This morning, the National Center for Education Statistics released results from the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in Civics for 8th graders. Unfortunately, flatlining, failing achievement on the preeminent national measure of students’ civic knowledge and skills was predictable given the lack of investment in K–12 civics and a failure to prioritize the subject through established policies.
In 2022, a mere 22 percent of 8th graders were deemed proficient or better in civics—a slight decrease since the subject was last tested in 2018—and the percentage of students performing below NAEP’s established basic level grew by 3 percent.
NAEP achievement levels have implications for students' civic development. The 2022 NAEP Civics results reveal that higher performing students are more likely to:
• Express confidence in their ability to make a difference in their communities;
• Link civics coursework with an understanding of what's happening in the world;
• Express confidence in their abilities to pay attention to the political process; and
• Explain the importance of participating in the political process and government.
NAEP Civics also allows for analysis of results alongside school and classroom inputs, helping to identify the most impactful civics content and pedagogies, and highlight disparities in access to these best practices. For example, 8th graders who learned about civics in a designated class outperformed those where it was embedded in another class (157 to 153 average scale score out of 300), with a wider gap for those with no civics instruction (143).
As retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said, “The practice of democracy is not passed down through the gene pool. It must be taught and learned by each new generation.” As a nation, what we prioritize is reflected in what we fund and measure—today’s disappointing results speak volumes about civics’ marginalization by policymakers.
We encourage Congress to use today’s recurring alarm as a call to action: Enact the Administration’s request to increase federal funding for K–12 civics and U.S. history by $50M in Fiscal Year 2024, and reintroduce the bipartisan, bicameral Civics Secures Democracy Act, which represents the generational investment today’s appalling scores demand. We likewise call the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB)—the body that oversees NAEP—to greater action (see our specific recommendations).
Share our sample messages regarding today’s NAEP Civics release on social media, use our “Take Action” tools to encourage your Members of Congress to increase federal appropriations for K–12 civics, and join our state-level efforts to strengthen current civics course requirements, accountability mechanisms, and student and school recognition for excellence in civics.
