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To read more about Service-Learning, visit the ECS Issue Site on Service-Learning.

To read more about civic education, visit the ECS Issue Site on Citizenship/Character Education.

Do you have information you would like to share in future issues of Citizenship Matters? Send submissions to Brady Delander at bdelander@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 civic 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.

After Newton, Imagine Solutions
Peter Levine, director of CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) and Research Director of the Tisch College of Citizenship, offers a well-reasoned and sober assessment on way to address violence in schools. “A real solution would require action on many fronts, by many people. Addressing a brutal threat together is civic work that can help repair the torn fabric. And several different kinds of civic response are available,” he writes.

More on School Safety
The Education Commission of the States (ECS) compiled a comprehensive overview of resources and information on potential policies directly related to school safety. Additionally, NCLC Executive Board Member and Santa Barbara County Superintendent wrote an opinion piece in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

California
California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and state superintendent of public instruction Tom Torlakson announced that they are co-sponsoring a new Civic Learning Award for public high schools in the state. The award will recognize schools that develop successful models for engaging students in civic learning that can be replicated in other schools.

Massachusetts
A new initiative that enables community-based organizations to provide credit-bearing experiences for students that complement in-school classroom learning has been launched in Massachusetts. Boston After School & Beyond (BASB) and the Boston Public Schools (BPS) announced a six-month funding opportunity for teen-serving non-profit organizations that focus on bringing civics to life and deepening young adults’ understanding of the power of democracy.

Maine Offers a Guide on Service-Learning
Research shows all models of service-learning, when done right, are a great dropout-prevention strategy and have the potential to increase the attendance and engagement of students in classrooms and schools. “Service-Learning in Maine: A Guide to Quality Service-Learning” examines approaches that are having a positive effect in that state.

CIRCLE Examines iCivics Module
It seems they’ve been busy over at CIRCLE. The organization designed and conducted a randomized experimental evaluation of "Drafting Board," which is iCivics' latest teaching module.

Florida, Tennessee Show the Way
During the Education Commission of the States’ Winter Commissioners Meeting, the NCLC hosted a panel discussion with experts in the field with firsthand knowledge of the impact quality legislation can have on a state. Learn more about recent legislation related to civic learning and education that was passed in Florida and Tennessee. Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg of CIRCLE moderated the discussion, using a fact sheet as a launching point.

Charter Schools as Nation Builders
The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) released a policy brief exploring how top-performing charter schools have incorporated civic learning in their school curriculum and school culture. It is the first in an ongoing series.

Maurice Green Joins the Board
At its most recent gathering, the NCLC appointed Maurice “Mo” Green to the Executive Board. As superintendent of Guilford County Schools in North Carolina, Green is at the forefront of positive action related to service-learning in schools. The NCLC looks forward to engaging his knowledge and leadership in the field of civic learning and engagement.

Touching Base with School Staff
In January, Associate Policy Analyst Molly Ryan and Project Leader Lisa Guilfoile visited North Middle School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to examine in schools with robust high-quality service-learning programs whether and how early implementation of the Common Core state standards supports service-learning that, coupled with the academic content in the CCSS, provides students with the 21st century skills needed to be college-, career-, and citizenship-ready. They will continue their work at Percy L. Julian High School in Chicago in February.

National Service-Learning Conference Coming to Denver
Approximately 2,000 students and practitioners will converge on Denver March 13-16 for the 24th annual National Service-Learning Conference, hosted by the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC) in partnership with Earth Force.

ASCD Virtual Conference
ASCD, formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, will be streaming 22 sessions live from its 68th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show, held in Chicago, March 16-18, 2013. Presenters include Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and poet Maya Angelou, among others.