A Call to Action and Report from The National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement
January 18, 2012 § Leave a comment
If promoting democratic engagement and civic literacy is part of you job or you are simply interested in the topic, you will want to read A Crucible 
Moment: College Learning and Democracy’s Future, a new report by The National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement. Here is a short excerpt from the report:
Ten Indicators of Anemic US Civic Health
1. US ranked 139th in voter participation of 172 world democracies in 2007.
2. Only 10 percent of US citizens contacted a public official in 2009‐10.
3. Only 24 percent of graduating high school seniors scored at the proficient or advanced level in civics in 2010, fewer than in 2006 or 1998.
4. Less than one‐half of 12th graders reported studying international topics as part of a civic education.
5. Half of US states no longer require civics education for high school graduation.
6. Among 14,000 college seniors tested in 2006 and 2007, the average score on a civic literacy exam was just over 50 percent, an “F.”
7. Opportunities to develop civic skills in high school through community service, school government, or service clubs are available disproportionately to wealthier students.
8. Just over one‐third of college faculty surveyed in 2007 strongly agreed that their campus actively promotes awareness of US or global social, political, and economic issues.
9. A similar percentage (35.8 percent) of college students surveyed strongly agreed that faculty publicly advocate the need for students to become active and involved citizens.
10. One‐third of college students surveyed strongly agreed that their college education resulted in increased civic capacities.
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