NHACE hosts Workshop on Civic Engagement

On December 7, NHACE hosted: "Workshop on Civic Engagement: Effective District Strategies for Civic Learning and Engagement" at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. Attendees heard from Jennifer Piscatelli from the National Center for Learning and Citizenship at the Education Commission of the States, who spoke about lessons learned from across the nation regarding implementing civic engagement initiatives district-wide. To illustrate how one district in particular has been successful, Mary H. McCarthy, the District Director of Community Relations and Character Educations for the Hudson, MA, Public School District, highlighted their strategies and accomplishments.

District teams were given time to meet and plan steps to take to increase civic learning in their districts. Each team that attended has been invited to submit a grant proposal to receive $1,250.00 to support their efforts.

Districts in attendance were: Manchester, Goffstown, Somersworth, Winacunnet, and Sunapee.

Resources from the workshop:

Developing Citizenship Competencies from Kindergarten through Grade 12: A Background Paper for Policymakers and Educators
PDF/1.27MB)
This paper is designed to help policymakers and education leaders incorporate civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes into policies that support effective citizenship education from the early elementary grades through high school. (Judith Torney-Puerta and Susan Vermeer, Education Commission of the States, August 2004)

ECS Policy Brief: Citizenship Education
(PDF/267KB)
This policy brief reviews current data and recent state action in support of citizenship education. It highlights eight states’ standards that go beyond the teaching of knowledge and extend to skills and dispositions, analyzes common characteristics of state standards, and concludes with questions for policymakers.

Learning that Lasts Field Guide
(PDF/501KB)
This is a new companion guide to Learning That Lasts: How Service-Learning Can Become an Integral Part of Schools, States, and Communities. The Field Guide provides specific strategies to move service-learning from the margin to the mainstream in American schools. (Education Commission of the States, 2005)

Hudson, MA High School’s Plan
(PPT/2.57MB)

School Citizenship Education Climate Assessment
(PDF/215KB)
Schools play a critical role in the development of academic abilities of young people. Schools also serve as places that assist students in developing an understanding of society and a commitment to political and civic engagement. In this role, schools can help foster the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that young people need to develop into politically aware and socially responsible individuals (Torney-Purta & Vermeer, 2004). This process is sometimes referred to as the civic education or civic learning of students, but it is advantageous to frame these concepts broadly in ways that go beyond courses labeled "civics" and even courses that tacitly address civic concerns. In today’s educational and political climate, civic learning will continue to remain on the margins unless it is incorporated into districts' and states' accountability systems. This resource provides practitioners and policymakers with a vehicle for student- and school-wide climate assessment to help meet this need.

Advancing the Civic Mission of Schools:  What schools, districts, and state and federal leaders can do
(PDF/130KB)
This guide reflects the wisdom of a variety of experts and activists consulted by the campaign. It identifies six challenges to civic learning, discusses these challenges and lays out clear action steps that schools, districts, state and federal leaders can take to meet them. All advocates can use their influence to persuade political and district leaders to pursue these actions.