Another Opportunity Missed - Civic Education Policy in California
California education policy makers have once again written and published a nice looking report on school curriculum – this one on the need for improved civic education. As is the norm for these tasks, a group of “well respected” civic leaders have participated.
While it is accurate that we have a general problem of civic engagement of the young, it is also true that we have a very specific problem with the rate of Latino and Asian voter participation and civic engagement.
Rates of voting and voter registration provide a window into civic engagement. The proportion of state voter registration that is Latino and Asian has remained far below the proportions of these groups in the state’s overall population. In 2010, Latinos in the state made up 37.6% of the general population while they were on 21.2 % of the registered voters. The Asian population was 13.1 % of the state but only 8.1 % of the registered voters.
They have written a report, Revitalizing K-12 Civic Learning in California, and they call it a Blue Print for Action. http://www.powerofdemocracy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CLTF-Final-Report.pdf
They call for a major revision of civic education. That is fine. They even recognize the diversity of California students. They say,
“Civic learning is also vital for our increasingly diverse California society. In 2012-
2013, our 6.2 million K-12 students were 53 percent Latino, 26 percent white,
9 percent Asian and 6 percent African American, with the remaining 6 percent
comprised of other ethnicities. In addition, an increasing number of our students
are not native speakers of English. Almost 4 in 10 kindergarteners are English
language learners. This diversity, and the attention it requires, is now acknowledged
in our school funding model. The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) recognizes
the necessity of investing in the reduction and ultimate removal of inequitable
outcomes in California public schools. Revitalizing civic learning opportunities, in
an equitable manner, can contribute to meeting these goals.”
Rates of voting and voter registration provide a window into civic engagement. The proportion of state voter registration that is Latino and Asian has remained far below the proportions of these groups in the state’s overall population. In 2010, Latinos in the state made up 37.6% of the general population while they were on 21.2 % of the registered voters. The Asian population was 13.1 % of the state but only 8.1 % of the registered voters.
The report, as is common, is well illustrated with compelling photos of very pleasant multi racial and multiethnic student faces. They even note that the current History Social Science Framework and Standards are over 15 years out of date reminder that the State Board of Education and the California Legislature should Choosing Democracy: Another Opportunity Missed - Civic Education Policy in California: