Celebrities Lend Weight to Promote Civics Education

States tend to have minimal requirements for the subject, if any.

Actor Richard Dreyfuss, former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, two retired U.S. Supreme Court justices, and several nonprofit organizations are each working on a piece of the puzzle of how to ensure that civics education gains a bigger foothold in the K-12 curriculum.

Their goal is to generate broader support for the subject in federal and state policy. Many states require students to acquire only half a credit in civics or U.S. government to earn a diploma, according to the Denver-based Education Commission of the States. And at least a dozen states do not require civics or U.S. government at all.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has focused on expanding students’ understanding of the judicial system and is helping to promote online interactive games on that topic for middle schoolers. Mr. Dreyfuss is crafting a national curriculum on civics education. Mr. Graham, a former Democratic senator from Florida, has written a book, America: The Owner’s Manual , to inform youths and others on navigating the legislative system. And retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter is collaborating with educators in his home state of New Hampshire to improve civics education there. Mr. Souter also made the case for more civics education nationally in a speech to the American...