Most states with civics requirements focus on current events, but not real community engagement, says a report by the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.
The report draws on prior analyses of state standards and frameworks. It finds that states, by and large, focus on classroom instruction, current events, and news media literacy over other segments of civics education. Every state mentions in their standards current events, 40 mention news media literacy, and 41 states require at least one course on civics in order to graduate.
But fewer have included participatory elements in their standards and curricula. Only 26 states and the District of Columbia mention civics simulations, and only 11 mention service learning.
