01
We don't teach civics well.
Only 22% of students end 8th grade proficient in civics according to our nation's report card (NAEP).
Experiential civics for grades 6–12
We are
founders.
Turn the classroom into a living democracy laboratory—and prepare young people to become its architects and caretakers.
- 10 teacher-facilitated simulations
- Built for schools
- Prototype live
Common Ground Society
Round 03 / 10
How should our society use scarce resources?
- Trust62
- Participation71
- Equity44
Deliberation is open
Private Circumstance
You care for a younger sibling after school, so time costs affect you more.
The problem
Education teaches young people about democracy. It rarely lets them practice it.
02
We fail to provide opportunities for practice.
Too few authentic opportunities to practice judgment, healthy conflict, dialogue, compromise, and shared responsibility.
03
This leads to lack of participation in the democratic process.
By the time they turn 18, less than 50% of young people register and participate in voting.
The solution
Democracy, learned by doing.
Students enter a fictional society with unequal resources, incomplete information, and no established government. What happens next is up to them.
01
Enter unequal conditions
Roles · private information
02
Build institutions
Taxes · rights · responsibilities
03
Govern together
Proposals · budgets · laws
04
Face consequences
Events · society indicators
05
Revise + reflect
Artifacts · civic portfolio
The experience
Ten rounds move students from founding to stewardship.
Each round combines an in-person challenge, a platform action, a public artifact, and structured reflection.
01
Birth Lottery
02
Public Problems
03
Resources + Fairness
04
Decision Rules
05
Rights + Duties
06
Representation
07
Make a Law
08
Public Crisis
09
Constitutional Revision
10
Civic Leadership
The platform
A new category between curriculum and simulation gaming.
The technology keeps the mechanics quiet so students can focus on the human work of governing—and teachers can see learning unfold.
- Make choices and experience consequences
- Build a civic portfolio over time
- Track the health of the society students create
- Reflect on individual and collective decisions
Common Ground Society · Round 03
Society indicators
Trust62
Participation71
Equity44
Your standing
Personal tokens7
Public treasury128
Private circumstanceCaregiver
Recent decisions
Clinic hours proposalPassed
Flat vs. tiered taxTied
Civic artifacts
Participation86%
Artifacts submitted19 / 24
An illustrative view of the student and teacher experience inside the platform.
Built at the intersection of education and democracy.
This company is backed by educators, community organizers, former school leaders, social entrepreneurs, and civic practitioners who have spent more than two decades preparing people and institutions to lead.
“Young people should not have to wait until adulthood to practice the judgment democracy requires.”
The next step
Help us prove that democracy can be learned by doing.
We are seeking partners for the 2026–27 validation year.
01
Pilot schools
Middle and high schools ready to become paid design partners and help shape the learning experience.
02
Civic-learning and education funders
Partners prepared to underwrite curriculum development, product development, and pilot implementation.
03
Assessment and research partners
Organizations and institutions that can help validate student-learning and civic-development outcomes.
Start a Conversation
Tell us about your school, organization, or research interest.