Promoting Civic Literacy and Political Efficacy Among Low-Income Youth through Applied Democratic Engagement

Background/Purpose

Young Americans evidence declining rates of civic knowledge and political efficacy. In 2010, less than 24% of high school seniors scored in the proficient or advanced range on the National Assessment of Educational Progress’s (NAEP) civics exam.  Similarly, young adults demonstrate little political efficacy. This lack of understanding and efficacy results in young Americans who are unprepared to engage in many of the responsibilities of citizenship, including, voting, holding elected office, influencing public policy and advocating for a just society.

While young Americans on a whole evidence declining civic literacy and political efficacy, some groups fare better than others.  Scores on the NAEP civics exam indicate that students from affluent families score higher than do their classmates from low-income families. Furthermore, “Black, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaskan Native” students scored lower than did “white” students.  Rates of political efficacy also evidence significant disparities based on socioeconomic class, race and ethnicity. These disparities are particularly concerning when the relationship between civic literacy, political efficacy and democratic engagement is considered.  Lower civic literacy and political efficacy could hamper the willingness of members of historically disenfranchised or oppressed groups to challenge oppressive social and economic structures.

Research Question

This study reports on findings of an evaluation of an intervention that involved applied democratic engagement projects with youth who are low-income.  Specifically, the study sought to answer whether or not applied democratic engagement significantly increased the civic knowledge and political efficacy of low-income high school students.

Methods

This study employed a pretest/posttest design.  An intervention that emphasized applied democratic engagement projects was run with groups of high school students enrolled in Upward Bound and at a local Title One high school.  Students completed pretests prior to beginning the intervention and then again upon completion of the intervention.  In total, 48 students participated in the study.  Pretests and posttests included an eight-item measure of political efficacy taken from the American National Election Survey, ten civic knowledge questions adapted from NAEP and demographic questions.

Results

Students reported significant increases in both civic knowledge and political efficacy after conclusion of the intervention.  While the average score on the civic knowledge questions was in the failing range prior to participating in the intervention, upon completion students scored on average 7.3 out 10. Additionally, students expressed more trust in public officials and their ability to influence public officials upon the conclusion of the intervention. 

Conclusions/Implications

Traditional civic programs emphasize abstract thinking and understanding of US history, governmental functioning and constitutional issues, but not reflection or application.  Students are expected to remember and debate constitutional or historical issues from a modernist perspective, as though there is a right and wrong way to “know” government. Given these pedagogical trends, it is no wonder that those students whose life experiences have been heavily influenced by oppression evidence lower rates of civic knowledge and political efficacy. This study supports the use of applied democratic engagement as an effective strategy for increasing civic knowledge and political efficacy with low-income high school students.