Back to school in an election year

As we enter the 2024 U.S. elections, “Gen Z youth alone will make up one fifth of potential voters.” However, not all young people plan to vote, and surveys suggest that some groups might be especially unlikely to participate. “Black youth and youth without college experience, who are getting less information about the election and support to participate, are less likely to say they’ll cast a ballot”, according to a survey conducted by Tufts University’s Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

K-12 and higher education systems across the U.S. play key roles in equipping students with the knowledge and skills they need to become informed voters and responsible, compassionate citizens. High-quality civic education increases students’ ability to think critically, understand their roles and responsibilities as citizens, and engage constructively as they grapple with complex social and political issues, from climate change to national security.

On September 6, the Center for Universal Education and the Brown Center on Education Policy co-hosted a webinar to discuss the critical roles that schools and colleges can play in nurturing young people’s development as citizens and voters. Moderated by Jon Valant, this event convened leading experts to explore the foundation of high-quality civic learning in K-12 education and the intellectual development of students on college campuses.

Viewers joined the conversation by emailing [email protected] or via X/Twitter @BrookingsGlobal using #EngagedCitizens.

This event is a part of Brookings’ Election ’24: Issues at Stake, an initiative aimed to bring public attention to consequential policy issues confronting voters and policymakers in the run up to the 2024 election. This includes equipping leaders with insights and policy ideas to help them govern in 2025 and beyond.