| The role of k-12 schools in young people’s path to political engagement receives too little attention. In fact, schools play a critical role, and their influence can be positive or negative. In the lead-up to the 2020 election, CIRCLE is working to support k-12 school districts and educators to strengthen school cultures for political learning and to build non-partisan educational plans that will promote more informed and equitable youth voting. Please join us in this work, and stay tuned for more resources over the next 18 months.
Share with the educators in your life!
Online Course: Educating for Informed and Equitable Voting
Sign up before September 13 for a discount!
Schools are important spaces for building youth democratic participation. Do you have a plan for your school or district?
Educators: sign up today for an online course on “Educating for Informed and Equitable Voting.” The course, taught by CIRCLE alongside the Civic Engagement Research Group (CERG) and offered through UC Riverside Extension, will focus on the knowledge and practices you need to support youth in becoming prepared voters–whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or district leader. This is an 8-week, 4-credit course that runs from September 23-November 18.
More information and sign-up here
Growing Voters: Engaging Youth Before Age 18 Strengthens Democracy
Schools, especially k-12 civic education, are a central component of CIRCLE’s newly released “Growing Voters” framework. At the national, state, and local levels, there are steps we can take to eliminate disparities in access, inclusion and participation among youth by moving from a paradigm focused on merely mobilizing voters to one centered on Growing Voters, starting far before youth reach voting age. When more—and more diverse—young people are politically engaged earlier in life, they are more likely to remain engaged in the future and to be part of an electorate that is more representative of the country, which should be a key goal of our democracy.
Read more
Stay connected to CIRCLE on Facebook and Twitter
to learn more. Sign up here for CIRCLE’s monthly e-update. |
Has Your School or District Completed Our Checklist?
As part of our work on the Teaching for Democracy Alliance, CIRCLE has collaborated with several other national civic education organizations to develop a checklist for school and district leaders on high-quality, non-partisan teaching about elections and voting. Along with a Self-Assessment Matrix, these tools can be used to help you plan for and take steps to build the best ways to support your students’ learning and to include their voices.
For more about the Teaching for Democracy Alliance, visit the TFDA website.
CIRCLE in the News
– Washington Post – Here’s one more question parents should think about during back-to-school season
– Daily Kos – Voter suppression starts with a lack of civics education
– The 74 – Schools in Providence Are Poised for a State Takeover. Can the District’s Decade-Old Student Union Seize the Moment? |
