Over the past decade, Illinois has emerged as a national exemplar of how state policy can drive systemic change in civics education. The Illinois Civic Mission Coalition, a pan-ideological alliance of educators, policymakers, and civic organizations, has shaped the state's civics education vision. The coalition built a scalable infrastructure of…

The decline in civic engagement has prompted scholars and policymakers to explore the role of education. One approach gaining traction is mandatory community service, which requires middle and high school students to complete a set number of community service hours as a condition for graduation. However, evidence on the long-term effects of such…

Diminishing civic vitality has been reported in numerous societies, irrespective of democratic maturity. Mandatory community service initiatives in schools have garnered attention as a strategy for fostering long-term civic engagement. However, methodological challenges such as selection bias and observation timing have led to inconsistent…

This case study investigated the transformative learning outcomes for undergraduate students enrolled in two sociology courses taught by The State University of New York at Albany, at an urban ecoliteracy environmental justice center. Authors conducted participant observation and gathered data from surveys, semi-structured interviews, and focus…

What does the development of a young person's political agency look like, and what role can schools play in this process? The authors profile Blackstone Academy, where administrators integrate social activism, community service, and other service-learning projects into the curriculum to help students develop leadership skills and confidence. The…

The potential benefits associated with sociopolitical group involvement for participating youth have been well documented in the existing literature. Yet, little is known about what motivates voluntary participation in such programs among youth. The purpose of this study is to explore what environmental factors influence youth civic engagement…

Recently, many high schools and universities have promoted community service learning program by making it part of the admission process; therefore, students participate in community service learning program to get admission in an institution of their choice. Moreover, after completing the community service program, they see themselves as more…

This study evaluates environmental service-learning in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in relation to demographic variables and students' characteristics. A diverse group of school and community sites were recruited. Statistical analysis was performed between the final attitude index scores and demographic variables. UAE citizens were found to have…

The senior year of high school has the potential to be a bridge between childhood and adulthood, but senior courses are not vastly different than courses offered to freshman who are barely into their teenage years. A service learning component that is embedded throughout the senior year provides students with the space to think critically and then…

Discourse on youth development has only begun to explore how Black youth experience courses intended to result in their sociopolitical development. The present study examined the link between pedagogical experience in a culturally relevant class and sociopolitical involvement and tested the mediating role of sociopolitical efficacy.…

Using a mixed methods approach, this study was conducted in Jordanian schools to determine the perceptions of seventh- and eleventh-grade students toward citizenship. Specifically, the study determined what students believe are the attributes of a good citizen, what activities they participate in that are related to good citizenship, and what…

The investigation of time is at the heart of historians' pursuits. Many also recognize the importance of space, since the chronology of action and ideas necessarily occurs in the physical world. The conscious integration of time and space has found growing favor among scholars recently as the "spatial turn" has influenced research across…

This new report from the Center for Educational Equity offers insights into the resources and practices necessary to prepare students for civic participation in accordance with students' constitutional rights. The pilot study on which the report is based documented major disparities in learning opportunities among the study schools, including in…

For high school community service programs to have a positive impact on subsequent civic engagement, students must volunteer in a sustained manner and must evaluate their volunteering experiences positively. Using a survey with 1,293 respondents and 100 semistructured interviews with past participants of the mandatory community service program…

The context of privilege provides unique opportunities and challenges for youth civic development. A mixed-method approach was used to examine links between school-based community service, school climate, and civic orientation among students in cultures of privilege. Surveys completed by students (N = 376) at two private high schools--one with an…