Do you have information you would like to share in future
issues of Citizenship Matters? Send submissions to Ann Rautio at arautio@ecs.org.
The ECS National Center for Learning and Citizenship (NCLC) assists
state and district policymakers and educators developing policies
that support K-12 school-based service-learning opportunities. These
educational experiences help students acquire the skills, values,
knowledge and practice necessary to be effective citizens. The NCLC
identifies and analyzes policies and practices that support effective
citizenship education, creates and disseminates publications for
education stakeholders, and convenes meetings to develop a collective
voice for citizenship education and civic mission of schools. NCLC
also encourages policy support and system structures to integrate
service-learning into schools and communities. For more information,
visit www.ecs.org/nclc.
Welcome to CITIZENSHIP MATTERS, from the NATIONAL
CENTER FOR LEARNING AND CITIZENSHIP (NCLC) at the EDUCATION COMMISSION
OF THE STATES (ECS). This bimonthly newsletter focuses on ECS' work in
improving citizenship education in our nation's schools.
What States Are Doing RHODE ISLAND's Senate Bill 864 and House Bill 5748 recognize "the importance of a citizenry well educated in the principles of democracy..." and directs the board of regents for elementary and secondary education to develop and adopt a set of grade level standards in civics education no later than August 31, 2007. http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Billtext/BillText05/SenateText05/S0864A.pdf
VERMONT Governor Jim Douglas proclaimed November 13-19, 2005 as Civic Education and Awareness Week. The proclamation coincided with a statewide Vermont Civic Education Summit at the State House on November 16, 2005. The summit was sponsored by the Vermont Bar Association and the Vermont League of Women Voters. http://www.vtbar.org/article/articleview/8672
VIRGINIA's House Bill 1769 established the Virginia Commission on Civics Education. The Commission's purpose includes educating students on the importance of citizen involvement in a representative democracy, the promotion of the study of state and local government among the Commonwealth's citizenry, and the enhancement of communication and collaboration among Virginia's organizations that conduct civic education programs. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+ful+CHAP0786
Good Reads "First-Class Citizens," recently published in Edutopia, chronicles the Hudson (Massachusetts) HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCIL. The Community Council is one facet of this "laboratory of democracy." The Council is a committee of elected students and staff responsible for making decisions and policy recommendations for the school. http://www.edutopia.org/1431
The revised edition of KIDS AS PLANNERS - A Guide to Strengthening Students, Schools and Communities Through Service-Learning is now available from KIDS Consortium. KIDS as Planners is a comprehensive guidebook that provides teachers, school administrators, students and community partners a step-by-step process for designing implementing and evaluating a quality service-learning project. http://www.kidsconsortium.org
Youth Service America and Disney are offering Disney Minnie GRANTS FOR YOUTH across the globe. Grants of $500 are for youth ages 5-14, or the teachers and organizations that engage them, to implement service projects on National and Global Youth Service Day, April 21-23, 2006. Application deadline is January 13, 2006. http://ysa.org/awards
New Center Publications NCLC recently released a new issue paper, "MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. and CESAR E. CHAVEZ: Legacies of Leadership and Inspiration for Today's Civic Education," authored by Anthony Welch and Julie Chavez Rodriguez. The paper examines examples from the Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy and the Kindness and Justice Challenge, and also outlines recommendations for state and local governments, elected officials, schools and districts. /clearinghouse/64/53/6453.pdf
NCLC News In early December 2005, NCLC will release a Call for Nominations for superintendents and school board members committed to the civic mission of education to join a national network of 100 DISTRICT LEADERS FOR CITIZENSHIP AND SERVICE. Additional information and the nomination form will be available on the NCLC Web site in early December. Nomination deadline is January 23, 2006. http://www.ecs.org/nclc
Meetings & Events The NATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING CONFERENCE will take place March 22-25, 2006 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The NCLC is hosting an administrators-only pre-conference session on March 22. Advanced registration is required. NCLC is offering a limited number of $75 scholarships to assist school and district administrators attend this session. Additional information is available on the conference Web site. http://www.nylc.org/conference
The Fourth Annual SERVICE-LEARNING AND THE ARTS Conference will be held March 30-April 1, 2006 in Miami, Florida. Presented by Florida Learn & Serve, Miami-Dade Public Schools and California College of The Arts: Center for Art and Public Life, this year's conference will focus on community revitalization and development through service-learning and art projects. http://www.fsu.edu/~flserve/arts_conference/index.html
Names in the News NCLC advisor JUDITH TORNEY-PURTA will be awarded the Landmark Award, given for exceptional and enduring achievements in support of international life at the University of Maryland, on December 7, 2005. Torney-Purta is receiving the award for her long-term leadership and accomplishments in the field of behavior research, including her direction of the International Steering Committee for the IEA Civic Education Study. http://www.education.umd.edu/news/news2005/wnr0511.TorneyPurta.html
NELDA BROWN has been named executive director of the National Service-Learning Partnership. Brown previously served as the executive director of the State Education Agency K-12 Service-Learning Network (SEANet). http://www.service-learningpartnership.org
Updates from NACE Citizenship Matters regularly features new information available on the NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR CIVIC EDUCATION's (NACE) Web site. NACE comprises over 200 group and individual members committed to advancing civic knowledge and engagement. /clearinghouse/65/90/6590.doc
The National School Boards Association's CENTER FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION Web site highlights community engagement in public education, including examples of school districts' experiences with community engagement. http://www.nsba.org/site/sec_peac.asp?TRACKID=&CID=1706&DID=36613
International Focus A PAN-AMERICAN SERVICE-LEARNING NETWORK met in Argentina October 29, 2005, representing groups from North, South, and Central America and the Caribbean to enrich their knowledge and practice, broaden perspectives and further develop the international service-learning field. /clearinghouse/65/89/6589.doc
