To support Civic Learning Week, this high-level summary of the 2026 iCivics Teacher Survey of 2,197 teachers to deliver timely, educator-centered findings that translate into clear insights on the state of civics education. It highlights three forces shaping classroom instruction:

• evolving state legislation;
• schools’ approaches to responsible artificial intelligence (AI) use; and 
• the essential role of human connection grounded in educator testimonials.

Overall, teachers report:

• strong preparedness to teach civics (76.1%);
• meaningful support from school or district administration (65.2%)
• mixed support from the parent community is more mixed (49.2% agree, 39.0% neutral).

At the same time, many describe an increasingly challenging climate, with a majority:

• saying teaching basic civics concepts now feels difficult (52.7%) and
  concerned about potential backlash for teaching something the “wrong way” (58.7%).

Of those surveyed:

• 35.3% report changing or removing lessons and
• 21.4% have considered leaving their position due to the divisive political climate

Impact of State Legislation on Educators and Classroom Environments

Notably, every state where more than half of teachers report being impacted by legislation has also experienced attempts to impose statewide limits on topics that can be taught. States with efforts to regulate K–12 classroom discussion of what the legislation deems “divisive concepts” see far higher numbers of teachers reporting impacts to their classrooms with 48% of teachers reporting being impacted. Notably, even in states that have not seen major pushes for these legislative reforms, 32% of teachers still report impacts.

• Legislative/administrative impact strongly correlates with backlash: Teachers who reported being impacted are much more likely to worry about backlash (~72–74% vs ~50%) and to report experiencing backlash (~30–41% vs ~12%).
• Self-censorship is a common coping strategy: ~35% say they’ve changed/ removed lessons because of the environment.
• Classroom Effects of Legislative Impacts: Among classrooms impacted by
  legislative/administrative changes, top effects are: more lesson-planning time needed (19.77%); greater focus on parental concerns (19.14%); and discontinued use of previously helpful resources (11.76%). Some also cited impacts including less time spent overall on social studies (11.13%) and more prescriptive curriculum (7.58%).
• Fear outpaces fallout: ~59% of teachers are concerned about backlash, but only ~20% say they’ve faced backlash.
• Broad consensus on importance on civic education: 74% agree/strongly agree it’s important to have a national week highlighting civic education (44.09% agree; 30.04% strongly agree), with only ~5.8% disagree/strongly disagree.

More than 89% of teachers agree that their teaching should ground students in a set of civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions; prepare students to be engaged citizens in our democracy; foster a pluralistic view that promotes interest in and respect for the variety of opinions and political identities present in American society, including those different from one’s own; and connect constitutional principles to events happening today.

Responsible AI in the Classroom

Educators (~70-75%) broadly view artificial intelligence as a core part of civic literacy, with agreement high and consistent across school contexts. At the same time, classroom materials are largely holding steady between print and digital resources, while approaches to AI use remain uneven. Despite strong recognition of AI’s importance, adoption in practice remains limited: 50% of educators report using AI less than 1–3 times per month, and usage is primarily focused on planning and content preparation behind the scenes rather than direct classroom instruction. As for AI policy, schools across the board showcase uncertainty, restricted-allowance models, and, in many places, significant teacher-by-teacher discretion rather
than clear districtwide guidance, with 29% of instructors reporting that their school or district has no formal policy governing AI use.

Human Connection: The Foundation of Effective Learning

The following teacher testimonials underscore that strong relationships among students, educators, families, and the community remain foundational to effective civics education:

• “Civics is quite literally the most important course in high school, as not all students will become mechanics, nurses, etc. All of them, however, will be citizens, which requires active participation.”
• “Civics is the backbone of our democracy. Without it, we are nothing.”
• “The study of our rights and responsibilities in a democracy and as a human being on planet Earth.”
• “I became a social studies teacher because I believe the American Constitutional Republic is one of the greatest experiments in human history.”
• “Civics is one of the most important topics as it directly impacts everyday life. Civics impacts education, laws, science, medicine, personal liberty and human rights, etc.”

Civic education is essential for all students and emphasizes that understanding rights and responsibilities is strengthened through active practice in classrooms that supports respectful dialogue and intellectual safety, with benefits extending to families and communities.