Today at the National Press Club, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) released a new fact sheet entitled “Civic Skills and Federal Policy”. The fact sheet notes that citizens can improve their communities, the government, and the nation through active civic engagement and collaboration. To do so requires skills. Educational programs and other government-supported initiatives have been shown to enhance Americans’ civic skills and their levels of engagement. But these programs and other opportunities are scarce and unequal, often provided to people who are already the most likely to be engaged. A lack of civic learning opportunities not only inhibits Americans’ civic participation, but also has harmful consequences for their academic and economic progress.