This year, the United States of America celebrates 250 years of independence. When the Founding Fathers set forth a new nation, they recognized that public schooling would play a vital role in cultivating an informed citizenry necessary to sustain an enduring democratic republic. In 1796, President George Washington urged Congress that “the education of our youth in the science of government” should be a national priority.
Throughout U.S. history, civics education — instruction in the science of citizenship — has helped each generation of Americans develop the skills necessary to participate in and improve their communities. During the Progressive Era, reformers advocated for civics education as a means of improving society by building model citizens and constructing a cohesive national identity out of an increasingly diverse student population. In the midst of the Cold War, civics education prepared students to be patriotic leaders, while in the 21st century, civics has largely focused on media literacy and digital citizenship.
Across each era of American history, K-12 civics and social studies education have empowered students to write the nation’s next chapter. Civics education equips students to vote, volunteer, stay informed, and otherwise enact the change they hope to see in the world. According to a survey administered by Tufts University researchers, young people ages 18 to 34 who had student voice experiences in high school were nearly twice as likely to say they were “extremely likely” to vote in an upcoming election.
Whether helping students learn about government institutions, research issues in their local community, or understand how history shapes their experiences, civics education fosters commitments to the common good. As the United States begins its next 250 years, education policymakers must help young people engage in their communities through civics education with renewed vigor.
Youth Civic Engagement in the United States
As measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), U.S. 8th grade students’ civic knowledge remained unchanged between 1998 and 2022. In 2022, three in four U.S. 8th grade students scored below “proficient” on the NAEP Civics exam, meaning that most students are not likely to be able to identify hallmarks of our democracy such as the separation of powers, checks and balances, and the purpose of the Bill of Rights. Although much recent attention has been paid to declines in math and reading achievement, 8th grade students were more likely to score proficient in math or reading than civics on the 2022 NAEP exams.
In the 2024 presidential election, 47% of eligible voters ages 18 to 29 cast ballots, lower than other age groups. However, civic engagement is defined by far more than just assessment results and voting rates. Acts of everyday citizenship — such as picking up litter, posting about a cause on social media, or donating blood — are harder to measure, but can nevertheless impact communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, young people had some of the highest formal volunteering rates of any age group. This year, roughly 3 in 10 young adults reported volunteering for community service within the past 12 months (Figure 1).
In spring 2026, 28% of young American adults reported volunteering within the past 12 months.
Figure 1: Percentage of Americans Ages 18 to 29 Who Reported Volunteering for Community Service Within the Last 12 Months, 2016-2026
Source: Harvard Institute of Politics, “Harvard Youth Poll – Spring,” 2026.
Civics Education Policy
Although whether and how youth demonstrate civic engagement depends on many factors, civics policies set at the federal, state, and local levels play a key role in helping young people develop civic competencies. The sections that follow provide an overview of how education policymakers have approached civics education in recent years.
Federal Civics Policy
The federal government plays a limited role in shaping K-12 education curriculum decisions, but federal directives, guidance, and incentives frequently shape school practices. In a January 2025 executive order, President Trump called for “patriotic education” in American schools that celebrates the country’s principles, history, aspirations, and greatness. The U.S. Department of Education’s final supplemental priority on “patriotic education” seeks to support the use of primary sources to help students better understand U.S. history, art, literature, and geography. In fiscal year (FY) 2025 and FY26, the Trump administration has leveraged discretionary funding to strengthen teaching and learning aligned with this priority.
State Civics Policy
Recognizing the inextricable link between public education and civic life, many state departments of education have declared civic preparation a core component of their missions. For example, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s vision is to cultivate “engaged learners creating a better Wisconsin together.” Alongside issuing guidance, developing state standards, or mandating civic rituals such as the Pledge of Allegiance, state governments frequently set course requirements and administer assessments to help students build civic readiness.
State Social Studies High School Course Requirements
Currently, 44 states and the District of Columbia require high school students to complete coursework in civics or government to receive a traditional high school diploma (Figure 2). Likewise, 38 states and the District of Columbia mandate that high school students complete U.S. History coursework to receive a traditional high school diploma. These course requirements make instruction related to American government a hallmark of secondary schooling nationwide.
Forty-four states and Washington, D.C., require high school students to complete coursework in civics or government to receive a traditional high school diploma.
Figure 2: State Social Studies Course Requirements for High School Graduation
State Social Studies Assessments
To reinforce standards from these courses and monitor student proficiency, 33 states administer social studies assessments. Twenty-one states administer summative statewide social studies assessments, allowing for comparisons across schools and districts to track how students are performing; similarly, 20 states require students to pass a civics exam with questions from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization test to graduate from high school (Figure 3). Some states issue diploma “seals of civic readiness” to students who perform strongly on social studies assessments or demonstrate civic readiness through other measures.
As America celebrates 250 years, only 21 states administer summative statewide social studies assessments.
Figure 3: State Social Studies Assessments in 2026
Local Civics Policy
With the assistance of federal and state resources, local education agencies ultimately deliver civics and social studies instruction. Recently, district leaders have undertaken initiatives to adapt civics instruction to their local contexts. Baltimore City Public Schools’ BMore ME program supports student leadership through storytelling, advocacy, and extracurricular engagement. Likewise, Chicago Public Schools recently designated May 1 as a districtwide day of civic engagement and directed stakeholders to develop curriculum and find opportunities for students to participate in community events. In Massachusetts, Melrose Public Schools requires students to fulfill 48 volunteer hours of community service to graduate from high school. Instead of merely preparing students to be the “leaders of tomorrow,” these approaches help students become the “leaders of today” and enact immediate change in their own neighborhoods.
A Foundation Worth Strengthening
In the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that education “is the very foundation of good citizenship.” By equipping young people with the skills and knowledge to improve their communities, civics education helps create a more responsive and effective citizenry.
Public education advocates have focused recent curricular reforms on literacy and mathematics amid declining NAEP scores — rightly so. But the problems of America’s next 250 years are going to be big, and education stakeholders must continue improving civics instruction to ensure students are prepared to tackle them. As John Adams wrote in 1765, “liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.” That charge is as urgent now as it was at the nation’s founding.
