What happened
EdSurge reports that teachers are using the Nov. 3 midterms for nonpartisan civics instruction. At New York City Lab School for Collaborative Studies, Pat Sprinkle assigns competitive, out-of-state races for students to research and explain. Iowa teacher Shauna Cihacek presents candidates’ issue positions without party labels before a mock election.
Why it matters
The examples emphasize understanding institutions and evaluating candidates rather than choosing a party. UNICEF USA and The Harris Poll report that more than half of surveyed 14- to 22-year-olds believe elected officials do not value their opinions, while eligible young voters’ intended state-election participation increased from 47% in 2024 to 62% in 2026. Those figures describe intentions, not turnout. Tufts University’s Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement links high school civics education to improved voter engagement without steering students toward particular candidates.
What to do next
Set clear educational aims and communicate proactively with parents and administrators, as the San Diego County Office of Education recommends. For elementary learners, follow Learning for Justice’s Deslin Chapman’s advice to emphasize democracy’s history and why people vote. For older students, prioritize constructive dialogue over debate and pair candidate research with reflection. Review free civics curricula from iCivics, the Center for Civic Education and the Southern Poverty Law Center, alongside Common Sense Media’s election news-literacy lessons. Treat the reported classroom practices as examples, not measured evidence of their effectiveness.
About this briefing
Reviewed by TutorFlow Editorial. We link the primary source, preserve its publication date, and distinguish reported claims from TutorFlow analysis. Our commentary focuses on practical decisions for educators and training teams.
Discussion (0)
Open to everyone