View in EDS

What Counts as Civics? A Look at How Districts Define and Facilitate Civic Learning

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: What Counts as Civics? A Look at How Districts Define and Facilitate Civic Learning
Language: English
Authors: Maddy Sims, Lisa Chu, A. K. Keskin, Lydia Rainey, Melissa Kay Diliberti, Arizona State University (ASU), Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE)
Source: Center on Reinventing Public Education. 2025.
Availability: Center on Reinventing Public Education. Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University. H.B. Farmer Education Building, 1050 S Forest Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281. e-mail: crpe@uw.edu; Web site: https://crpe.org/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Descriptors: School Districts, Elementary Secondary Education, Civics, Elementary School Curriculum, Secondary School Curriculum, State Standards, State School District Relationship, Controversial Issues (Course Content), Educational Resources, Central Office Administrators, Administrator Attitudes, Board of Education Policy
Abstract: A new report from the American School District Panel, a research partnership between RAND and CRPE, examines how districts define and facilitate civic learning in an era of political polarization, competing instructional priorities, and uneven state support. Drawing on survey data from 170 public school districts and in-depth interviews with leaders from 18 systems, the study finds: (1) Most surveyed districts reported offering civics, typically in history or social studies classes. While 74% of districts provide explicit civics instruction in high school, fewer do so in earlier grades, and just 36% offer it in elementary school. In most cases, civics is not taught as a standalone course; (2) District leaders think a mix of civics knowledge and experiences is most important to include in civic learning. Foundational knowledge remains the core instructional emphasis, though some districts are leaning into skills and experiences; (3) District leaders report relying heavily on their state's standards and requirements--which provide structure and resources but can also limit flexibility; (4) Urban districts are more likely than suburban or rural peers to have civics standards, graduation requirements, assessments, and curricula; (5) Time, funding, and capacity are the biggest barriers to expanding civic learning; (6) Local capacity shapes support for civic learning. Well-resourced districts can dedicate staff, funding, and infrastructure, while resource-constrained districts rely more heavily on individual educators; and (7) Teachers are "tiptoeing" around controversial topics out of fear of political pushback, leading some to avoid open discussion about civic issues altogether. These findings point to a critical tension: most districts see civics as essential to preparing students for democratic life, but systemic constraints--particularly time, uneven resources, and political pressures--limit both access and depth. Strengthening civic learning will require more than states setting standards; it will demand intentional investment, professional learning, and protections that allow educators to engage students in the full range of civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Without this, civic readiness will remain inconsistent--and inequities in who gets robust civic learning will persist.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678653
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED678653
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED678653
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: What Counts as Civics? A Look at How Districts Define and Facilitate Civic Learning
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maddy+Sims%22">Maddy Sims</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lisa+Chu%22">Lisa Chu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22A%2E+K%2E+Keskin%22">A. K. Keskin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lydia+Rainey%22">Lydia Rainey</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Melissa+Kay+Diliberti%22">Melissa Kay Diliberti</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Arizona+State+University+%28ASU%29%2C+Center+on+Reinventing+Public+Education+%28CRPE%29%22">Arizona State University (ASU), Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE)</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Center+on+Reinventing+Public+Education%22"><i>Center on Reinventing Public Education</i></searchLink>. 2025.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Center on Reinventing Public Education. Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University. H.B. Farmer Education Building, 1050 S Forest Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281. e-mail: crpe@uw.edu; Web site: https://crpe.org/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 20
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: SourceSuprt
  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Districts%22">School Districts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Civics%22">Civics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Curriculum%22">Elementary School Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Curriculum%22">Secondary School Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22State+Standards%22">State Standards</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22State+School+District+Relationship%22">State School District Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Controversial+Issues+%28Course+Content%29%22">Controversial Issues (Course Content)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Resources%22">Educational Resources</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Central+Office+Administrators%22">Central Office Administrators</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Attitudes%22">Administrator Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Board+of+Education+Policy%22">Board of Education Policy</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: A new report from the American School District Panel, a research partnership between RAND and CRPE, examines how districts define and facilitate civic learning in an era of political polarization, competing instructional priorities, and uneven state support. Drawing on survey data from 170 public school districts and in-depth interviews with leaders from 18 systems, the study finds: (1) Most surveyed districts reported offering civics, typically in history or social studies classes. While 74% of districts provide explicit civics instruction in high school, fewer do so in earlier grades, and just 36% offer it in elementary school. In most cases, civics is not taught as a standalone course; (2) District leaders think a mix of civics knowledge and experiences is most important to include in civic learning. Foundational knowledge remains the core instructional emphasis, though some districts are leaning into skills and experiences; (3) District leaders report relying heavily on their state's standards and requirements--which provide structure and resources but can also limit flexibility; (4) Urban districts are more likely than suburban or rural peers to have civics standards, graduation requirements, assessments, and curricula; (5) Time, funding, and capacity are the biggest barriers to expanding civic learning; (6) Local capacity shapes support for civic learning. Well-resourced districts can dedicate staff, funding, and infrastructure, while resource-constrained districts rely more heavily on individual educators; and (7) Teachers are "tiptoeing" around controversial topics out of fear of political pushback, leading some to avoid open discussion about civic issues altogether. These findings point to a critical tension: most districts see civics as essential to preparing students for democratic life, but systemic constraints--particularly time, uneven resources, and political pressures--limit both access and depth. Strengthening civic learning will require more than states setting standards; it will demand intentional investment, professional learning, and protections that allow educators to engage students in the full range of civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Without this, civic readiness will remain inconsistent--and inequities in who gets robust civic learning will persist.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: ERIC
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED678653
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED678653
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 20
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: School Districts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary Secondary Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Civics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Curriculum
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Curriculum
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: State Standards
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: State School District Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Controversial Issues (Course Content)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Resources
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Central Office Administrators
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrator Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Board of Education Policy
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: What Counts as Civics? A Look at How Districts Define and Facilitate Civic Learning
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Arizona State University (ASU), Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE)
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Maddy Sims
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lisa Chu
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: A. K. Keskin
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lydia Rainey
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Melissa Kay Diliberti
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 08
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Center on Reinventing Public Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1