Higher levels of civic and community engagement in higher education are positively associated with students' academic performance and they also build upon citizenship skills such as informed voting. Yet, while these are worthy and important outcomes of higher education, students from disadvantaged backgrounds can have more difficulty navigating…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions of superintendents who have conducted both successful and unsuccessful school construction referendums in the state of Indiana from 2008-2010. This research will serve as a guide for superintendents who will undergo a school construction referendum, especially in Indiana. This study will…

The "Indiana K-12 & School Choice Survey" project, commissioned by The Foundation for Educational Choice and conducted by Braun Research Incorporated (BRI), measures Indiana registered voters' awareness and opinions on a range of K-12 education issues. "What Do Indiana Voters Say about K-12 Education & School Choice?"…

Studies regularly link levels of educational attainment to civic behavior and attitudes, but only a few investigate the role played by specific coursework. Using data collected from students who attended one of four public universities in our study, we investigate the relationship between economics coursework and civic behavior after graduation.…

In a period such as this, marked by extreme political partisanship and apparent gridlock at the federal level, it would be tempting to throw up one's hands in frustration. But this is just the time that a foundation like Joyce can add the most value--because the Joyce team members are non-partisan, not subject to the pressures of political and…

As noted in "School Referenda in Indiana", the contributing factors to school referenda outcomes are often subject to the individual communities; while a referendum with a high requested tax rate increase might fail in one community, the same referendum might pass in another. Despite this factor, there often are notable trends and…

The May primary election added seven school district referenda to the total number occurring in Indiana since 2008, three of which passed and four of which were rejected by voters. In the 2011 primary election, there were five General Fund referenda and two construction referenda. Of General Fund referenda, two passed (Crown Point Community School…

The process of voting is a fundamental right and privilege of any democracy. In fact, "Merriam-Webster" defines the word democracy as "a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free…

This manual guides K-12 teachers through a two-week study of the election process in Indiana culminating in a school-based election. Election procedure is followed from voter registration through election returns. Indiana law mandates the study of elections during election years; this manual was created to facilitate the process. Grade levels and…

Lessons to help K-12 students in Indiana learn about elections are provided. Indiana educators are required by law to provide for all students in grades 6-12 within the two weeks preceding each general election five full recitation periods of class discussion concerning the U.S. system of government, voting methods, party structures, and election…

Designed to help students understand basic election issues, campaign practices, election processes, and voting procedures, this curriculum guide contains information about U.S. politics in relation to the concept of freedom and historical material on the founding of U.S. political parties, Jeffersonian democracy, and political parties after 1850.…

Utilizes case studies of two southern Indiana local history projects to illustrate methods of conducting local history. The studies examined local voting patterns and researched the legends surrounding a local Civil War colonel. Includes suggestions for planning successful student research projects. (MJP)