Civic Education

Fostering civic literacy is a primary mission of the Center. The Center sponsors numerous programs designed to enhance political literacy and opportunities for effective participation of Californians such as the annual Envisioning California Conference and the LegiSchool Project. These programs stimulate public discussion about the state's politics and policy alternatives, its history and cultures, and its changing national and international roles. In the past, the Center has sponsored public debates and forums on immigration, affirmative action and other issues.

The Center’s goals in the area of Civic Education are to:

• Encourage young people to understand and appreciate the values of a representative democracy and instill a desire to engage in the democratic process by providing participatory experiences and educational materials in state government and representative democracy to high school and college students.
• Encourage citizens to enhance their civic literacy by providing educational materials and experiences in state government and representative democracy to adults and community groups, as well as providing forums for public debates and discussions.
• Encourage and reward better reporting and coverage of state government and politics by the media.
• Build links with groups such as the National Alliance for Civic Education and National Conference of State Legislatures to strengthen the Center’s civic education capacity and become a recognized and valued part of national civic education movements.

The Center’s activities in the area of Civic Education are currently concentrated in the LegiSchool Project and partnerships with various civic education organizations and events in Sacramento.

The LegiSchool Project »