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Arcadia Unified plans 'We the People' civics elective for middle schools
Summary
The district plans a one-semester 'We the People' civics elective for grades 7–8 that includes debates and a congressional-style hearing; staff said the course aims to build civic knowledge and could be expanded to other middle schools.
Arcadia Unified's board heard a proposal May 12 to add a one-semester civics elective for 7th and 8th graders modeled on the 'We the People' curriculum. Presenters said the elective will teach constitutional principles, public policy analysis and culminate in a simulated congressional hearing.
The course is designed to be interactive — including debates, policy development and mock hearings — and could be taken more than once by students who want to deepen civic skills. Staff noted that the idea was inspired by an Arcadia High alumnus's interview and that the district sees the course as a vertical alignment strategy with high-school offerings such as Gov Team and AP government.
Board members expressed enthusiasm and anticipated the course would be popular with middle-school students. There was no formal vote; staff will return with implementation details and scheduling.
