Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement

Carney is a contributing writer.

Student activism is on the rise, and young voters are both expanding as a bloc and mobilizing to demand action from the politicians of 2020.

But will all voices be heard, including those of marginalized and lower-income students? And will all the buzz translate into any lasting policy or political outcomes?

Such questions preoccupy not just political organizers but civic educators, who are increasingly looking for ways to make civic learning relevant to this diverse and fired-up younger generation. Research shows gaps in both civic knowledge and civic engagement between black and Hispanic students and their white peers, as well as between students from lower- and higher-income families. And as a whole, civic learning is often perceived as dominated by white perspectives and educators.