VOTING YOUNG: AN ANALYSIS OF HOW STATE STANDARDS FOR HIGH SCHOOL CIVICS IMPACTS YOUTH VOTING RATES

On average, youth voting rates in America have been declining since the 1960s. Scholars find the decline to correlate with the decline in the number and quality of civic classes in American high schools. Through collaborative efforts, the civic education industry has come up with the Ten Proven Practices, which include in-classroom and school-wide practices to ensure an effective civic education. The Ten Proven Practices' goal is to help students graduate with the knowledge, skills, and desire to participate in civic life, including voting. This research paper examines how well six state Department of Education policies implement the Ten Proven Practices to see if including more of the Practices correlates with higher voting rates. While further research is recommended, this study's results suggest better implementation of the Ten Proven Practices may positively affect voting rates