Civics

Interior view of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylavnia. In the distance Independence Hall is visible. Feb. 7, 2026.
Teachers from across the country convened at National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Feb. 7, 2026, to create lessons for America's 250th anniversary this summer. In the distance Independence Hall is visible.
Matthew Ludak for Education Week
Social Studies It’s a Complicated Time for Teachers to Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary
At a lesson-writing workshop, teachers discussed how we should interpret founding principles today.
Sarah Schwartz, February 19, 2026
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8 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
School Choice & Charters Opinion Civil Society Is Withering. How to Help Schools Restore Engagement
Can a new wave of initiatives stem the trend of isolation?
Rick Hess, February 10, 2026
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7 min read
Federal Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Polarized Do You Think Educators Are?
The EdWeek Research Center examined the degree to which K-12 educators are split along partisan lines. Quiz yourself and see the results.
Elle Butler, January 27, 2026
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1 min read
A child kneels in the snow among demonstrators holding signs during a news conference at Lake Hiawatha Park in Minneapolis, on Jan. 9, 2026, demanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement be kept out of schools and Minnesota following the killing of 37-year-old mother Renee Good by federal agents earlier on Wednesday.
A child kneels in the snow among demonstrators holding signs during a news conference at Lake Hiawatha Park in Minneapolis on Jan. 9, 2026, demanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement be kept out of schools following the killing of Renee Good by federal agents.
Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP
Teaching 'There's a Firehose of Information': Talking to Students About Minneapolis
Find curated coverage on discussing confusing, scary, or politically charged topics in the classroom.
Sarah Schwartz, January 26, 2026
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2 min read
Policy & Politics Reports Partisan Polarization & K-12 Education: Results of a National Survey
This report takes stock of the dimensions and impacts of polarization in education based on a survey of teachers and K-12 administrators.
December 8, 2025
Image of a small U.S. flag in a pencil case.
iStock/Getty
Teaching What the Research Says Teachers Value 'Patriotic' Education More Than Most Americans
Nearly two thirds of teachers favor presenting America as "fundamentally good."
Sarah D. Sparks, November 5, 2025
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4 min read
A tangle of wires and missed connections among institutions.
Islenia Mil for Education Week
Leadership 5 Big Ideas That Will Define the Future of Education
With massive federal changes and looming questions about AI, K-12 education is at a crossroads.
Elizabeth Rich, October 3, 2025
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1 min read
Modern landscape design with abstract graphs and textures showing different experiences through data.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Teaching Profession From Our Research Center Educators' Political Preferences Don't Always Reveal Their K-12 Positions (in Charts)
Teachers and school and district leaders share their opinions on a host of hot-button issues.
Elizabeth Rich & Sterling C. Lloyd, September 26, 2025
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4 min read
Civics teacher Aedrin Albright stands before her class at Chatham Central High School in Bear Creek, N.C., on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.
Civics teacher Aedrin Albright stands before her class at Chatham Central High School in Bear Creek, N.C., on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. Educators are working to understand the best ways to teach civics as the U.S. Department of Education emphasizes plans for "patriotic education."
Allen G. Breed/AP
Social Studies How Educators Can Teach Civics in Today's Political Climate
Experts share tips on ways to approach civics education with civility and critical thinking.
Jennifer Vilcarino, September 24, 2025
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4 min read
Tenth-grader Landon Hackney makes an argument during civics class at Chatham Central High School in Bear Creek, N.C., on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.
Tenth grader Landon Hackney makes an argument during civics class at Chatham Central High School in Bear Creek, N.C., on Nov. 5, 2019. The U.S. Department of Education will promote "patriotic education" in civics and history classrooms.
Allen G. Breed/AP
Social Studies Ed. Dept. Will Emphasize 'Patriotic Education' in Grant Competitions
A new civics coalition and proposed grant priority emphasize teaching "American values."
Sarah Schwartz, September 17, 2025
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5 min read
Students listen to social studies teacher Ella Pillitteri during a seventh grade civics class at A.D. Henderson School in Boca Raton, Fla., on April 16, 2024.
Students listen to social studies teacher Ella Pillitteri during a 7th grade civics class at A.D. Henderson School in Boca Raton, Fla., on April 16, 2024. Civics teachers say they are struggling not to run into controversy when teaching core topics like the separation of powers as President Trump's administration continues to push constitutional boundaries.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Social Studies Why Some Civics Educators Are Afraid to Teach Their Subject
"They just don’t know in this new environment what they can and can’t say," said one civics education expert.
Sarah Schwartz, September 8, 2025
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4 min read
A tangle of wires and missed connections among institutions.
Islenia Mil for Education Week
Big Ideas in Education Special Report Big Ideas to Drive Education's Future
Political, technological, and economic changes are hitting schools hard this year. How can educators make sense of it all?
September 8, 2025
The outside world seeps into a civics classroom.
Islenia Mil for Education Week
Social Studies Reported Essay Students Have Questions About Our Democracy. Is Civics Class Up to the Task?
How today’s messy political realities are crashing against traditional civics education.
Sarah Schwartz, September 8, 2025
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10 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Social Studies Opinion What Should Civics Instruction Look Like?
States should take four policy actions for a rigorous approach to civics in the classroom, an educator explains.
Rick Hess, August 26, 2025
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6 min read
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