Beyond the Ballot: The State of Civic Education in Kentucky

The Kentucky Student Voice Team’s (KSVT) report highlights the state of K-12 civic education in Kentucky, emphasizing its critical role in fostering informed and engaged citizens. Against a backdrop of national and state challenges, including hyper-polarization, digital information proliferation and curriculum censorship, the report outlines the limitations and inequities in current civic education practices. Through a year-long mixed-methods study, KSVT has identified gaps, inequities and opportunities to strengthen civic learning.

KEY FINDINGS

‍1. Challenges in Civic Education:

• Uneven Access: High-quality civic education is not equitably distributed. Students in wealthier districts or those enrolled in AP/IB programs receive more opportunities than their peers in underserved communities.
• Insufficient Preparation: Nearly 40% of students surveyed expressed doubts about their schools' ability to prepare them for active citizenship. Many lacked basic knowledge of government systems or skills in information literacy.
• Cultural Disconnect: Students from marginalized racial or socioeconomic backgrounds often feel their histories and identities are underrepresented in classroom materials. For instance, 46% of students of color reported rarely seeing their racial or ethnic group represented.

2. Civic Health in Kentucky:

• Kentucky lacks a required Civics/Government course, unlike many other states. A recent law allows for a semester-long civic literacy course, but implementation is uneven.
• Results from the Kentucky Civic Health Assessment reveal low levels of civic knowledge among residents, with less than half able to name their local elected officials.
• Kentucky youth civic engagement lags behind the national average in voter turnout but exceeds it in volunteerism, suggesting untapped potential.

3. Socio-Political and Digital Context:

• Increased access to digital technologies post-pandemic presents opportunities for civic learning but also challenges, such as navigating misinformation.
• Legislative actions restricting curriculum topics, including race and gender, further limit students’ exposure to diverse perspectives.

4. Bright Spots and Opportunities:

• Kentucky’s inquiry-based social studies standards and the C3 model emphasize critical thinking, inquiry, and action, providing a strong foundation for civic education.
• The state’s Constitutional commitment to an “adequate” education includes civic knowledge and engagement as core components, offering a legal basis to advocate for improvements.

RECOMMENDATIONS

We offer targeted recommendations to enhance civic education:

1. Curriculum Requirements: Mandate a full semester or year of civics for all Kentucky high school students.
2. Teacher Training: Provide media and information literacy training for teachers across disciplines to address the challenges of the digital age.
3. Cultural Responsiveness: Integrate multicultural education into curricula to ensure all students see their identities reflected in classroom materials.
4. Community Connections: Foster partnerships between schools, community organizations, and local businesses to provide real-world civic engagement opportunities.
5. Student Well-being: Prioritize students’ mental and physical safety to create environments conducive to learning and civic participation.

The report underscores the urgent need to revitalize civic education in Kentucky. With strategic investments and a commitment to equity, Kentucky has the potential to lead in preparing students to become informed, engaged citizens, ensuring the health of its democracy for future generations.