A Civic Action Plan (CAP) is a set of proposals for change that reflect the opinions and interests of a wide range of students in the school. These proposals consider existing resources and opportunities to help form a vision students have for their school and their community. The Civic Action Plan is the formal written result of student deliberation that is presented schoolwide and, if appropriate, communitywide.
The Plan details the who, what, where, when, and how of implementation. It is recommended that each Civic Action Plan contain the following:
- School Issues Report: A section that lays out the central school, community, and global issues identified by students.
- Action Recommendations: Include specific recommendations for change, along with a rationale for each suggestion. This section should also contain any research about the history of the issue or policy in the school or community. Responses to anticipated resistance to the suggested change should be included here. In preparing recommendations, it is important that students demonstrate to the entire community that they have done their homework and are prepared to work with adults to achieve the suggested changes.
- Action Steps: Include next steps to be taken to begin making the changes suggested in the Action Recommendations. Identify roles people will take and develop a suggested timeline for tasks to be carried out for implementation.
The national office would welcome an opportunity to see your Civic Action Plan. Share it with us here.