Key Findings

A Core, Common Ground

The Citizens & Scholars team interviewed more than 70 people who are conducting or curating research and data on civic readiness or civic opportunities. The team also collected as many measurement tools, rubrics, and studies as they could find, including both qualitative and quantitative research and numerous articles that compile and summarize these tools.

This collection included measurement efforts conducted by those who think of themselves as part of the field of civic learning—those individuals, organizations, and others working to develop the civic knowledge, skills and dispositions of young people. It also included that of researchers and practitioners in ostensibly related fields: character formation, social-emotional learning, public participation, workforce development, and others.

After drilling down to identify the common elements, the team uncovered a common framework to help sort the various tools. The key findings that have emerged are as follows:

• Civic Readiness is Being Measured Much More Than Civic Opportunities
• Notable Gaps Exist Among People Doing the Measurement Work as well as the Kinds of Tools Available
• Voting Dominates Civic Measurement
• There Are Varying Definitions for What Good Citizenship Means, All of Which Need Examining as our World is Changing

To explore the findings in detail, download a copy of the report.