What do good citizens look like? What do they know? What can they do? As a civic educator for almost four decades, I have been following the movement in several states to require high school students to answer a given number of questions correctly on the U.S. Citizenship exam to graduate from high school. It is my belief that such efforts are misguided and, in fact, could erode civic education in our schools—if the test becomes the measure of a good civic education.
Do we really believe that this test measures what is most important for students to know if they are to participate in our communities? Will a passing score on the test mean that students can deliberate controversial public issues? Will it show their ability to consider differing points of view on the many contentious issues we face? Will it heighten the level of civil discourse in our communities? Will it enable students to analyze and take action on a problem in their school or community that they care about? Will a high score on the test help young people evaluate the meaning and importance of enduring constitutional principles like rule of law, an independent judiciary, minority rights, the balance between individual rights and security? Will it increase voter turnout among young voters? Will a high test score help students understand the many challenges we face in our relationships with other nations?
Not likely. Increasing the civic competence of young people demands engaging instruction in democratic principles, not high stakes tests with black-and-white answers or administering an exam created for a different purpose. And we know effective civic education when we see it. I’ve seen it several times just this past week: in a program called “Lawyers in the Classroom,” I watched guest attorneys and a very talented teacher guide 30 fifth-graders in an interactive lesson about the letter and spirit of the law—all of them very excited and on task at 3 pm on a Friday afternoon! The day before I had the pleasure of introducing a team of diverse high school students from Aurora Central High School as they presented their Project Citizen portfolio analyzing the Dream Act to an authentic audience of international visitors who were guests of our State Department. At East High School just down the block from me a class of Constitutional Scholars is meeting with community members every night to prepare for the We the People National Competition in which they will demonstrate in a simulated legislative hearing format their deep understanding of constitutional principles and practices and their critical thinking about such issues as whether voting should be compulsory in our democracy and why it is important for each generation of Americans to learn what the Constitution means.
Why would our state governments want to spend precious taxpayer funds to test students on random facts? These examples I have cited illustrate the kind of civic education that will motivate young people to become active citizens in our democracy. Because interacting with community members as they learn about government and public policy motivates students to participate, I ask all of you to become involved in enriching civic education in our schools. Spending time in a local school helping students investigate policy, learn about community problems and resources, providing feedback for their authentic learning experiences and helping them to think and discuss controversial issues will enhance civic education in our schools far more than advocating for one more paper-and-pencil test.
Jackie Johnson is a former middle school teacher and the state coordinator for the Colorado We the People Program and Project Citizen. She conducts professional development in civic education for Colorado teachers sponsored by the Civic Canopy.
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