Civic Learning Week Brings Together Teachers, Students, Leaders, and Citizens to Celebrate Civic Education and Engagement Ahead of America's 250th Anniversary
From March 9-13, activities in all 50 states will prioritize civic education, starting in Philadelphia with the Civic Learning Week National Forum, hosted by iCivics March 9-10.
PHILADELPHIA, March 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, living in our constitutional democracy is more complex than ever, and young people in this country need to be equipped with the tools to engage as members of our self-governing society. During Civic Learning Week 2026, students, educators, policymakers, scholars, and civic leaders from across the nation will unite around that shared goal: engaging the public around civic education and making it a national priority.
Civic Learning Week, March 9–13, will feature hundreds of classroom, community, and state-level events in every state of the Union. The week will be anchored by the Civic Learning Week National Forum, a two-day convening (March 9–10, 2026) in Philadelphia—the birthplace of the Declaration itself.
This year's National Forum is themed, "Liberty and Learning: Civic Education at 250." Co-hosted by iCivics and the Democratic Knowledge Project, the Forum brings together thought leaders, influencers, media, funders, educators, researchers, and academics to examine what civic learning must look like at this defining moment in U.S. history.
"This event represents a major step forward for the civic education movement," iCivics CEO Louise Dubè said. "We are optimistic that this year's Civic Learning Week will be another important fluorescent moment for civics. Thousands of local activities across all 50 states are planned, making the case that from small towns to large urban spaces, Americans believe that civic learning will sustain the American experiment."
Now in its fourth year, National Civic Learning Week has expanded rapidly, reaching all 50 states, with 250+ participating organizations nationwide and 20+ states issuing official Civic Learning Week proclamations. Hundreds of events will take place locally and nationally, including:
- An online conversation between U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and students
- A featured event with PBS Learning Media around Ken Burns' documentary The American Revolution
- A weeklong Civic Learning Week takeover of former CNN host Carl Azuz's online show The World from A to Z
A full list of local and national events that will take place during Civic Learning Week is available at civiclearningweek.org/events
"A civic education renewal is underway, and we're excited to share stories of rapid growth as a birthday present to the nation," Director of the Democratic Knowledge Project Danielle Allen said.
This year's National Forum theme, "Liberty and Learning: Civic Education at 250," reflects both the nation's founding ideals and the urgent challenges facing constitutional democracy today: polarization, declining trust in institutions, rapid technological change, and uneven access to high-quality civic education.
For the first time, the National Forum will be held over two days with a special emphasis on engaging educators. It will feature keynote conversations, plenary sessions, and focused breakout sessions exploring how civic learning can equip people to participate effectively in a pluralistic democracy.
Speakers such as historians Jill Lepore and Akhil Amar, Johns Hopkins University President Ronald Daniels, Democratic Knowledge Project Director Danielle Allen, iCivics CEO Louise Dubé, author Ben Sheehan, state education chiefs, classroom educators, students, and philanthropic leaders will address a number of critical issues including:
- Why reading and engaging with the Declaration of Independence remains a civic act
- How states are strengthening civic learning through policy, practice, and investment
- How to support high-quality civic learning amid increasing polarization
- How will AI and technology change democracy and self-government
- And how today's youth view civic identity, agency, and responsibility
The forum will also feature presentations by Roadtrip Nation, WHYY/PBS News Student Reporting Labs and events at historic Philadelphia institutions such as the National Constitution Center, Museum of the American Revolution, and Eastern State Penitentiary Historical Site. It will be livestreamed here.
For more information, please visit civiclearningweek.org. Media should contact [email protected]. Register for the Livestream Here
About Civic Learning Week Funders
The National Forum is sponsored by the Bezos Family Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Daniels Fund, Ibis Group, Jack Miller Center, More Perfect, Center for Revitalizing American Institutions at the Hoover Institution, among others.
About iCivics
Founded in 2009 by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, iCivics is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing civic learning by providing educators and students with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to embrace and engage in our civic life together. iCivics empowers educators and leads the movement to make civic education a nationwide priority so all young people have the confidence to shape the world around them and believe in our country's future.
About Democratic Knowledge Project
The Democratic Knowledge Project, based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is a K-16 civic education provider that works to build a world where a supermajority of young people believe democracy is essential and feel confident they have the knowledge, capacities, and skills they need to participate in civic life. To pursue this vision, we identify, strengthen, and disseminate the knowledge, skills and capacities civic actors need to sustain healthy democratic life. We offer curriculum development resources, professional development workshops for educators, assessment tools and services, and research — all in support of education for constitutional democracy and all aligned with the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap. In 2024, we established DKP Launch, an arm of our work now based at an external non-profit that supports the implementation of our curriculum materials.
SOURCE iCivics
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