# How Can Universities Strengthen Civic Education in K–12 Schools? | Hoover Institution Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10tl_L9oiEE Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/10tl_L9oiEE Generated: 2026-03-06T08:32:09.441+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Universities can strengthen K-12 civic education by focusing on practical skill-building through civic action projects, integrating civics across the curriculum rather than isolating it, and providing robust professional development for teachers on handling contested contemporary issues, recognizing that student engagement often follows action, not motivation. **Key Points:** - Civic education matters fundamentally because every child possesses current and increasing civic rights and responsibilities, necessitating effective instruction on how to exercise them. - Mera Levenson previously authored the C3 Frameworks for college, career, and civic life and helped develop Boston's 'Civics in Action' curriculum, which became a model for Massachusetts standards. - Joshua Dunn's Institute for American Civics runs a growing civics academy in Tennessee, noting that teachers consistently report needing more dedicated class time for civics instruction. - Civics instruction should emphasize 'doing citizenship' through activities like self-driven civic action projects, which involve identifying problems, researching solutions, taking action, and reflecting, as seen in Massachusetts eighth-grade and high school requirements. - There is an empirical correlation showing that increased knowledge of basic civic facts (like separation of powers) is highly correlated with greater levels of political tolerance, as understanding the system's design encourages constructive disagreement. - K-12 teachers lack the academic freedom rights of university professors, making them vulnerable to discipline for speech, necessitating clear strategies for treating issues as 'open' versus 'settled' in the classroom. - Jennifer McNab advocates for interdisciplinary civic literacy courses that incorporate literature, history (US and World), and public speaking to model reasoned civic discourse for future teachers and all students. **Context:** This webinar, hosted by the Alliance for Civics in the Academy, addresses the critical question of how universities can effectively enhance civic education within K-12 schools amidst current national challenges like conversational silos and political gridlock. Moderator Jenna Story introduced panelists Meera Levenson (Stanford), Joshua Dunn (University of Tennessee at Knoxville), and Jennifer McNab (University of Northern Iowa), all of whom shared their motivations for engaging in K-12 civics work and their specific contributions to teacher training and curriculum development. ## Detailed Analysis The panelists established that K-12 civics requires moving beyond mere knowledge acquisition, though foundational knowledge remains crucial; Joshua Dunn cited data showing that stagnant or declining NAPE scores highlight a basic knowledge deficit, which research links to lower tolerance levels. Meera Levenson strongly argued for teaching civics through 'doing citizenship,' contrasting it with subjects like math or science taught through practice, exemplified by Massachusetts' requirement for eighth graders and high schoolers to complete self-driven civic action projects. Jennifer McNab focused on teacher preparation, emphasizing that her university models reasoned discourse and builds interdisciplinary civic literacy programs to show students multiple perspectives. A major point of discussion involved navigating contested contemporary issues; Levenson cautioned that K-12 teachers do not possess the same academic freedom as professors and risk discipline, stressing the need for explicit techniques like structured academic controversy to manage debates over what is 'open' or 'settled.' Furthermore, panelists agreed that equitable access demands integrating civic opportunities directly into the curriculum, not just relying on extracurriculars, and that motivation often follows engagement, meaning consistent opportunities to 'do civics' help students develop a citizen identity. ### Panelist Motivations and Background - Meera Levenson previously taught in Boston/Atlanta public schools and co-authored the C3 Frameworks - Joshua Dunn started professional development seminars in 2007, recognizing neglect of civics PD, and now runs a growing civics academy in Tennessee - Jennifer McNab focuses on preparing pre-service teachers due to her university being a top producer of educators and helped launch UNI's Center for Civic Education. ### Defining K-12 Civics - Iowa embeds K-8 civics across the curriculum with grade-level outcomes, shifting to defined coursework (American/World History, Civics) in 9-12, with a new mandate that all Iowa high school graduates must pass the citizenship test by 2026-2027. ### The 'Doing' of Citizenship - Civics instruction must involve skill-building beyond sourcing and analysis; examples include self-driven civic action projects (identifying local problems, taking action, reflecting) and co-curricular activities like robust student government or mock elections. ### Knowledge, Tolerance, and System Understanding - Research shows higher civic knowledge correlates with greater political tolerance, likely because understanding structural concepts like separation of powers and First Amendment doctrine shows that disagreement and compromise are foundational to the system. ### Teaching Contested Issues - Teachers must navigate legal risks as their speech is often considered 'for hire'; they need explicit techniques (case studies, simulations, structured academic controversy) and must be clear about why they treat certain issues as 'open' for debate or 'settled.' ### University Role and Collaboration - Universities must model reasoned discourse, conduct inventories of existing civic contributions, and engage students to help recruit peers; interdisciplinary collaboration, such as UT Knoxville linking English, Theater, and Civics to perform historical plays, helps bridge disciplinary silos and reach non-naturally interested students.