Empowering Students to Lead: A New Vision for Civic Learning

Rashid Duroseau, Senior Director of Civic Learning, Democracy Prep Public Schools

Rashid Duroseau is the Senior Director of Civic Learning at Democracy Prep Public Schools, where he leads efforts to help students develop agency, purpose and a deep understanding of their role in civic life. His approach is rooted in early experiences attending schools that encouraged curiosity, leadership and engagement with real-world issues. Through the student council, community projects and supportive teachers, he learned firsthand how empowering students can transform their sense of possibility. This insight now guides his work in shaping impactful civic education.

Scaling What Works So Every Student Has Access

When I was still in the classroom, I found my stride designing civic learning experiences and building deep, meaningful relationships with students. That work shaped my belief in what young people are capable of when given the right structures and opportunities. Later, when the Network Civics Director role became available, colleagues encouraged me to apply—not because I had already built systems at the network level, but because of the success of the program I developed at our single campus.

Stepping into the role allowed me to take what I had created as a History teacher and scale the underlying principles—student voice, agency, and meaningful civic engagement—so that thousands more students could benefit. The goal was never to replicate a curriculum I had written; it was to ensure that access to high-quality civic learning would no longer depend on the capacity or priorities of a single individual school, but would become a consistent experience across the network.

Designing Curriculum That Meets Students Where They Are

The biggest challenge was striking a balance between rigor and accessibility. We needed a curriculum that was engaging and personally meaningful, yet responsive to gaps in literacy and background knowledge. This meant curating diverse texts, designing thoughtful activities and incorporating supplemental resources that fostered both understanding and confidence. The process reaffirmed my belief that a strong curriculum meets students where they are without ever lowering expectations for where they can go.

Centering Student Voice to Make Civics Real and Relevant

One of the most overlooked strategies is simply asking students what matters to them—through surveys, focus groups and honest conversations about the issues they care about. When we gather that insight, students become collaborators rather than passive recipients. We also rely on nonprofits, coalitions and fellow educators who understand what authentically engages young people, as well as our social work teams and families, who help us gauge the developmental readiness of our students.

From there, we blend foundational content from history and ELA with hands-on civic experiences—student council, service days, advisory discussions on current events and structured deliberations around complex social questions. That balance keeps civic learning age-appropriate, culturally relevant and deeply engaging.

Teaching Civics with Balance, Integrity and True Student Agency

Our goal is to help students reach their own conclusions. To make that possible, we provide a wide range of reliable sources that reflect diverse viewpoints and teach students how to analyze them thoughtfully and critically. We stay aligned with state and federal guidelines, but we also recognize that nonpartisan does not mean avoiding meaningful issues.

“When students are trusted to speak up, take initiative and shape their communities, their sense of possibility expands. Our work is about building the systems that make that empowerment accessible to every student—not just the ones who happen to have the opportunity.”

We ground our work in enduring civic values—fairness, empathy and justice—while giving students the space to interpret and apply these ideals for themselves. That balance ensures rigor, integrity and genuine student agency.

Making Student Leadership a Systemwide Expectation, Not an Optional Activity

One of our most impactful initiatives has been the institutionalization of student councils across all campuses. What used to rely on individual school interest is now a structured, network-wide system with shared election guidelines, aligned advisor support and evaluation rubrics centered on collaboration, leadership and service. We also tied this work to a network KPI, signaling that student voice is a measurable priority. By making student leadership an expected part of school life, participation has grown—and so has students’ sense of purpose.

Building a Year-Round Culture of Service That Reflects Students’ Communities

We work intentionally to build a culture of service that lasts throughout the year. Students partner with local organizations through fundraisers, volunteer projects and community initiatives that begin as early as orientation. Each opportunity is designed to reflect the strengths and needs of the communities our students come from, which makes the work feel personal and relevant.

Every spring, we pause the traditional school schedule for our network-wide Day of Service. This tradition reaffirms our commitment to developing both engaged community members and strong scholars. It’s a celebration of purpose and a reminder of the power students have as contributors and change-makers.

Using Data to Ensure Every Student Has Meaningful Civic Opportunities

We measure civic learning through clear, quantitative indicators. Each campus reports data through shared dashboards that track voter registration and pre-registration, student council participation, service project completion and progress toward school-wide civics goals. Rubrics help assess program quality and alignment with key performance indicators across the network. By grounding the work in data, we can monitor growth, spot gaps and ensure all students have equitable access to impactful civic experiences.

Preparing Students for a Civic Landscape That’s Changing Fast

Civic education is being reshaped by both urgency and opportunity. Rising polarization and widespread misinformation now make critical thinking and media literacy essential civic skills. At the same time, more states are adopting civic readiness indicators tied to graduation and accountability. For charter networks, this creates space to lead—using their flexibility to design models that blend academic rigor, student voice and community engagement. The future of civic education depends on treating civic learning as fundamental to a high-quality education, not an add-on.

Build Systems, Not One-Offs—and Start With Student Voice

Listen deeply to what students care about. Effective civic learning grows from their interests and passions. Channel that energy into purposeful action, but focus on building systems— not isolated events—that make civic learning sustainable and equitable. The goal isn’t to run a single program; it’s to create an ecosystem where curriculum, culture and community partnerships work together to help every student see themselves as a capable, connected participant in civic life.