Investing in Civic Education and Our Democracy

A healthy democracy requires citizens who have the skills and knowledge to participate fully in the democratic process. The American Academy of Arts & Sciences’ Our Common Purpose report found that, even in today’s polarized political era, Americans across the country agree that the United States needs to invest in its civic education for young people. There is less agreement on what exactly that education should cover. A new report from Educating for American Democracy (EAD) brought together leaders from around the country and across the political spectrum to develop a roadmap toward a new, national commitment to civic education.

Representatives from the American Academy and Educating for American Democracy joined in a critical conversation with students, educators, and scholars about the role of civic education in fostering a new generation of empowered citizens committed to forging a vibrant democracy.

This program spotlighted the recommendation to invest in civic education from the Academy report, Our Common Purpose: Reinventing Democracy for the 21st Century, as well as the EAD’s report, Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy.