Commission issues plan to boost civic engagement

A 51-page report issued on Jan. 28 by a special legislative commission lays out goals for reversing what many perceive as a decline in civic engagement among both students and adults.

“Renewing the Social Compact,” the report by the Special Commission on Civic Engagement and Learning, notes that public schools “have long been regarded as the catalyst for civic learning in America.” But in recent years, according to the report, test scores in this subject area have been discouraging. The 2010 National Assessments of Educational Progress in Civics and History revealed that just one in four students is proficient in civics-related subject matter.

“American leaders have consistently maintained that in order for our democracy to endure, students must be prepared with knowledge of government and the practices of an engaged citizenry,” said Sen. Richard Moore of Uxbridge, who chaired the commission. “Dismal student proficiency in these subjects and negative voting trends, among other factors, demonstrate that there is simply not enough being done to promote civic engagement and learning.”

The commission recommends ensuring that civics is part of the K-12 school curriculum and that funding be made available to implement the state MCAS history test as early as the 2015-16 school year.

The commission also calls for incorporating civic engagement into higher education and adult education in Massachusetts.

Recommendations for the state’s colleges and universities include ensuring that there is a sustainable educational and administrative infrastructure in place to boost civic engagement among students, faculty and staff.

Goals for adult education include creating a center that would support civic engagement and learning among non-student adults. The commission also recommends introducing an award for exemplary programs geared toward adult learners.

“These steps will reinvigorate our civic life by strengthening K-12 civics curricula, improving Student Government Day, establishing a statewide Center for Adult Civic Engagement, and building on civic learning at the higher education level,” said Natick Selectman Josh Ostroff, who served as the MMA representative on the commission.

• Download report of the Special Commission on Civic Engagement and Learning (1.7M PDF)
• Link to Sen. Moore’s website for more information