and T. Kim, “Boosting Civic Engagement: A Longitudinal Study of Network on Youth and Participatory Politics, 2012). Americorps.” From Invited Symposium, Division 39, APA: “Community Engagement: Applying What We Know,” National Meetings of the American Psychological Association (Honolulu, HI, 2013). 35 Aaron Smith, Civic Engagement in the Digital Age (Washington, DC: Pew Internet and American Life Project., 2013). Web. 51 Census Bureau, “More Young Adults are Living in Their Parents’ Home” (press release, Nov. 3, 2013). 36 Cohen, et al. 52 This finding is consistent with Thomas and McFarland. 37 See Cohen, et al.; Smith 53 Diana E. Hess, Controversy in the Classroom: The Democratic Power of Discussion (New York: 38 Joseph E. Kahne and Ellen Middaugh, "Digital Media Shape Youth Participation in Politics," Phi Rutledge, 2009). Delta Kappan 94.2 (2012), pp. 52-64. 54 Godsay, et al., State Civic Education Requirements. 39 McDevitt and Butler. 55 Michael McDevitt, et al., The Civic Bonding of School and Family: How Kids Voting Students 40 Cass Sunstein, Echo Chambers: Bush v. Gore, Impeachment, and Beyond (Princeton, NJ: Enliven the Domestic Sphere, CIRCLE Working Paper 7 (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Princeton University Press., 2004). Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2003); Tim Vercellotti and Elizabeth Matto, The Classroom-Kitchen Table Connection: The Effects of Political Discussion on Youth Knowledge and 41 Peter Levine, “A Public Voice for Youth: The Audience Problem in Digital Media and Civic Efficacy, CIRCLE Working Paper 72 (Medford, MA: Center for Information and Research on Civic Education.” In Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media can Engage Youth, edited by W. Lance Learning and Engagement, 2010). Bennett (Cambridge, MA. and London: MIT Press, 2007), pp. 119-138. 56 Kahne, Feezell, and Lee. 42 Joseph E. Kahne, Jessica Feezell, and Nam-Jin Lee, “Digital Media Literacy Education and Online Civic and Political Participation,” International Journal of Communication. 6.1 (2012), pp. 1-24;. 57 Carmen Sirianni, Investing in Democracy: Engaging Citizens in Collaborative Governance Kahne and Middaugh, “Digital Media Shape Youth Participation in Politics.” (Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution, 2009), pp. 117-154.

43 National Commission on Civic Renewal, A Nation of Spectators: How Civic Disengagement 58 United States Department of Education, p. 23. Weakens America and What We Can Do about It (College Park, MD: National Commission on Civic Renewal, 1997); Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American 59 Godsay, et al., State Civic Education Requirements. Community (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000). 60 Felicia Sullivan, New and Alternative Assessments, Digital Badges, and Civics: An Overview of 44 William Damon, Jenni Menon and Kendall Bronk, “The Development of Purpose during Emerging Themes and Promising Directions, CIRCLE Working Paper 77 (Medford, MA: Center for Adolescence,” Applied Developmental Science, 7.3, (2003), p. 121. Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2013)

45 Joel Westheimer and Joseph Kahne, “Educating the ‘Good’ Citizen: Political Choices and

56 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 57 Urban Community: Learning Critical Civic Praxis within Community Organizations,” International Pedagogical Goals,” PS: Political Science & Politics 37.02 (2004), pp. 241-7. Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 20(6), 693 - 710.6 (2007), pp. 693-710; Levinson; and Beth C. Rubin, “‘There’s Still not Justice’: Youth Civic Identity Development amid Distinct School 46 Adam J. Berinsky, “The Perverse Consequences of Electoral Reform in The United States,” and Community Contexts,” Teachers College Record 109.2 (2007), pp. 449-81. American Politics Research 33.4 (2005), pp. 471-91; Barry C. Burden, et al., Election Laws, Mobilization, and Turnout: The Unanticipated Consequences of Election Reform (Madison, WI: 30 Gary Orfield, John Kucsera, and Genevieve Siegel-Hawley.E Pluribus Separation: Deepening University of Wisconsin Madison, 2012). Double Segregation for More Students (Los Angeles: Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles, 2012). 47 Mark Hugo Lopez, et al., “Schools, Education Policy, and the Future of the First Amendment,” Political Communication 26.1 (2009), pp. 84-101. 31 For example, David E. Campbell, “Sticking Together: Classroom Diversity and Civic Education,” American Politics Research 35.1 (2007), pp. 51-78. 48 Matt A. Barreto, et al., Online Voter Registration (OLVR) Systems in Arizona and Washington: Evaluating Usage, Public Confidence and Implementation Processes (Berkeley, CA: Washington 32 Maeve Duggan and Joanna Brenner, Pew Internet: Social Networking (Washington, DC: Pew Institute of the Study of Ethnicity and Race and the Election Administration Research Center, Research Center, 2013). 2010).

45 Joel Westheimer and Joseph Kahne, “Educating the ‘Good’ Citizen: Political Choices and

56 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 57 61 For example, Jeff Manza and Christopher Uggen, Locked Out: Felon Disenfranchisement and The American Review of Public Administration 40.4 (2010) pp. 461-81; and Timothy Vercelotti and American Democracy, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006). David Anderson, Protecting the Franchise, or Restricting It? The Effects of Voter Identification Requirements on Turnout (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Eagleton Institute, 2006). 62 Lynn S. Clark and Rachel Monserrate, “High School Journalism and the Making of Young Citizens,” Journalism 12.4 (2011), p. 417. 75 Melanie Bowers and Robert R. Preuhs, “Collateral Consequences of a Collateral Penalty: The Negative Effect of Felon Disenfranchisement Laws on the Political Participation of Nonfelons,” 63 CIRCLE staff with Haley Pero and Laura Nelson, Voting Laws, Education, and Youth Civic Social Science Quarterly 90.3 (2009), pp. 722-43; Aman McLeod, Ismail K. White, and Amelia R. Engagement: A Literature Review, CIRCLE Working Paper 75 (Medford, MA: Center for Information Gavin, “The Locked Ballot Box: The Impact of State Criminal Disenfranchisement Law on African and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2012). American Voting Behavior and Implications For Reform” Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law 11 (2003), pp. 66-88. 64 Norman J. Nie, Jane Junn, and Kenneth Stehlik-Barry, Education and Democratic Citizenship in America (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1996). 76 Findings are consistent with Thomas and McFarland.

65 Thomas S. Dee, “Are There Civic Returns to Education?” Journal of Public Economics 88.9-10 77 Campbell; Mutz; Putnam. “E Pluribus Unum.” (2004), pp. 1697-720; Rachel Milstein Sondheimer and Donald P. Green, “Using Experiments to Estimate the Effects of Education on Voter Turnout,” American Journal of Political Science 54.1 78 Ava Alexander, Robert Stern, and Tracy Westen, Information in the Digital Age: Grading State (2010), pp. 174-89. Election Websites (Los Angeles, CA: Center for Governmental Studies, 2013).

66 Jennifer Bachner, “From Classroom to Voting Booth: The Effect of High School Civic Education 79 In 2007-8, 15,000 teachers reported that their main assignment was high school government or on Turnout” under review (2011); David E. Campbell, Why We Vote: How Schools and Communities civics. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Schools and Staffing Shape our Civic Life (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2008); James G. Gimpel, J. Celeste Survey (SASS), “Public School Teacher Data File.” Lay, and Jason E. Schuknecht, Cultivating Democracy: Civic Environments and Political Socialization in America (Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2003); Spiro Kiousis and Michael 80 Vercellotti and Matto. McDevitt, “Agenda Setting in Civic Development: Effects of Curricula and Issue Importance on Youth Voter Turnout,” Communication Research 35.4 (2008), pp. 481-502.

67 Thomas and McFarland.

68 Kahne and Middaugh; Levinson.

69 Martin West, “Testing, Learning, and Teaching: The Effects of Test-Based Accountability on Student Achievement and Instructional Time in Core Academic Subjects,” in Chester E. Finn and Diane Ravitch (eds.), Beyond the Basics: Achieving a Liberal Education For All Children (Washington, DC: Fordham Institute, 2007), pp. 45-62.

70 Lopez, et al.

71 Berinsky; Burden, et al.

72 Michael McDonald P. and Matthew Thornburg. “Registering the Youth through Voter Preregistration,” New York University Journal of Legislation and Public Policy 13 (2010), pp. 551-2.

73 Raymond E. Wolfinger, Benjamin Highton, and Megan Mullin,How Postregistration Laws Affect the Turnout of Registrants, CIRCLE Working Paper 15 (College Park, MD: The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2004).

74 R. Michael Alvarez, Delia Bailey, and Jonathan N. Katz, The Effect of Voter Identification Laws on Turnout (Pasadena, CA: California Institute of Technology, 2008); Stephen Ansolabehere, “Effects of Identification Requirements on Voting: Evidence from the Experiences of Voters on Election Day.” PS: Political Science & Politics 42.01 (2009), pp. 127-30; Marjorie Randon Hershey, “What We Know About Voter-ID Laws, Registration, and Turnout,” PS: Political Science & Politics 42.01 (2009), pp. 87-91; Jason D. Mycoff, Michael W. Wagner, and David C. Wilson, “The Empirical Effects of This report was made possible by the support of the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, Voter-ID Laws: Present or Absent?” PS: Political Science & Politics 42.01 (2009), pp. 121-6; Robert the W.T. Grant Foundation, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, and the Spencer Foundation. A. Pastor, et al., “Voting and ID Requirements: A Survey of Registered Voters in Three States,”

58 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 59 61 For example, Jeff Manza and Christopher Uggen, Locked Out: Felon Disenfranchisement and The American Review of Public Administration 40.4 (2010) pp. 461-81; and Timothy Vercelotti and American Democracy, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006). David Anderson, Protecting the Franchise, or Restricting It? The Effects of Voter Identification Requirements on Turnout (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Eagleton Institute, 2006). 62 Lynn S. Clark and Rachel Monserrate, “High School Journalism and the Making of Young Citizens,” Journalism 12.4 (2011), p. 417. 75 Melanie Bowers and Robert R. Preuhs, “Collateral Consequences of a Collateral Penalty: The Negative Effect of Felon Disenfranchisement Laws on the Political Participation of Nonfelons,” 63 CIRCLE staff with Haley Pero and Laura Nelson, Voting Laws, Education, and Youth Civic Social Science Quarterly 90.3 (2009), pp. 722-43; Aman McLeod, Ismail K. White, and Amelia R. Engagement: A Literature Review, CIRCLE Working Paper 75 (Medford, MA: Center for Information Gavin, “The Locked Ballot Box: The Impact of State Criminal Disenfranchisement Law on African and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2012). American Voting Behavior and Implications For Reform” Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law 11 (2003), pp. 66-88. 64 Norman J. Nie, Jane Junn, and Kenneth Stehlik-Barry, Education and Democratic Citizenship in America (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1996). 76 Findings are consistent with Thomas and McFarland.

67 Thomas and McFarland.

68 Kahne and Middaugh; Levinson.

70 Lopez, et al.

71 Berinsky; Burden, et al.

72 Michael McDonald P. and Matthew Thornburg. “Registering the Youth through Voter Preregistration,” New York University Journal of Legislation and Public Policy 13 (2010), pp. 551-2.

58 All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement 59