2026 offers the ideal opportunity for bipartisan civics legislation

In 1776, the world turned its attention to Philadelphia as it created a new experiment in government. As Philadelphia commemorates this remarkable anniversary in 2026, we are thrilled to host the national forum for Civic Learning Week, where hundreds of students, teachers, policymakers, and civic leaders will gather to energize the movement to improve civic education across the nation. 

Pennsylvania is inextricably linked to the founding of the United States, so our commonwealth should be a national leader in preparing our students to be active, engaged citizens. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania has fallen behind other states. In 2021, Pennsylvania had the ignominious distinction of receiving an “F” grade from the Thomas Fordham Institute on the quality, clarity, and uniformity of our state’s civics and history academic standards, which have not been updated in nearly 25 years. Students in Pennsylvania are required to take a civics assessment before graduation. Still, there is no uniformity or agreement in what the assessment should include or when it should be given. As a result, they are graduating less well-equipped to be knowledgeable, engaged citizens than students in other states.

We co-chair PA Civics, a group of former elected officials and 25 leading nonpartisan nonprofits located across the commonwealth. Our coalition partners provide civics teachers with ready-to-use programs, resources, and professional development opportunities, and we offer policy guidance to both parties and chambers in the General Assembly. We are proud to partner with iCivics, the Democratic Knowledge Project, and other national partners to bring the Civic Learning Week National Forum to Philadelphia in 2026. 

Now is the time to adopt civics education reforms that are worthy of our history as the nation’s birthplace of democracy. That work has already begun, including the recent co-sponsorship memo submitted by state Rep. Tim Brennan, which outlines legislation that would provide schools with a narrower and clearer time period around when civics assessments are undertaken, as well as compelling the state Department of Education to create an exemplar exam that districts can choose to use that assesses students’ abilities in three areas: civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions for taking action. 

Brennan’s legislation would also create a “Seal of Civic Literacy” program that recognizes outstanding students, teachers and districts that demonstrate proficiency in each area. This voluntary participation program would give students an extra accomplishment on their résumés and an incentive for districts to be designated a “School of Civic Excellence.” At least 10 other states already use this program, regardless of political affiliation.

We also strongly urge the state Department of Education to direct the state Board of Education to commence the standards revision process for civics and government. There will no doubt be many different ideas about what those standards should include, but the state board has a process in place for nonpartisan experts to draft recommendations, and then for Pennsylvanians to weigh in through public feedback. Without updated standards, any assessments that districts provide give little sense of how proficient our students are. 

We believe these proposed reforms, when coupled with the implementation of high-level teacher development programs and resources across the state, will propel Pennsylvania to become one of the top-performing states in civics education by 2037 – the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution.

There could be no better birthday present to the United States than making sure that Pennsylvania reclaims its rightful place as a national leader in preparing its young people for a future of active, engaged citizenship.