In recent years, civic engagement has declined throughout the United States, particularly among younger generations. Research shows that trust in the government has greatly declined over the last several decades, while there is also a general lack of knowledge about government functions among the public. Civic education can reverse these trends and promote civic engagement by teaching students the importance of their voices in democracy and participating in their communities. However, in a 2021 report from the Fordham Institute, Pennsylvania received a grade of “F” for the quality, rigor, and organization of both its civic education and U.S. history standards, demonstrating that greater efforts should be made in this area.
 
Because civic knowledge and engagement is the basis of any successful democracy, I am proposing a resolution that directs the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on the state of civic education on Pennsylvania, the methods of states with effective education initiatives, and the specific actions that we can take to ensure that our students in this Commonwealth receive high-quality civic education.
 
As we approach the 250th anniversary of this country, we must recognize that the ability of our schools to provide a high-quality civic education is essential to ensure that a strong democratic political culture continues in this Commonwealth and the country as a whole. By providing these opportunities in our schools, our students can develop the needed knowledge, values, and behaviors to have higher levels of valuable civic engagement in our society.
 
Please join me in supporting this study that would evaluate our current civic education measures and develop recommendations to align our methods with research-based best practices.