Renewing the Civic Mission of Schools

Public school leaders know their schools have a civic mission, but in this period of high-stakes testing, who has time to emphasize civic learning in the overburdened school day? In this article, the authors assert that for democracy to flourish, public education must play a central role in promoting responsible moral action that serves the common good. The authors offer six steps school district leaders can take to integrate and sustain quality opportunities for students to acquire and enhance their civic character.