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| Kids Voting USA. Addresses the national crises of low voter turnout through an innovative, community-based K-12 education program in which children actually accompany their parents to polling sites. Children participating in Kids Voting gain a sense of empowerment through extensive discussion of elections and candidates, casting a ballot, and identifying with the results of their election. |
Audience Approved by PEP for students in grades K-12.
Description Kids Voting USA provides a grade-specific curriculum for grades K-12, equating to 6-12 hours of instruction, designed to supplement and enhance the civic education students receive at school and encourage critical thinking, creativity, and parental involvement. Students learn about their civic duty of voting and accompanying responsibilities; develop skills for obtaining information and making critical decisions; discuss candidates and issues in the classroom and home; and participate in creative ventures such as holding a press conference. The program culminates with students accompanying their parents to polling sites and casting ballots. The ballots are tabulated and results of this election are transmitted to the press, and released with official results. All components of the program specifically address Goal 3 of Goals 2000 with many school districts correlating the curriculum to the adopted state standards.
Evidence of Effectiveness In districts implementing the Kids Voting program, including the Kids Voting curriculum, students gained knowledge of elections/the electoral process; students participated in citizenship behaviors, such as voting at polling sites and discussing political candidates and ballot propositions at home; and parents increased their school involvement. Statewide voter turnout increased by 2.6%; precincts with districts implementing the program for one election demonstrated a voter turnout 5% higher than comparison precincts; and precincts with districts implementing the program for two elections demonstrated a voter turnout 2% higher than precincts implementing for just one election.
Requirements Formation of a community-based board of directors is required and should be comprised of business and civic leaders to function as the decision-making body responsible for: (1) inviting school districts to participate, based on funding and community representation; (2) "customizing" the curriculum to reflect each area's electoral process, regulations, and local issues; and (3) fundraising. Personnel needs include an executive director and staff consisting of clerical/support staff, regional managers, volunteer coordinator, election professional, public staff consisting of clerical/support staff, regional managers, volunteer coordinator, election professional, public relations consultant, and a distribution clerk to disseminate materials. Many of these positions can serve as "in kind" contributions from corporations. No specific training is required for regional managers, who serve as liaisons between the program and the educational community. Training totals approximately four days and consists of seminars the summer prior to the election and a "post-mortem" for executive directors afterwards.
Costs Adopting sites enter into an agreement with Kids Voting USA and pay a fee based on the number of students participating. The proposed schedule is: programs with less than 25,000 students pay $5,000; programs with 25,000-200,000 pay $10,000; programs with 200,000-400,000 pay $15,000; and those with more than 400,000 will enter into discussion with Kids Voting USA regarding fees. This entitles the affiliate to the copyrighted curricula, promotional packets, Implementation Manual, on-site consultation, and telephone consultation as needed. Cost per student is approximately $2.00-$3.00 based on program size. Kids Voting USA does everything possible to accommodate the needs of the affiliate.
Services In addition to standard training and materials, follow-up telephone consultation and additional training is available.
Developmental Funding: Private corporations and donors, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Navajo County Board of Supervisors.
JDRP No. 92-11 (4/92)
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[Law Related Education: Goals for American Leadership (LEGAL)]