College Board and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Convened Civics@Work Forum on Constitution Day

College Board

• September 17, 2026

What if the skills young people need to strengthen their communities are the same ones they need to succeed at work? That question brought business, education, and policy leaders together on Constitution Day for Skills for America's Future: A Civics@Work Forum, hosted by College Board and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

"A real education in business and personal finance not only teaches students the life skills they need to earn, save, and build a future, it also builds many of the same habits that drive effective citizenship: negotiation, cooperation, adaptability, tolerance for failure, and the discipline of testing an idea against reality," said College Board CEO David Coleman.

The forum explored how young people can build the habits and skills that support both civic life and career success, including weighing evidence, listening to different perspectives, communicating clearly, and working with others. The conversation also focused on practical steps schools, employers, and community organizations can take to strengthen civic and career readiness.

"The skills that make a good citizen and the skills that help people thrive at work are not two different lists. They never were. America's greatest competitive advantage has always been its people-and civics education is how we protect that for the next generation. We've been saying that for years. Today, the research-and the people in this room-prove it," said Michael Carney, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

The event featured two independent bodies of research: The College Board's Civic Interest, Engagement, and Skills Among Young Americansand the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's 2026 civic and economic literacy survey. Together, the findings show that young people care about their communities, want to stay informed, and remain hopeful that the country's problems can be fixed, while also pointing to gaps in civic and economic knowledge, formal political participation, and access to practical opportunities to engage.

The foundation's survey found that adults and teens also rate many core civic activities as functioning poorly, yet teens remain more optimistic than adults that the country's problems can be fixed. That mix of concern and optimism underscores the need for practical civic learning opportunities that help young people build knowledge, confidence, and agency.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

College Board's surveys found a similar pattern. Among high school graduates and college freshmen, 72%-79% expressed interest in community leadership and current events, while 43%-48% expressed interest in engaging with elected officials. Seventy-six percent of high school graduates agreed that their coursework prepared them for both a future career and good citizenship.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation survey found that 44% of respondents failed a basic civic literacy test and 53% failed a basic economic literacy test. At the same time, more than 9 in 10 adults and teens said democracy, voting, understanding how government works, and supporting local businesses are important to the country's success. Eighty-nine percent said civics education is important, and more than half of teens said they look forward to serving on a jury.

Some barriers are practical. Only 66% of adults knew that a jury summons must be answered even if the recipient believes they cannot serve. The finding points to an opportunity to improve participation by making civic responsibilities easier to understand and reducing logistical, financial, and informational barriers.

College Board's research also found a gap between the civic skills students value and the skills they see practiced around them. More than two-thirds of high school graduates and college freshmen described perspective-taking, openness to challenge, and discussing controversial issues as personal strengths. They rated their peers substantially lower on the same measures, in some cases by 30 percentage points or more.

Both organizations support civic education through programs that help students understand institutions, evaluate information, and communicate their ideas. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's nonpartisan National Civics Bee^® invites students in grades 6-8 to learn about American democracy while practicing respectful engagement, writing, and public speaking. College Board offers courses including AP^® U.S. Government and Politics, AP Business with Personal Finance, AP Research, and AP Seminar that engage high school students in analyzing sources, weighing evidence, building arguments, collaborating, and applying civic and economic knowledge. In College Board's research, students who took AP Research or AP Seminar reported the highest levels of civic interest and engagement across nearly every survey item, with the largest differences in staying informed, evaluating information, and engaging with civic and political life.

You can find more information about Civics@Work and the research visit: Young Americans Are More Optimistic About Civic Engagement Than the Country at Large. | U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

About the research
College Board's findings draw on its 2025 High School Graduate Survey and 2026 College Freshman Survey, covering nearly 47,000 members of the high school graduating class of 2025 and approximately 17,500 members of the same cohort surveyed again as college freshmen. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's findings draw on its 2026 Civic and Economic Literacy Survey, which measures civic and economic knowledge, attitudes, and behavior among American adults and teens.

About College Board
College Board reaches more than 7 million students a year, helping them navigate the path from high school to college and career. Our not-for-profit membership organization was founded more than 120 years ago. We pioneered programs like the SAT^® and AP^® to expand opportunities for students and help them develop the skills they need. Our BigFuture^® program helps students plan for college, pay for college, and explore careers. Learn more at cb.org.

About the U. S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation harnesses the power of business to create solutions for the good of America and the world. We anticipate, develop, and deploy solutions to challenges facing communities-today and tomorrow.