Enhancing Civic Engagement Through School Partnership Opportunities
Explore the new civic education legislation and the potential for league partnerships with schools to boost civic engagement. Learn about student-led civics projects, voter outreach activities, and community involvement initiatives outlined in Chapter 296. Find out how to get involved in promoting civic education and empowering the youth.
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Understanding the New Civic Education Legislation Opportunities for League Partnership with Schools to Enhance Civic Engagement Presentation by Karen Mazza
GOOD NEWS: CIVIC EDUCATION IS BACK! 2018 History and Social Science Curriculum Framework Chapter 296 of the Acts of 2018 An Act To Promote and Enhance Civic Engagement Common underlying perspective: Action Civics Teach students content knowledge of civics but also teach them the skills of civic engagement. 2 6/14/2025
FEATURES OF CH. 296 Grade 8 12 Student-led, non-partisan civics projects (2019-2020). DESE has Civics Project Guidebook. Commonwealth Civics Challenge. Showcase for Grade 8 student projects. (2022-2023) Civics Project Trust Fund (2019-2020) Promotion of youth membership on municipal boards, committees and commissions Non-partisan high school voter challenge (Student Voter Outreach Coordinators) 3 6/14/2025
POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES- EASY TO MORE INVOLVED 1. Offer to train the student voter outreach coordinators. Provide them with additional helpful information related to voting. Example: How college students can vote when away from home. Information about local elections and town meeting. Dates and locations of local debates Secretary of Commonwealth will be developing regulations for this high school voter challenge program. 4 6/14/2025
Partnership Activities contd 2. Support student participation on municipal boards and committees Provide materials for local boards on how to create a meaningful role for student participants. (Sec. of the Commonwealth supposed to notify them.) 3. Create a resource directory of community/government organizations that can be used to help students identify helpful research contacts for their student-led non-partisan civics projects. Organize by community issue. 5 6/14/2025
Partnership Activities contd 2. Support student participation on municipal boards and committees Provide materials for local boards on how to create a meaningful role for student participants. (Sec. of the Commonwealth supposed to notify them.) 3. Create a resource directory of community/government organizations that can be used to help students identify helpful research contacts for their student-led non-partisan civics projects. Organize by community issue. 6 6/14/2025
Partnership Activities contd A little more involved 4. Support local showcases for student-led civics projects. It could be as simple as lining up an interested audience of civic-minded adults, parents and other students for a student civics fair. It could be more involved by following a model like that created by Generation Citizen and having judges for the showcase. 7 6/14/2025
PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES VERY INVOLVED 5. If schools desire get trained to be an intergenerational coach to assist students with their student-led civics projects. (Generation Citizen curriculum) 6. Offer schools the opportunity to have students co-plan a forum on an issue of importance to the students. (May work best in conjunction with an after school club, like Debate Club or a civics issue club. Curriculum intrusion and scheduling are practical issues for this option.) 8 6/14/2025
PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES VERY INVOLVED 7. Offer a grant program to support action civics curriculum projects. The LWVCCA model has been to do this in partnership with the Cape Cod Foundation. We worked our way up to this, starting with networking and relationship building. Planning to discontinue at this time with beginning of state Civics Trust Fund. 9 6/14/2025
IN SUMMARY Start with relationship building listen Build a menu of options with school input Offer what they want and need Remember teachers are very capable on their own There are very professional curriculum materials available to schools Do what is reasonable for your League to do Focus on supporting their action civics projects. Invite them to participate in League civic engagement but do so on their turf and schedule. (Ex. Needham high school LWV Club, c0-plan event with one of their clubs.) 10 6/14/2025
