Measuring Civic Engagement Programs for Youth

Citizens Union is a nonprofit that pursues government transparency and accountability in New York City and State, currently focusing on Census 2020, police accountability, and increased voter turnout. Citizens Union engaged a Capstone team to identify methods used by similar organizations to assess the impact and effectiveness of their high school-level civics programs, to assess the most valuable evaluation metrics, and to use those findings to identify the most effective civics programs in the region. The team researched and compared dozens of programs and their evaluation methods, conducting literature reviews, analyzing data, administering stakeholder interviews, engaging with school staff, and adapting frameworks. The team crafted a comprehensive report—for use initially by Citizens Union and eventually by any civic-minded nonprofit—that includes recommended best practices for implementing and evaluating civics programs for high schoolers in New York.