From Support to Priority

Civic learning is having a moment. But what actually makes it stick as a priority in schools? New national survey data from the American School District Panel (ASDP)—a research partnership between CRPE and RAND—find signs of growing momentum: 20% of district leaders said their district had increased its prioritization of civic learning over the past year, while 18% reported increased school board support. But interviews with district leaders reveal an important wrinkle: support was strongest when civic learning was grounded in local engagement, and weaker when it was perceived as politically charged or connected to national debates. And support alone isn’t enough. Leaders who described civics as a clear district priority, woven into learning goals and other existing structures, had an easier time protecting a commitment to civic learning.