TAKING INFORMED ACTION THROUGH CIVIC LITERACY: ONE DISTRICT’S EXPERIENCE

Civic literacy is an essential skill for effective participation in a democracy. Every state requires civics for graduation (Baumann et al, 2014, p. 17); national and state standards include specific reference to civic skills and knowledge. Yet in many districts, there is a gap between community expectations and the enacted civic education curriculum to support civic engagement. This is a preliminary report of an ongoing case study of opportunities for civic engagement in one urban district. Initial findings focus on the nature of K-12 students ’ civic engagement, school level curriculum and instructional activities, and support needed to expand civic engagement opportunities. Civic literacy is an essential skill for effective participation in a democracy (Zarnowski 2009), helping students understand their individual rights and responsibilities and make decisions that