While many Americans might agree on the importance of preparing young people for democratic life, civic education receives relatively less attention than other school subjects.

With guidance from civic education leaders from across the country, including Campus Compact president Andrew Seligsohn and Campus Compact of the Mountain West executive director Stephanie Schooley, the National Center for Learning and Civic Engagement developed the State Civic Education Policy Framework. This effort is intended to guide state policymakers as they address the complexities of preparing students for college, career and civic life.

The State Civic Education Policy Framework captures the expertise and recommendations of meeting participants and is informed by leading research on civic education. This Framework is intended to guide state policymakers as they address the complexities of preparing students for college, career and civic life. It allows for adaptation to state- and site-specific circumstances and may be adopted in whole or in piecemeal fashion, according to states’ individual circumstances. In addition to the Framework, this document includes examples to demonstrate how current state efforts are leading to significant, positive change in civic education for all students. To read the Framework, click here.