Evaluation of Parliament and Civics Education Rebate (PACER) and Civics and Citizenship Education (CCE) Programs

The Australian Department of Education commissioned ACIL Allen to evaluate the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate (PACER) programme, the 2023 PACER pilot, and seven Civics and Citizenship Education (CCE) programs. These initiatives collectively aim to support Australian students' understanding of democratic systems, civics, and citizenship through educational excursions, curriculum-aligned resources, and experiential learning opportunities.

Evaluation Methodology and Policy Focus

The evaluation assessed the programs' appropriateness, fidelity, effectiveness, and efficiency with a particular focus on three key policy considerations: equitable and inclusive participation, alignment with the Australian Curriculum, and complementarity with state and territory programmes. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study explored programme design, governance, implementation, reach, and impact to inform future delivery and policy directions.

Key Findings: Program Effectiveness and Challenges

Key findings highlighted strong alignment of the programs with the Australian Curriculum and their positive role in encouraging student engagement in civics and citizenship education. Challenges include limited focus on equity dimensions such as disability and culturally diverse communities, inconsistency in programme coverage across year levels and subjects, and fragmentation between Commonwealth and state-level initiatives. The evaluation also noted that whilst immediate educational outcomes were positive, longer-term impacts and student voice were insufficiently captured.

Recommendations: Improving Civics Education Delivery

Opportunities identified to enhance the programs include raising awareness to expand reach and inclusion, strengthening coordination with state and territory education bodies, embedding robust impact measurement mechanisms, and integrating student voices in programme design and evaluation. Specific recommendations for PACER include refining the rebate structure to better support disadvantaged and disability-inclusive participation. For the CCE suite, there is potential to strategically consolidate the initiatives for better coherence and curriculum integration, supported by a community of practice amongst providers.

This evaluation provides comprehensive insights to guide the ongoing development of civics and citizenship education programmes, reinforcing their contribution to preparing young Australians for active and informed democratic participation.