Guest Column
Just what is it that we want for the adults who were once our students? Steve Hefner reflects on the END RESULT OF EDUCATION, epitomized by a student named Janine. Hefner spent 40 years as an educator, most recently as Superintendent of Richland School District Two in Columbia, South Carolina, and retires in June.
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Back to top.What States Are Doing
FLORIDA Governor Charlie Crist has approved CS/HB 105 which "Provides requirements for a civics education course that a student must successfully complete for middle grades promotion beginning with students entering grade 6 in the 2012-2013 school year." The act is cited as the "Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Education Act."
http://www.ecs.org/html/offsite.asp?document=http://www.myfloridahouse.gov
Governor Tim Pawlenty declared May 19 Service-Learning Day in MINNESOTA. Among other values, the proclamation sees those who have served "as positive examples of responsible citizenship, with the hope that young people remain ever responsive to the call of public service."
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WASHINGTON has included global citizenship as an expectation of revised accountability rules. Global citizenship is increasingly seen as an educational goal. Section 101 of Washington's Senate Bill 6696 notes "the expectation from implementation of this system is the improvement of student achievement for all students to prepare them for postsecondary education, work, and global citizenship in the twenty-first century." The bill was signed by Governor Christine Gregoire.
/clearinghouse/85/94/8594.pdf
The TEXAS State Board of Education has approved new social studies curriculum standards. The new standards are effective beginning with the 2011-2012 school year.
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2147484354
Back to top.Good Reads
A position paper by the Character Education Partnership argues that "SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS — ones that foster both academic excellence and ethics — have positive, effective school cultures." Read more in Developing and Assessing Culture: A New Level of Accountability for Schools.
/clearinghouse/85/96/8596.pdf
An Evolving Relationship: Executive Branch Approaches to CIVIC ENGAGEMENT and Philanthropy reviews two decades of Executive Branch approaches to civic engagement, participation and service, and looks at how philanthropy has worked with government on these issues during that time. The paper, prepared by Brad Rourke, sees encouraging signs of a stronger focus on civic engagement and renewed efforts on collaborative work.
/clearinghouse/85/97/8597.pdf
Back to top.NCLC News
NCLC hosted a meeting of the newest group of schools selected for its SCHOOLS OF SUCCESS Network. Nine schools receiving funds from NCLC's Learn and Serve grant met in Denver May 2-3 to discuss high-quality service-learning and what it looks like in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) classes.
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Back to top.Meetings & Events
The "Civic Studies, CIVIC PRACTICES Conference" is scheduled for July 23-24, 2010. The conference is the concluding event of the second annual Summer Institute of Civic Studies at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship & Public Service Tufts University.
http://activecitizen.tufts.edu/?pid=715
Plan to attend the ECS 2010 NATIONAL FORUM ON EDUCATION POLICY, August 18-20 in Portland, Oregon. As always, the focus will be on issues of high importance to states. This year, we'll direct our attention to ensuring effective remediation, more graduates and greater college/work success. To learn more and register now, visit the ECS Web site.
http://www.ecs.org/NF2010
Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE) will host a Webinar conversation about how to improve the EVALUATION of civic engagement efforts on June 15. Participating will be moderator and PACE executive director, Chris Gates, Trish Tchume, the Building Movement Project, and Ehren Reed, Innovation Network. The invitation has registration information:
/clearinghouse/86/01/8601.pdf
Back to top.Names in the News
A retirement gala on March 12, 2010 honored DR. STEPHEN W. HEFNER for 36 years of excellence in education at Richland School District Two. He also was recognized for a "remarkable and distinguished career" by the South Carolina Senate. Hefner is a member of the NCLC Executive Board and the District Leaders Network.
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess118_2009-2010/bills/1256.htm
Back to top.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.
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Back to top.Other Useful Web sites
Register now for the 2010 National Conference on Citizenship, "BIG Citizenship: Citizens as Catalysts and Innovators." This year's theme features the impact of CITIZEN-DRIVEN MOVEMENTS such as the Women's Suffrage Movement. With the advent and growth of the current Tea Party Movement, the topic seems even more interesting and relevant.
http://www.ncoc.net/index.php?tray=topic&tid=103ktop1&cid=103k10
A new Web site from the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF), Educating About IMMIGRATION, is a "one-stop informational and interactive clearinghouse on topics of U.S. immigration." The site "features balanced, non-partisan curriculum on immigration history, on public policy and on holding discussions on current controversies."
http://www.crfimmigrationed.org
Project Service Leadership hosts a CULMINATING PROJECTS Institute July 23-24, 2010 in Portland, Oregon.
/clearinghouse/86/00/8600.pdf
Back to top.International Focus
The International Center for Service-Learning in Teacher Education (ICSLTE) has relocated to the Program in Education at Duke University. ICSLTE is partnering with the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Civic Engagement to offer a special TEACHER EDUCATION AND SERVICE-LEARNING strand at their Fall 2010 conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Check out their new Web site and learn more about the research conference.
http://educationprogram.duke.edu/ICSLTE
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