Lauren Cristella, President & CEO, Committee of Seventy
September 8, 2025
Thank you, Chairman Bizzarro and members of the Committee, for this opportunity to discuss how we can work together to improve civic education and increase civic participation in Pennsylvania. My name is Lauren Cristella, President and CEO of the Committee of Seventy.
The Committee of Seventy is a nonpartisan civic leadership organization that advances representative, ethical, and effective government in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania through citizen engagement and public advocacy. For more than 120 years, we have promoted, supported, and facilitated government ethics and civic participation.
The timing of this conversation is especially important as we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation, civic engagement remains historically low in many communities, and civic education has broad public support across the political spectrum.
Americans of all ideologies and walks of life want young people to learn about political issues, how the government works, how they can get involved in their communities, and how they can vote. Research out of the University of Southern California’s Dornsife Center for Applied Research in Education shows that even in our polarized times, Civics Education garners bipartisan support. A national survey in 2024 demonstrates high overall support for civics education in schools across both parties:
- 64% of Republicans and 80% of Democrats think kids should learn about political issues and current events
- 95% of Republicans and 94% of Democrats think kids should learn about how the US government works
- 75% of Republicans and 84% of Democrats think students should learn how they can get involved in local government or politics (with a +6% increase in Republican support for this since 2021)
- 88% of Republicans and 90% of Democrats support teaching the requirements for voting
- 97% of both Republicans and Democrats believe being prepared for adult life and being good citizens are the most important educational outcomes for students
With this context, we see just how vital it is for students to not just learn more than just content knowledge. They also need to be taught what it means to be a citizen in a community, and to develop the skills to be engaged citizens. They need experience putting into practice their rights and responsibilities of citizenship. These three pillars (knowledge, skills, and actions) form the basis of a high-quality civics education that will allow students to engage in their democracy meaningfully upon graduation.
At the Committee of Seventy, we work to help teachers bring civic education to life through a variety of programs. Our mock election and student-candidate interview series give students practice understanding the candidates and offices on the ballot every election and prepare themselves to become voters when they are eligible. Our Democracy for Kids program invites students in elementary school to start thinking about how they can be engaged members of their community. Our Can We Talk? program gives students the tools to have productive civil dialogue with people from different backgrounds and beliefs. Our How Philly Works materials, which help Philadelphia residents understand the ins and outs of their city, have been adapted into a high school curriculum.
These insights point to meaningful shifts in students’ civic attitudes and behaviors. Let’s act now to ensure every young Pennsylvanian leaves school ready to participate fully in our democracy. Our country’s 250th anniversary is the perfect moment to recommit to civic education. Together, we can equip every student with the knowledge, skills, and experiences to be active citizens and ensure our democracy thrives for the next 250 years.