Hawaii’s history is defined by civic action. Workers organized for fair wages, communities mobilized to protect land and water, and grassroots movements led to lasting policy change. But that legacy is at risk. Voter turnout is low, trust in government is deteriorating, and younger generations feel increasingly disconnected from political life. This decline isn’t inevitable — it stems, in part, from neglecting civics education.

A democracy cannot function if its citizens do not understand how it works. Yet for too long, civics education has been sidelined. It is often squeezed out by other subjects, given uneven attention across schools, and rarely prioritized in educational policy. If students are not taught how government functions, how laws are made, or how to engage in civic discourse, how can we expect them to participate?

Hawaii’s teachers understand what’s at stake. A recent survey by the Hawaii Supreme Court’s Commission to Promote and Advance Civic Education (PACE), based on responses from 795 public school educators, found that 48% consider civics a high or essential priority in their classrooms. They understand that informed students vote, serve their communities, and advocate for change (see the report at www.civicshawaii.org/resources).

But commitment alone is not enough. The same survey revealed significant barriers that limit civics instruction. Nearly half of surveyed teachers believe civics resources are insufficient, with the greatest need in the early grades.

Civics education must be more than a subject — it must be an experience. Students need interactive, real-world learning opportunities like debates that sharpen their critical thinking, media literacy training to navigate misinformation, and community projects that connect classroom lessons to civic action.

Yet without support, teachers can’t bring these lessons to life. Only 17% of educators reported receiving civics-specific training at least once a year, despite 71% expressing a desire for more opportunities to learn best practices. Expanding these opportunities would give teachers the tools they need to prepare students for engaged citizenship.

Research shows that high-quality civics education has a lasting effect, particularly for students with little exposure to political discussion at home. These young people not only participate more after graduation but continue to be more engaged than their peers who did not take a civics course.

Schools cannot do this work alone. To be effective, any civics program requires sustained investment in teacher training and hands-on learning opportunities. That’s where House Bill 763 comes in. The bill would establish a civics education trust fund, ensuring long-term support for curriculum materials, classroom programs and teacher training. It would also create two full-time resource teacher positions within the state Department of Education.

Currently, a single social studies specialist oversees civics along with multiple other subjects. While initiatives like the innovative Hawaii Schools of Democracy Program have strengthened civics education in recent years, a statewide strategy with adequate resources is essential to sustain and expand this progress.

This is not a partisan issue. It is not about promoting any particular political perspective. It is about ensuring that every student graduates with the knowledge and skills to participate in democracy.

Hawaii’s teachers are eager to do this work. They know that when students connect civics lessons to real-world issues, they become more engaged, more thoughtful and more invested in their communities.

Lawmakers now have a chance to strengthen our democracy. Passing HB 763 would be a significant step toward ensuring that civics education is no longer treated as an afterthought, but as a fundamental pillar of public education.

Hawaii’s past shows that civic action shapes the future. If we want a thriving democracy, we must invest in civics education today.

Colin Moore is a political scientist, a member of the PACE Commission, and director of the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Hawaii-Manoa.