Preparing First-Time Voters: Civics Education, Street-Level Bureaucracy, and Active Citizenship in Estonian Upper-Secondary Schools

This article explores how upper-secondary school Civics teachers in Estonia address and support the development of active citizenship among students within the context of local government elections, focusing specifically on the 2025 elections in Tallinn. Although active citizenship constitutes a central goal of Estonian civic education as formulated in the national curriculum, little empirical research has examined how Civics teachers interpret and operationalise this role during elections when both pedagogical opportunities and neutrality expectations intensify. The article analyses Civics teachers’ perceptions, decision-making, discretionary power, and instructional choices when designing election-related learning experiences for 16–18-year-old high-school students. The article answers the research question: How do Civics teachers address active citizenship of upper-secondary school students in Estonia during local government elections? The study timeframe spans the official election timeframe. The study is based on qualitative 20 semi-structured interviews with upper-secondary Civics teachers in Tallinn chosen for its demographic diversity, extensive media coverage during elections, and large pool of Civics teachers. Interviews are analysed through qualitative content analysis using deductive and inductive approaches. Preliminary expectations suggest teachers value election education but face barriers such as limited instructional time and dense curriculum requirements. Ultimately, the article argues that examining Civics teachers’ perceptions of active citizenship, as well as their practices in the context of local elections, is essential for informing Civics education policy and ensuring that young citizens are not only legally enfranchised but also substantively prepared and motivated to participate in democratic processes. The findings have broader relevance for countries contemplating similar reforms and investigating how educational systems can best support newly eligible young voters. They will be of interest to educators, policymakers, and organisations dedicated to strengthening youth engagement and active citizenship.