Is civics the new STEM?

In 1957, the United States had its “Sputnik moment.”

As the Soviet Sputnik satellite orbited the Earth, Americans became fearful that we were falling behind technologically. The response was a massive prioritization of science, technology, engineering, and math — or what became known as “STEM” education.

Today, America needs another Sputnik moment.

It is time for civics to become the new STEM.

There was a great deal of hand-wringing when the 2022 report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed only 22% of eighth-graders were proficient in civics.

As alarming as that figure may be, it does not tell the full story of how civic learning loss is affecting America’s young people.

Civics classes teach students more than how to vote or how a bill becomes a law. In the bes