Civic Education Survey – Summary of Results

The Public School subcommittee of the Civic Education Commission surveyed all New Hampshire schools, public and private, in November and December 2002. Since any proposed legislation arising from the commission’s work would most likely impact public high schools, non-responding schools in this category were contacted on two subsequent occasions. No other group was subjected to follow-up procedures.

High School Results

70 out of a possible 79 public high schools, or 89%, responded to the survey. A total of 14 private-parochial high schools also participated. Of the responding public high schools, 61, or 89%, indicated they had a “Civics” or “Government” or “Politics” course. One other school indicated Civics was taught elsewhere in Social Studies. Of the responding schools, 52, or 74%, had a required course in “Civics, etc.” while 16% had an elective course. 40% of these courses were a semester long, while 29% were a full year. An additional 17% were quarterly, and 6% were “other”.

Among the responding high schools, a wide variety of Civic Education-oriented groups or activities was present. 61% of the schools report the presence of Service Learning or Community Service. 91% of the schools have some form of student government. 47% participated in the New Hampshire version of the National Parent/Student Mock Election. 26% were active in KidsVoting. The NH Bar Association’s “We the People” competition was present in 29% of the responding high schools. That group’s Mock Trial had a 36% participation rate, while the Lawyer or Judge in the Schools program impacted 56% of the schools. The Legislator in the School program was reported in 41% of schools. The YMCA/YWCA Youth in Government program was reported in 15% of high schools.

In terms of the seven approaches to Civic Education we’ve identified, all seven seem to be found in New Hampshire public high schools, although there was only one instance of the Public Achievement model. Many schools report involvement in more than one approach. The History Curriculum approach was evident in 38 schools (54%). The Civics Curriculum approach was evident in 47 schools (67%). 4 schools reported Critical Thinking as part of Civic Education (6%). Community service was reported by 39 high schools (56%) and Service Learning by 28 schools (40%). Voter Education approaches such as Mock Election and Kids Voting were evident in 44 high schools (63%).

Middle School Results

Among public Middle Schools, it is difficult to have exact numbers, because the middle grades appear in so many differing configurations: K-8, K-6, 5-8, 6-8, 7-8, 7-9, and 7-12, allowing for a certain amount of duplication and omission. Our best estimate is 65 responses from 133 possible schools, or 49%. We also had responses from 14 private-parochial middle schools. Of the responding public middle schools, 75% reported that they taught Civics within a Social Studies course. 23% reported that they taught Civics within a History course (these figures are not exclusive of one another, as “History” can be considered a “Social Studies” course). 6 % reported that they taught a separate Civics course, and 2% reported they did not teach Civics.

Among the responding public middle schools, 75% reported participation in Service Learning or Community Service. 77% reported some form of Student Government. 49% participated in the National Parent/ Student Mock Election. 42% participated in Kids Voting. The New Hampshire Bar Association’s “We the People” reached 12% of the middle schools, while its Mock Trial reached 32%. The NHBA’s Lawyer or Judge in the Schools was reported by 40%. Legislator in the Schools was reported by 35% of schools in the reporting sample.

Six of the identified approaches to Civic Education were found among the sample of public middle schools. The History Curriculum approach was represented by 32 schools (49%). The Civics Curriculum model was seen in 10 schools (15%). There were 7 instances of the Critical Thinking model (11%). Community Service was reported by 43 schools (66%) and Service Learning was reported by 41 schools (63%). 38 schools indicated the Voter Education approach (58%).

Elementary School Results

Since Elementary School is not a matter of courses and credits, it is difficult to quantify the results of the survey at this level. It should be noted that 103 out of a possible 317, or 32%, responded (again there is some possibility of duplication where a “middle grade” exists in an “elementary school”). 14 private-parochial elementary schools responded to the survey.

In terms of the seven approaches to Civic Education, we find evidence of six of them in NH public elementary schools. The History Curriculum approach is evident in 45 schools that reported, or 44% of the sample. The Civics Curriculum approach is to be found in 32 reporting schools, or 31%. Critical Thinking is reported by 10 schools (10%). Community Service is present in 60 schools (58%), while Service Learning is reported by 46 schools (45%). 49 schools report Voter Education such as Mock Election or Kids Voting (48%). No evidence of the Public Achievement model was found.

Analysis of the Results

On the basis of self-reported responses, the overwhelming majority of schools are in compliance with the Minimum Standards and Curriculum Frameworks’ desire that they attempt to teach “Civics” to their students. Only 10% of High Schools, and 2% of Middle Schools, reported that they did not teach “Civics”. Even those schools had aspects of “Civic Education” that did not fall under the “Civics” rubric (See Question 8 for High School). It should be pointed out to the 10% of High Schools that the omission puts them into non-compliance with the Minimum Standards. However, it must be questioned whether that level of non-compliance justifies a new required course.

Not only do most public high schools offer a Civics course, but the curriculum offerings are supplemented by a rich array of Civic Education activities, which both enliven courses and provide extra-curricular enrichment. At the high school level, formal Civics is supplemented by History instruction, Voter Education, and ample opportunities for Community Service and/or Service Learning.

In the limited sample, Private-parochial high schools seem to emphasize the role of History in Civic Education more, and offer fewer opportunities for Voter Education, than their public counterparts. Otherwise, no large difference was noted.

Public middle schools incorporate Civic Education into Social Studies or History courses, with few actually designated as “Civics”. Like private-parochial high schools, instruction is more likely to be through History than formal “Civics”. According to their reports, public middle schools provide frequent opportunities for Voter Education, Community Service, and Service Learning.

The tendency toward History rather than formal study of Government is even more pronounced in private-parochial middle schools, according to the limited sample. Community Service and Service Learning are similarly emphasized, but Voter Education is less well represented than in the public sample.

At the Public Elementary level, History is again a more popular approach to Civic Education than formal study of Government (“Civics”). Critical Thinking has more advocates than at the other levels. Voter Education, Community Service, and Service Learning are all reported to be strongly represented.

In the Private-parochial Elementary sample, History is even more favored than in publics. Critical Thinking is not evident. Like in the public schools, Voter Education, Community Service, and Service Learning are all reported to be well represented.