Guest Column
Exit polls of young voters indicate that, although youth voter turnout is rising, those voting are more likely to have attended college. Joseph Kahne and Peter Levine make the case that all students need to be taught the SKILLS TO BECOME ACTIVE, ENGAGED CITIZENS, so that the voices of all citizens are heard.
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Back to top.What States Are Doing
The PENNSYLVANIA Board of Education amended its bylaws to include nonvoting student members. Two student members and two student members-elect will be appointed by the chair of the Board.
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Governor Martin O'Malley signed legislation establishing the MARYLAND Youth Advisory Council. Members will come from high schools and institutions of postsecondary education in the state. Senate Bill 1 provides for the appointment, selection, membership, terms and duties of the council.
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INDIANA Governor Mitch Daniels signed into law House Bill 1162, which delineates the composition and duties of members of the Indiana Youth Advisory Council. The council will provide the general assembly with information from young people about issues that are important to Indiana's youth.
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Legislation creating the COLORADO Youth Advisory Council was signed into law by Governor Bill Ritter. Consisting of 35 voting members between the ages of 14 and 19, the council also has four nonvoting legislative members.
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Back to top.Good Reads
The Public Education Network has released the "CIVIC INDEX FOR QUALITY EDUCATION," a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive, online tool designed to measure and improve community support for quality public education. The Civic Index identifies and measures levels of community support across 10 categories.
http://civicindex4education.org/main/index.cfm
"Creating Safer Schools and Communities" is a series of five newly revised guidebooks for key components of CREATING SAFE, POSITIVE SCHOOLS. One of the guides is Fostering School, Family and Community Involvement, by Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor of the Center for Mental Health in Schools.
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Back to top.New Center Publications
INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARKING is the alignment of standards, instruction, professional development and assessment to those of the highest-performing countries. ECS' new publication, From Competing to Leading: An International Benchmarking Blueprint, presents the rationale on why states should consider benchmarking to international standards and describes policy recommendations for policymakers and education leaders. This is the first action guide of its kind to enable states, districts and schools to craft new policies and adjust existing policies proven to demonstrate world-class performance.
http://www.ecs.org/html/meetingsEvents/NF2008/resources/ECS-InternationalBenchmarking.pdf
NCLC has updated the ECS StateNote on YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN POLICYMAKING to include 2008 activity in four states. Colorado, Indiana and Maryland have created Youth Advisory Councils and Pennsylvania's State Board of Education has added students as nonvoting members. Links to specific legislation are above in "What States Are Doing."
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Back to top.NCLC News
The National Center for Learning and Citizenship hosted several MEETINGS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. The 8th annual Education Leadership Colloquium, the 100 District Leaders for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning, the NCLC Executive Board and a concurrent session at the ECS National Forum on Education Policy took place June 30 - July 2, 2008.
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Back to top.Meetings & Events
The 2008 PUBLIC EDUCATION NETWORK Annual Conference will be held Nov. 16-18, 2008. The conference will center around the legacy, focus and impact of local education funds over the last 25 years.
http://www.publiceducation.org/events.asp
PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values is hosting the second annual National Educator's INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH SERVICE-LEARNING.
http://www.panim.org/educatorsinstitute
The Eighth International Research Conference on SERVICE-LEARNING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT will be held October 25-28, 2008, in New Orleans, LA. The theme of the conference is The Scholarship of Engagement: Dimensions of Reciprocal Partnerships.
http://www.researchslce.org/Files/2008Conference/Conference_Main.html
Back to top.Names in the News
NCLC Executive Director TERRY PICKERAL will leave his position in January 2009. Selection of a new executive director will begin in August 2008.
BARBARA GROHE, superintendent of Kent (WA) school district, is the new 2008-2010 chair of the National Center for Learning and Citizenship. Her agenda for the two-year term will focus on civic engagement as an essential component of citizenship education and on service-learning as a vehicle for civic engagement that is particularly effective in the educational process.
TED MCCONNELL has joined the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools (CMS) as its executive director. CMS is hosted by the National Council for the Social Studies.
http://civicmissionofschools.org/site/about/staff.html
LEE HAMILTON has joined the CMS National Advisory Committee as co-chair with Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and former Governor Roy Romer.
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
The Walt Disney Company and Youth Service America are supporting YOUTH-LED SERVICE PROJECTS that are planned and implemented in communities. Service can take place between October 15 and November 15, 2008, and projects can address the environment, disaster relief, public health and awareness, community education, hunger, literacy or any issue that youth identify as a community need. Deadline is August 30, 2008.
http://ysa.org/awardsgrants/tabid/58/default.aspx
The FIVE FREEDOMS PROJECT has launched two new resources - its official Web site and online network. The sites will support the work of all educators, students and citizens who share a commitment to First Amendment freedoms, democratic schools, and the idea that children should be seen and heard. Visitors will find resources that stretch across the Five Freedoms Project's four primary areas of concentration: Individual Rights, Leadership, Voice and Impact.
http://www.fivefreedoms.org
INNOVATIONS IN CIVIC PARTICIPATION serves as an innovation lab, resource center and the secretariat for two global networks to promote youth civic engagement globally.
http://www.icicp.org/
Back to top.International Focus
According to a recent national survey of public attitudes in Canada, more than eight in 10 Canadians feel that NATIONAL VOLUNTEER SERVICE creates a culture of active citizenship and civic participation.
http://www.katimavik.org/News/view/id/329
The Twelfth WORLD CONGRESS ON CIVIC EDUCATION, entitled "Sustaining Civic Education: Achievements and Challenges," met in Morocco, May 24-30, 2008. Educators representing more than 65 countries and 30 U.S. states convened in Casablanca and Ifrane to share ideas and "best practices" in securing the sustained commitment of educators, policymakers and civil society to civic education programs around the world.
http://www.civiced.org/index.php?p=111&&st=&&page=internationa_calendar&&eid=18475&print=true&goback=0
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