Overview

2. Overview • Definitions • Current status of civic education • Barriers in civic education • Importance—What’s at stake • Responses to barriers • Programs • Recommendations

6. Trivia Can you name the two US Senators from your state?

7. Trivia • What is the President's role in making laws? • The President can rewrite some parts of the Constitution. • The President can declare laws unconstitutional. • The President can sign congressional bills into law. • The President can remove members of Congress from office.

8. Trivia • What is the President's role in making laws? c) The President can sign congressional bills into law.

9. Trivia What are the three branches of the federal government?

10. Trivia What are the three branches of the federal government? Legislative, Executive, and Judicial

12. The Problem • 59% of those surveyed could name all three Stooges • Only 36% could name the three branches of government: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.

13. Definitions • Civic knowledge is “concerned with the content of what citizens ought to know; the subject matter” (Branson & Quigley, 1998). • Civic identity is defined as the sense of one’s readiness and willingness to assume citizenship responsibilities and the belief that one can make a difference (Youniss, 2011).

14. Definitions—Civic Education • Gibson and Levine (2003) define civic education as “the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare young people ‘to be competent and responsible citizens” (p. 10).

15. Definitions—Civic Literacy • It is almost universally accepted that citizens need basic knowledge and skills to effectively participate and lead. iCivics

16. Definitions—Civic Literacy • The knowledge of how to actively participate and initiate change in your community and the greater society. It is the foundation by which a democratic society functions: Citizen Power as a check and as a means to create avenues for peaceful change. Urban Agenda (Wayne State)

17. Current Status of Civic Education • 2.9 YEARS—National Average for years students have Civic Education • 5 States (AL, HI, MS, NY, and WV) and DC require 4 years • Iowa does not require any at all • 32 States have no form of assessment in Civic Education Godsay, Henderson, Levine, Littenberg-Tobias, (2012).

19. Civic Literacy in Georgia Public Schools Which of the following are the unalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence? • life, liberty, and property • honor, liberty, and peace • liberty, health, and respect • life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness Grades 4, 8, American Government/Civics, and U.S. History

20. In 1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed a series of government programs that became known as • the Great Society. • the Square Deal. • the New Deal. • the New Frontier. Grades 3, 5, 8, and U.S. History

21. What are the three branches of government? • executive, legislative, judicial • executive, legislative, military • bureaucratic, military, legislative • federal, state, local Grades 3, 4, 8, American/Government, and U.S. History

22. International trade and specialization most often lead to which of the following? • an increase in a nation’s productivity • a decrease in a nation’s economic growth in the long term • an increase in a nation’s import tariffs • a decrease in a nation’s standard of living Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, U.S. History, World History, and Economics

23. The Intercollegiate Studies Institute(2008) http://www.ijreview.com/2014/01/107324-smarter-educator-civic-literacy-test-will-show-know-u-s-politics/ • The average score for all 2,508 Americans taking the test was 49%; • college educators scored 55%.

24. Georgia Performance Standards(Social Studies) Kindergarten: National Holidays, American Symbols, Good Citizenship (Rules), Positive Character Traits, Economics 1st Grade: Historical Figures, American Folktales and our American Heritage, Positive Character Traits of Historical Figures, The meaning of the patriotic words to America and America the Beautiful, Economics 2nd Grade: Historical Figures (Georgia), Concept of Government and the Need for Rules and Laws, Roles of Elected Officials, Positive Citizenship Traits of Historical Figures, Economics

25. 3rd Grade: Beginnings of Democracy, Direct Democracy and Representative Democracy, Historical Figures who Expanded People’s Rights and Freedoms, Separation of Powers, Three Levels of Government, Three Branches of Government, Positive Character Traits of Historical Figures, Economics 4th Grade: U.S. History to 1860, Historical Figures who Founded our Country, Declaration of Independence (Natural Rights), Articles of Confederation, U.S. Constitution , Three Branches of Government, Bill of Rights, Suffrage Movements, Federal System of Government, 1st Amendment, Functions of Government, America’s Democratic Beliefs (respecting the rights of others, promoting the common good, civic life), Economics 5th Grade: U.S. History from 1860 to the Present, U.S. Constitution and Citizens’ Rights, Bill of Rights, Due Process, Amendment Process, Amendments (13, 14, 15, 12, 15, 19, 23, 24, 26), Economics

26. 6th Grade: World Studies, Compare and Contrast Various Forms of Government, Structures of Governments in Europe, Latin America, Canada, and Australia, Economics 7th Grade: World Studies, Compare and Contrast Various Forms of Government, Structures of Governments in Asia and Africa, Economics 8th Grade: Georgia History, Role of Citizens (Georgia’s Constitution), Georgia State Government (Three Branches- Roles and Responsibilities), Role of Local Government, Georgia Court System (Juvenile Offenders), Georgia Revenue Sources, Economics American Government/Civics: Political Philosophies, Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, National Government, Federal System of Government, Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, Participation in Civic Life, Elections, Branches of Government, Georgia Constitution, Compare and Contrast Various Forms of Government, U.S. Foreign Policy, Criminal Justice Process

27. World History: Structure of Ancient Civilizations, Chinese, Indian, Islamic, African, Classical Mediterranean, Central and South American Societies, Enlightenment Philosophies, Political Reforms, Pursuits of Freedom U.S. History: European Settlement, British North America, American Revolution, Ideas Which Brought About the U.S. Constitution, Western Expansion, Suffrage Movements, Civil War (states’ rights ideology, suspension of habeas corpus), Reconstruction Amendments, Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, Presidential Election of 1876, American Industrial Growth, Progressive Era, World War I, Great Depression, FDR’s New Deal, World War II, 1945-1975, Civil Rights Movement, Political Developments Between 1945-1970, Social Change Movements, National Politics Since 1968 (presidencies of Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, 2000 Presidential Election, George W. Bush) Economics: Fundamentals of Economics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, International Economics, and Personal Finance

28. Barriers to Success • Lack of national standards for Social Studies • Common Core Curriculum, while not directly in the area of Social Studies/Civics, goes farther than any response thus far—it has a lot of ‘across the curriculum’ learning built in

29. Barriers to Success • Fuzzy educational priorities that are only complicated by political interventions • Educate America 2000, No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top • Funding • Sets priorities

30. Importance—What’s at stake? • Civic identity is but one part of a continuum of civic development. The aim of civic education and civic identity development is the product of civic activity more broadly referred to as civic engagement.

31. Importance—What’s at stake? • Kahne, Crow, and Lee (2013) support the concept of a civic development continuum stating that “the clearest implication of these findings is that civic learning opportunities promote civic and political engagement” (p. 13).

32. Georgia Center for Civic Engagement Student Programs Educator Resources Database of activities and lesson plans Continuing Ed Workshops on behalf of GA DOE Georgia Civic Educator of the Year Awards • Model Municipal/County Government • Model State Legislature • Washington Seminar • Model United Nations • Character/Leadership Programs

33. Special Days and Events to Promote Civic Literacy Patriot Day- September 11 Constitution Day- September 17 Georgia Civics Day- October 1/31 Election Day Bill of Rights Day- December 15 Law Day- May 1

34. Medal of Honor Character Development Program “The Medal of Honor Character Development Program demonstrates with crystal clarity that our young citizens, those who carry our democracy into the future, can be taught the importance of service to the community and the core values that made this nation great.” Colonel Jack H. Jacobs Medal of Honor Recipient

35. Personal Accounts of Medal of Honor Recipients: Lessons and video vignettes give students opportunities to explore the important concepts of courage, commitment, sacrifice, patriotism, integrity, and citizenship. 2. The Citizen Service Before Self Honors: A civilian program which honors ordinary people in our communities making a difference through acts of heroism or putting others first. www.cmohedu.org

36. Sponsored by the GADOE Trainings are provided at RESAs across the state beginning last year and continuing through the next two years. The resource is free to teachers throughout the state.

37. Concluding Thoughts and Recommendations • Schools need help • The time to help is NOW—when students are still in school • A number of studies support that experiential civic education and service learning programs lead to continued civic engagement as an adult

38. “The qualifications of self-government are not innate. They are the result of habit and long training.” –Thomas Jefferson

39. References Branson, M. S., & Quigley, C. N. (1998). The role of civic education. Communitarian Network. Georgia Department of Education. Gibson, C., & Levine, P. (2003). The civic mission of schools. New York, NY and Washington, DC: Carnegie Corporation of New York and The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.

40. References Godsay, S., Henderson, W., Levine, P., Littenberg-Tobias, J. (2012), State Civic Education Requirements. CIRCLE Fact Sheet, 1-10. iCivics.org. Urban Agenda (Wayne State). http://www.urbanagenda.wayne.edu/whatiscl.htm Youniss, J. (2011). Civic Education: What Schools Can Do to Encourage Civic Identity and Action. Applied Developmental Science, 15(2), 98-103.