Get Out the (Teen) Vote

What’s on the minds of teens eligible to vote for the first time this year? Where do they get the news and information that’s shaping their views of candidates? How have their families, school experiences, and recent current events like the Parkland school shooting and President Trump’s agenda influenced their political awareness? Alyson Klein of Education Week takes us inside the publication’s new poll of voters ages 18 and 19, sharing insights from follow-up interviews with some survey respondents. It’s all part of Education Week’s ongoing project examining the current landscape of civics education — and its potential long-range impact on young people’s knowledge and engagement. Also, Jeremy Bauer-Wolf of Inside Higher Ed shares insights from a new report on campus activism, and the impact of efforts by some lawmakers to make it more difficult for college students to cast ballots. The so-called “Trump effect” is spurring young voters to become active, Bauer-Wolf reports, either because they want to push back on the president’s policies or because they support them. Bonus: Klein and Bauer-Wolf share story ideas for covering young voters on the K-12 and higher ed beats.