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Background and Context
These Government & Elections resources will help students develop a thorough understanding and make connections between historical events, current conversations, and current policy proposals surrounding the issue. This section includes all of the context and content previously included in Close Up’s public policy chapters.
Current Issue Debates
Current Issue Debates are framed by a central question and followed by historical context, an overview of both sides of the topic, and discussion questions to facilitate deliberation in the classroom.
Available for Middle & High School
Available for Middle & High School
Available for Middle & High School
Available for Middle & High School
Available for Middle & High School
Videos from Policymakers
Brought to you by ASP HOMEROOM, through a collaboration between Close Up Foundation and A Starting Point, these supplemental videos are an introduction to policy areas that provide an opportunity for students to hear different perspectives directly from lawmakers.
State Representatives Jasmine Clark (D-GA) & Robert Dickey (R-GA) April 16, 2021
Congressman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) January 6, 2021
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) October 26, 2020
These ready-to-use Government & Elections lesson plans can be utilized in conjunction with any of our resources to enhance the quality of student discourse in the classroom. Our supplemental Civic Readiness Guide provides a recommended lesson plan sequence for using our Current Issues resources.

Post | September 16, 2025
The murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk on September 10 was another act of political violence at a time when political violence seems to be on the rise in the United States.1 A poll released in July 2025 found that three-quarters of Americans view political violence as a serious threat, with the number reaching […]

Post | September 12, 2025
In recent years, cell phones have moved from novelty to necessity in daily life, but in U.S. public schools, they’ve also become a battleground. Facing growing concerns about distraction, mental health, and safety, state legislatures and school boards across the country are implementing bans on student phone use during the school day. Supporters say the […]

Post | August 22, 2025
In July 2025, the United Kingdom approved a change to lower the national voting age from 18 to 16, set to take effect before the next general election. The decision will give roughly 1.6 million teenagers the right to vote in all UK elections, a shift that supporters say will invigorate democracy and critics warn […]

Post | March 17, 2025
On March 3, the Senate confirmed Linda McMahon as the thirteenth secretary of education.1 Secretary McMahon has pledged to dismantle the Department of Education in what she calls its “final mission,” and on March 11, the Department announced it was cutting nearly 50 percent of its workforce.2 President Donald Trump is expected to sign an […]

Post | January 21, 2025
Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States on January 20, 2025. In his first day in office, President Trump signed 26 executive orders, the most in recent history. In contrast, President Joe Biden signed nine on his first day in office and President Trump signed just one when he was […]

Videos | December 5, 2024
This workshop will equip educators with the skills to facilitate discussions around controversial issues while maintaining a neutral position.

Post | October 30, 2024
The Importance of Our Right to Vote The 2020 election marked the highest voter turnout of the 21st century at 67 percent—the highest since 1900. In a country with a rich history of struggle and sacrifice for the right to vote, why do so many Americans remain disengaged? Despite the monumental battles for voting rights, […]

Post | October 21, 2024
In this final post of a three-part series, we continue exploring the results of the “Reimagining Political Leadership: The Outlook of Young Americans” survey focused on the political attitudes of Americans aged 18-34. The survey was designed by the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics at American University in partnership with Future Caucus and the […]