Investing in Democracy: The Economic and Civic Imperative of Adult Citizenship Education in Minnesota

 

Executive Summary

 

The Saint Paul Community Literacy Consortium (SPCLC) recognizes that adult civic literacy is a vital educational outcome that yields substantial, measurable benefits for Minnesota's economy, civic life, and community stability. A key component of civic literacy is citizenship education and support for adults to legally gain citizenship. Closely aligned with Adult Basic Education (ABE) core mission to increase Minnesotan's reading, writing, listening, and speaking English, civic literacy provides necessary language skills, civics knowledge, and legal information for adults to be engaged in their communities and strengthen our towns, cities and state. This paper demonstrates the positive economic and civic outcomes that naturalized citizens experience. SPCLC advocates for the preservation and strategic investment in civic literacy access for all eligible adult learners. We urge Minnesota State Lawmakers, County Commissioners, and local School Board Members to safeguard and strengthen access to these essential services.

1. Introduction: Citizenship as a Core Educational Outcome

Citizenship education is more than legal preparation; it is a foundational pillar of workforce integration and civic participation. Minnesota is home to a robust and growing population of permanent residents eligible for naturalization. Providing accessible, high-quality civic literacy is a strategic investment in the state's future.

For the purposes of this paper, Adult Citizenship Education refers to specialized instruction provided to eligible residents that integrates:

  1. Civics and History: Knowledge required for the naturalization interview.
  2. English Language Acquisition: The communication skills necessary for the interview.
  3. Civic Engagement: Understanding local, county and state government, how and when to register to vote, and the benefits of community participation.

Current legislation regulating SPCLC’s adult basic education programming states,

Subd. 6.Cooperative English as a second language and adult basic education programs. (a) A school district, or adult basic education consortium that receives revenue under section 124D.531, may deliver English as a second language, citizenship, or other adult education programming in collaboration with community-based and nonprofit organizations located within its district or region, and with correctional institutions.

SPCLC is grateful for the clarity of this language. Supporting adults in their language acquisition, knowledge of U.S history, and Civic Literacy are a core element of our mission. SPCLC views the attainment of U.S. citizenship as the pinnacle of adult education success, transforming residents into fully empowered, engaged stakeholders in our state and local communities.

However, federal legislation and funding is in a state of flux, and it is not certain how this will affect adults' legal access to citizenship. Federal funding comes from two separate grants. First, the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act which regulates the adult basic education funding and a separate grant that supplements ABE funding through the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Grant. At the time of this paper, 36 ABE programs offer classes in citizenship as noted in Literacy Minnesota’s Hotline. And second, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services which administers the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program. The administration ended funding for the USCIS Citizenship and Integration Grant program in April 2025. There are no programs offering citizenship classes as of the writing of this paper. Prior to this, in fiscal year (FY) 2024, USCIS awarded approximately $12.6 million in grants.

In addition, federal policy has increased the questions that could be asked in the interview process from 100 to 128. New questions and guidance are more rigorous.

2. Demonstrable Positive Outcomes for Naturalized Adults

Data consistently shows that naturalization is a significant predictor of upward mobility and stability, delivering a tangible Return on Investment (ROI) for public education funding.

A. Economic Stability and Fiscal Contribution

Naturalized citizens demonstrate significantly stronger economic metrics compared to non-citizen permanent residents, leading to increased tax revenue and decreased reliance on public services.

Outcome Metric Impact on Naturalized Citizens Policy Relevance
Increased Earnings  Naturalized citizens see an average wage increase of 8-11% immediately following naturalization (Urban Institute; American Immigration Council).  Tax Base Growth: Higher earnings translate directly into increased state and local income and payroll tax revenue. 
Homeownership  Naturalized citizens increase their homeownership rate by 6.3 percentage points and their employment rate by 2.2 percentage points (Urban Institute).  Community Investment: Homeownership creates stable, long-term fiscal support for Counties and local school districts. 
Workforce Integration  Citizenship removes barriers to employment in fields requiring federal security clearance or licensure, filling critical workforce shortages in sectors like healthcare and public service.  Talent Pipeline: Civic literacy is a key component of Minnesota's strategy to fully utilize its diverse talent pool. 

B. Enhanced Civic and Community Participation

A well-informed citizenry is essential for robust democracy and effective local governance, a priority for both lawmakers and school board members.

  • Voting Engagement: Naturalized citizens represent a growing share of the eligible U.S. electorate (Pew Research Center). While overall turnout rates may lag, naturalized citizens who are registered to vote show comparable or higher turnout rates than native-born registered voters, demonstrating a strong commitment to the ballot box (American Immigration Council).
  • Local Volunteering: Participation in ABE programs, which house civic literacy, is correlated with increased civic participation and community involvement (ProLiteracy/Reder).
  • Understanding Governance: Civic Literacy Curricula that explicitly teaches the structure and function of local, county, and state government, leading to more informed engagement with school board processes and county initiatives.

3. Advocacy: The Imperative to Preserve Access

Adult Citizenship Education is a highly cost-effective service, yet its funding remains vulnerable to budget fluctuations. SPCLC advocates policy actions to ensure sustained, equitable access. Considering that federal funding is in so much flux, SPCLC advocates for the Minnesota Department of Education to create processes to streamline state funding to remain consistent and sustainable.

Civic Literacy services are primarily delivered through the established network of Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs. If this existing framework is not adequately funded or if civic literacy programs are viewed as ancillary, the positive outcomes detailed above will be curtailed.

Policy Recommendations for Lawmakers, Commissioners, and School Boards:

  1. Recognize Civic Literacy as a Core Adult Literacy Service: We recommend that Minnesota Department of Education formally recognizes citizenship education as a critical component of lifelong learning to build an engaged community. This recognition ensures that ABE programs providing civic literacy receive stable administrative support, access to facilities, and are integrated into the state’s overall workforce education program. This recognition would communicate to ABE providers that Citizenship Education will always be included in FIN 322 allowable expense and should be included in instructions and training to school district financial agents. Similar to GED testing in current funding.
  2. Support Data Collection of access to adult citizenship education: Minnesota Department of Education will collect access to citizenship education for all residents living in Minnesota. Ensuring that there is not a gap in access to gaining legal citizenship and all the benefits listed above.

4. Conclusion: Investing in Tomorrow's Citizens

The decision to preserve and invest in Adult Citizenship Education is a decision to invest in Minnesota's long-term prosperity. Every adult who completes the naturalization process becomes an economic contributor, a civically engaged neighbor, and a more stable, committed resident of the State of Minnesota.

The SPCLC stands ready to partner with State Lawmakers, County Commissioners, and School Board Members to champion policies that recognize citizenship education as the vital community asset that it is. Preserving access to these programs is the clearest path to realizing a more prosperous, engaged, and equitable Minnesota for all.

References

American Immigration Council. (2020). The Growing Electoral Clout of New Citizens. Retrieved from https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/what-is-relevant-information.html. Cited for: Voter registration and turnout rates among new citizens.

Pew Research Center. (2024, September 19). 1 in 10 Eligible Voters in the U.S. are Naturalized Citizens. Retrieved from https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/what-is-relevant-information.html. Cited for: The increasing size of the naturalized electorate.

ProLiteracy. (2017). The Case for Investment in Adult Basic Education: Summary of Findings from the Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning. Retrieved from https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/what-is-relevant-information.html. Cited for: The correlation between adult basic skills program participation and subsequent increases in income, postsecondary engagement, and civic participation.

Urban Institute. (2015). Naturalization Pays Off for Immigrants and Their Communities. Retrieved from https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/what-is-relevant-information.html. Cited for: Economic benefits, including the 8-11% wage increase, increased homeownership (6.3%), and increased employment (2.2%) post-naturalization.

Prepared by The Saint Paul Community Literacy Consortium - October, 2025