Consortium Director Debra Henzey said the results of the study were “the first phase of a blueprint for civic education” at a public event today at the Albert Coates Local Government Complex in Raleigh.
“The civic index tells North Carolina what our starting point is and identifies our civic strengths and weaknesses,” Henzey said. The index, based on the results of statewide surveys of youth ages 13 to 17 and adults, should help schools and communities fill important gaps in civic education, she said.
Key findings outlined in the 12-page report, “Measures of Citizenship: The North Carolina Civic Index 2003,” include:
- For both youth and adults, a major civics gap exists between higher- and lower-income residents. Young people from households with incomes of $75,000 and above report more confidence in civic skills, higher rates of volunteerism and greater community and political involvement than do youth living in households with annual incomes of less than $20,000.
- Meaningful classroom dialogue about real-life issues positively influences youth civic knowledge, anticipated voting behavior, political engagement and volunteerism. Youth who have applied real-life issues to their civics classes are significantly more likely to report that they have learned a lot or a fair amount from their civics classes — 71 percent vs. 49 percent.
- Like youth across the country, North Carolina youth’s political involvement and civic knowledge are lower than that of adults, but they report high rates of volunteerism and high levels of confidence in their civic engagement skills. Nearly three-fourths (73 percent) of the state’s youth report volunteering in the past year, but less than 10 percent can correctly name both of their U.S. senators.
- More than half of North Carolina youth (57 percent) say parents and family are the greatest role models for what it means to be a good citizen.
Housed in the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Civic Education Consortium is a statewide, nonpartisan partnership of 190 organizations and youth dedicated to revitalizing civic education and engagement for young North Carolinians. Concerned about a lack of comprehensive measures of civic vitality in the state, the consortium decided to gather data through statewide surveys, providing a benchmark for measuring and understanding levels of civic knowledge and engagement in North Carolina.
The civic index includes results of a telephone survey of 1,600 North Carolinians. The report also draws from existing data on civic behavior in the state, including voter turnout rates, charitable giving and diversity in public office, to provide a snapshot of civic life in 2003 in North Carolina.
The civic index results hold promise for the state, Henzey said. “Although some findings are not positive, we also see some strengths to build on, such as young people’s interest in community service and their high confidence in government.”
State Court of Appeals Judge Linda McGee, founding chair of the consortium’s steering committee and a leading proponent of civic education, agreed. “The civic index results will allow parents, educators, public officials and others to work more effectively toward solutions that ensure our young people are well prepared to fully engage in civic life,” she said.
The civic index clearly shows that parents, educators and even public officials can have a positive influence on changing attitudes. “The good news is that there is an important role for everyone, not just schools or teachers,” Henzey said. “Many of the recommendations are neither costly nor difficult to implement.
“Young people today have the potential to be a truly great civic generation,” she added. “And any people, especially parents and other family members, have an opportunity to ensure that happens by being good role models for citizenship, such as volunteering in their communities and discussing politics with their children.”
In addition, Henzey said schools can incorporate more real-life issues into classes and help students link their service projects to important lessons about civic engagement. Public officials also can create opportunities to talk with youth.
Two youth who spoke at the Raleigh event agreed. Jenna Lentz, a junior at East Rutherford High School in Rutherford County, commented on her school’s Student Voices program, which gives students the opportunity to talk about school and community issues that they care about. Lentz said that the program “provides us with an opportunity to make a difference at our school now and in the future. By learning to express our opinions as students, we look forward to sharing our views as adults.”
The study was funded by Carnegie Corp. of New York, the Smith Richardson Foundation and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. North Carolina is the first state in the nation to develop such an index. The full report, including detailed findings, recommendations and survey methodology, is online at www.civics.org.
The North Carolina Civic Education Consortium was founded in 1997 in UNC’s School of Government because North Carolina leaders were concerned the state was in danger of developing a generation of citizens unprepared to lead their communities. The consortium aims to revitalize civic education and engagement for young North Carolinians ages 5 to 18. Organizers envision a future in which all North Carolina children and youth are enthusiastically involved citizens with the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate fully in democratic life. Participation in the consortium is free.
UNC News Services contact: Mike McFarland, (919) 962-8593, mike_mcfarland@unc.edu Civic Education Consortium contact: Debra Henzey, (919), 962-8273, henzey@iogmail.iog.unc.edu