TFDA leverages existing, high quality curricular materials and professional development opportunities for teachers. The Alliance was established as a strong collective voice for democratic learning to better equip teachers to bring practical democracy lessons to their students, especially in tense political times. ​

Core Principles
of the Alliance

> An informed citizenry is important and can be cultivated early through civic learning

> All students need access to opportunities to learn about core democratic processes like elections and voting

> A variety of high quality and culturally relevant resources are needed to reach all teachers and students

> It's important for student learning to acknowledge political actors to model democratic practice

Students who recall having received better civic education are more likely to be engaged.

CIRCLE Commission on Youth Voting and Knowledge, 2013

Taking high school civics had little or no relationship with party registration or young adults' choice between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

CIRCLE National Youth Survey, 2013

85% of civics and government teachers agreed that students like discussion about elections.

CIRCLE National Teacher Survey, 2012

​Yet political polarization and structural barriers in many school districts have reduced opportunities for millions of young people to learn about democracy.

Only 38% of social studies teachers think they would get strong support from their district to teach about an election, and only 28% think parents would strongly support them.

Kawashima-Ginsberg, 2013

Let's teach for democracy.