Civics

Ben Wigginton contemplates his votes at the Braddock Heights Community Center in Braddock Heights, Md., on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
Ben Wigginton contemplates his vote at a community center in Braddock Heights, Md., on Nov. 8.
Ric Dugan/The Frederick News-Post via AP
Social Studies What the Research Says Elections Depend on Young Voters. Can Civics Tests Drive Up Their Turnout?
New research suggests that states' efforts to require civics testing for high school students largely fell flat.
Sarah D. Sparks, November 10, 2022
3 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
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Social Studies Opinion What’s the Point of Civics Education?
Teachers seem to be embracing a notion of civics education that is largely content-free.
Rick Hess, October 31, 2022
3 min read
Image of voting and party lines.
TheaDesign/iStock/Getty
Families & the Community 4 Tips for Organizing a School-Based Voter Registration Drive
Many states mandate that schools help register young voters. School and district leaders share their strategies for success.
Sarah Schwartz, October 10, 2022
5 min read
Image of a small U.S. flag in a pencil case.
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Social Studies What is the Goal of Civics Education? Critical Thinking, Teachers Say
Far fewer teachers said that "future political engagement" was a goal for civics class, a new survey found.
Ileana Najarro, October 4, 2022
3 min read
Janell Cinquini teaches a constitution law class at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Ore., on Sept. 13, 2022.
In her constitutional law class, Janell Cinquini, a high school teacher in Lake Oswego, Ore., helps students grasp different schools of thought on how to interpret the U.S. Constitution.
Howard Lao for Education Week
Social Studies 4 Smart Teaching Ideas for Constitution Day
Teaching about Constitutional debates is crucial, teachers say, even as discussing politics in school is an increasingly risky act.
Sarah Schwartz, September 15, 2022
3 min read
Students in Janell Cinquini's constitution law class work on an assignment at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Ore., on Sept. 13, 2022.
Students in Janell Cinquini's constitution law class work on an assignment at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Ore., on Sept. 13, 2022.
Howard Lao for Education Week
Social Studies How 'Fair' Is Our Government? And Other Big Questions Teachers Are Posing for Constitution Day
The holiday is an opportunity to teach about the founding document and its relevance today. The times provide a lot of material.
Sarah Schwartz, September 14, 2022
8 min read
Thousands of people attend a protest for abortion access after the Supreme Court reversed the federal right to abortion decided in Roe v. Wade. The legal basis for the decision could be used in the future as precendent to overturn other rights not explicitly stated in the Constitution (e.g., same-sex marriage). With the exception of Thomas, all of the conservative justices in the majority testified under oath in their confirmation hearings that they consider abortion access 'settled law.'
Thousands of people attend a protest for abortion access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned <i>Roe v. Wade,</i> which guaranteed the right to an abortion.
Allison Bailey/NurPhoto via AP
Curriculum How the Overturning of 'Roe v. Wade' Will Reverberate Through Classrooms
Some teachers are looking for ways to address with students the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn the abortion rights precedent.
Sarah Schwartz, August 5, 2022
8 min read
Norma McCorvey, Jane Roe in the 1973 court case, left, and her attorney Gloria Allred hold hands as they leave the Supreme Court building in Washington, DC., Wednesday, April 26, 1989.
Norma McCorvey, Jane Roe in the 1973 court case, left, and her attorney Gloria Allred hold hands as they leave the Supreme Court building in Washington in 1989.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Social Studies 'Roe v. Wade' Won't Be on Next Year's AP Government Test
The decision is an early example of how the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling will reshape how Constitutional issues are taught.
Sarah Schwartz, August 4, 2022
4 min read
Civics Justices 07292022 172183035
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Law & Courts In a Chat, Two U.S. Supreme Court Justices Talk Civics, Media Literacy
Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Amy Coney Barrett discussed civics education in a recorded interview presented by the Ronald Reagan Institute.
Mark Walsh, July 29, 2022
3 min read
Banned books
DigitalVision Vectors and iStock/Getty
Social Studies Florida Is Placing Limits on Social Studies Textbooks. Here’s What Has to Go
Earlier this year, Florida drew national attention for rejecting math textbooks. Could the same happen with social studies?
Ileana Najarro, July 14, 2022
5 min read
An American flag with a grunge texture
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Social Studies Revamped Florida Civics Education Aims for ‘Patriotism.’ Will It Catch On Elsewhere?
In what could be a model, Florida is now emphasizing patriotism, American exceptionalism, and—some critics say—religious themes.
Ileana Najarro, July 12, 2022
10 min read
A multiple exposure of a wooden gavel and a long row of columns from a courthouse.
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Social Studies Students Deepen Access to Civics Education In Hard-Fought Legal Battle
The case didn't establish a federal right to education, but will spark changes in Rhode Island and could spur challenges in other states.
Catherine Gewertz, June 15, 2022
5 min read
Illustration of tug of war.
Illustration by Laura Baker/Education Week, SvetaZi, and iStock/Getty
Social Studies Critical Race Theory and the Fight Over History Standards: 6 Things to Know
EdWeek examined how the backlash to classroom discussions on race has set back efforts to expand what students learn about American history.
Stephen Sawchuk, January 19, 2022
2 min read
Image of a social study book coming to visual life with edits to the content.
Illustration by Laura Baker/Education Week (Source imagery: Orensila and iStock/Getty)
Social Studies Revising America's Racist Past
How the 'critical race theory' debate is crashing headlong into efforts to update social studies standards.
Stephen Sawchuk, January 18, 2022
27 min read