Leading with Evidence: Why Civic Education Can’t Afford Guesswork

Posted in James Madison Legacy Project Expansion We the People: National Symposium on Civic Education

Andy Pannell, University of Wyoming; Michael Feldman, Delaware Department of Education; Brenna Gerhardt, The Study; Nathan McAlister, Kansas State Department of Education; Ebony McKiver, Social Studies Accelerator

by Andy Pannell

Panelists opened by discussing the role of research in their respective contexts. Michael Feldman examined how research informs the adoption of high-quality instructional materials and the time it is believed to take, especially in language arts, to deliver those materials with fidelity. He noted that these studies are often used to justify not spending time on social studies. Brenna Gerhardt emphasized the importance of research in legitimizing programs to non-profit boards, legislators, and benefactors, as well as providing cover for teachers who choose to engage students in the complexities of our nation’s history. Ebony McKiver highlighted the value of including students as co-researchers, noting that they are quite adept at developing creative methods of quantifying issues in their local communities. She explained that developing young people into subject matter experts who conduct both quantitative and qualitative research is highly academic work that students enjoy. Nathan McAlister described how Kansas drew on established best practices in civic education to guide the adoption of flexible, classroom-based assessments. The assessment can take many forms, such as We the People, Project Citizen, moot court, and voter registration drives. He argued that states should not be afraid to design assessments that resemble the C3 framework, incorporating driving questions, claims, evidence, and reasoning, all showcased in a final product of which students can be proud.

“Research doesn’t just inform instructional practices it really shapes the ecosystem in which decisions are made in a school district.”

– Michael Feldman

Panelists also discussed how literacy research and civic education research are inherently intertwined and that we, as a field, should lean into that reality. The panel ended its discussion by opening up the room to discuss what research topics should be pursued going forward. We heard ideas about the effectiveness of state-level policy initiatives across the country; the mental health outcomes of participating in teams doing strong civic education work; how students in 2026 think and learn; the role of technology in fostering democratic values; and how funding decisions in different states impact civic education.

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Watch the Leading with Evidence presentation: