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  • Civics Education Programs Making a Difference This Constitution Day

    As we approach Constitution Day, it’s worth exploring whether educators are prepared to teach students about the Constitution and its history in a manner that is accurate, effective and engaging. While it may not be widely known, numerous organizations spend their summers offering workshops and institutes to equip teachers with the resources to teach civics and American history during the school year.  

    This effort should not go unnoticed, because civics, when effectively taught, promotes and preserves good citizenship. As teachers and students get back to work this fall in earnest, here’s a look back at some organizations that worked with educators over their break to ensure they’re well prepared to teach this important subject:   

    Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge (FFVF) hosted nearly 250 teachers across the United States this summer for one of their five week-long teacher programs and one traveling workshop. Their special guests and speakers included eminent scholars such as CherylAnne Amendola, Frederick Douglass descendant Kevin Douglass Greene, Dr. Joe Fornieri, Dr. Allen Guelzo, Mae Krier and Stephanie Townrow. Seminar topics included “Frederick Douglass: Legacy and Impact,” “Constitutional History,” “American Revolution South (Traveling Workshop),” “Medal of Honor Legacy: Cold War,” “Women in American History” and “Abraham Lincoln and His America.” 

    Over the past 50 years, nearly 14,000 educators from around the world have enriched their knowledge and their classrooms through FFVF’s critically acclaimed and accredited seminars. 

    The George Washington Teacher Institute Summer Residential Program at Mount Vernon offers educators an opportunity to attend a five-day immersive professional development program to learn more about George Washington and the 18th century world he lived in. Their format, with a different thematic focus for each program, allows educators to explore an 18th century subject that is most relevant to their classrooms. Participants learn from a variety of visiting and estate experts about how to bring the first president and his world to their 21st century students.  

    Topics in 2023 included “Martha Washington and the Women of the 18th Century,” “The Great Experiment: George Washington and the Founding of the U.S. Government,” “Slavery in George Washington’s World,” “George Washington at War: From Soldier to Commander in Chief,” “George Washington and the Economy of a New Nation” and “Leadership and Legacy: Lessons from George Washington.” 

    At the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History  (GLI), educators can choose from a variety of in-person and virtual summer professional development opportunities. These include 12 online teacher seminars, including “The Making of America,” a two-week National Endowment for the Humanities summer institute; The Gilder Lehrman Teacher Symposium, a five-day program at Gettysburg College “Statesmanship in American History,” hosted and funded by the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University; “Reframing Lincoln Seminar: Myth, Memory,” “Changing Narratives; United States Foreign Policy, 1898 to Present” and “The Making of America: Colonial Era to Reconstruction.” 

    The National Constitution Center (NCC), located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, offers in-person and online resources to educators across the country and “serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate.” It hosts over 160 educators from across the country for its series of summer institutes, which bring together top educators and ideologically diverse constitutional scholars.  

    Over the course of week-long in-person sessions and three-day virtual sessions, participants work with content experts during these programs to deepen their knowledge of constitutional topics and their historical contexts and modern understandings. During the summer institutes, educators discover and develop ways to make content relevant to their students. Educators leave having gained new content knowledge, teaching tools, classroom-ready resources and skills for improving constitutional literacy. 

    NCC’s approach has three main components: (1) building a historical foundation through storytelling of the Constitution’s founding and exploring how courts have interpreted it over time; (2) learning how to interpret the Constitution like a constitutional lawyer by asking what the government constitutionally may not do, not what it should do and (3) developing the skills of civil dialogue and reflection. Programs are open to educators working with grades 5 – 12 at public, charter, independent, parochial and other schools. Topics in 2023 included “Constitutional Conversations and Civil Dialogue” and “Principles of the American Revolution.” 

    The Jack Miller Center (JMC) has continued to grow its resources for K-12 teachers, offering 24 teacher education programs across nine states this summer, which included graduate courses in Illinois and Massachusetts, symposiums in Florida and Wisconsin, a summer institute in Texas and workshops in Virginia. JMC’s faculty partners covered topics such as the American Revolution, Alexis de Tocqueville, the First Amendment and Frederick Douglass. See this comprehensive list of the Summer 2023 seminars to learn more about the topics covered, locations (frequently university campuses) and faculty who partnered with JMC.  

    Due to the generosity of donors, FFVF, GLI, NCC and JMC all provide scholarships to participants to remove the financial barriers of attendance. All these programs adjust their offerings each year to ensure they provide content that is particularly relevant to the needs of educators and their classrooms. They are currently in the process of making these adjustments for next year, so announcements of Summer 2024 offerings are imminent.  

     The vital work of these civics organizations does not stop when the school year begins. They continue to provide support to educators through lesson plans, weekend workshops, online seminars and even MA programs during the year. If you walk into a classroom and see an educator effectively and engagingly teaching civics, you may learn their approach was impacted by one of these programs, many of which are hoping to reach more teachers in the critical effort to prepare the next generation of citizens. 

    If you are interested in learning more about these initiatives, please contact the Programs team at programs@philanthropyroundtable.org. 

  • This Labor Day, Pioneer Institute Highlights Importance of Vocational Training

    As Americans celebrate the achievements of our nation’s workers this Labor Day, Philanthropy Roundtable is proud to support organizations that eliminate barriers to upward mobility, expand opportunity and reward hard work. I recently sat down with Jim Stergios, executive director of Pioneer Institute, a think tank that envisions a nation where people can prosper and society can thrive because of “world-class options in education, health care, transportation and economic opportunity, and where our government is limited, accountable and transparent.” 

    The interview below has been edited for length and clarity. 

    Q: You lead Pioneer Institute (PI), a Massachusetts-based public policy think tank that concentrates on education, health care and economic opportunity. What is your mission and what role do you play in the broader public policy landscape? 

    Stergios: Pioneer’s mission is to advance innovation across multiple states in education, health care and economic opportunity through best-in-class research, advocacy and legal action.  

    Our education team works in multiple states with the goal of preparing students to be good citizens and economically successful. Our strategic focus is on innovations, especially the expansion of public (charter and vocational-technical) and private school choices, not on fixing broken public systems.  

    Our health care strategy focuses on the life sciences. In the last half century, the U.S. shed 40% of its hospital beds, largely because of the rise in outpatient care made possible by massive medical advances. Our life sciences team works in seven states and Washington, D.C., to promote transparent pricing, fend off price controls and expand adoption of pricing strategies that will make cutting-edge treatments more affordable.  

    On economic opportunity, we run on dual tracks, defending Massachusetts’s economic competitiveness and piloting in several states, for now, a program on the catalytic role of immigrant entrepreneurs in the U.S. economy as a way of building an understanding of capitalism. 


    Q: Over the last 30 years, PI has focused on policies that expand opportunities for all people. Where do you see the biggest opening for making gains in this area?  

    Stergios: In these increasingly politically charged times, organizations must focus on research, partnerships and legal strategies. That’s why we started the Pioneer Public Interest Law Center. Its job is to create precedents that will have immediate and lasting impact. Currently, it is focused on equal treatment for special needs students in private schools, enforcement of state obligations to teach U.S. history and civics, and the defense of immigrant entrepreneurs harmed by unnecessary government regulations. 

    Pioneer has seen significant progress in recent years, in Supreme Court cases like Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, where our amicus brief was cited in Justice Alito’s concurring opinion, and Carson v. Makin. Since these decisions, Pioneer’s research and advocacy on the ground in 10 states assisted local activists in securing legislation expanding choice.  


    Q:  While vocational training in schools has fallen out of favor over the last several years, you have focused on it quite a bit, authoring a book on this issue called “Hands-On Achievement: Massachusetts’s National Model Vocational-Technical Schools.” Why have you focused on this topic? 

    Stergios: Education reformers usually focus on either charter or private school choice. Massachusetts vocational-technical schools are public schools of choice that were ignored for too long. The commonwealth’s 1993 Education Reform Act required vocational-technical students to pass the same tests as their peers in other public schools to earn a diploma. That, along with a system in which students alternate weekly between academic and vocational education, has created a network of schools that outperform the state’s comprehensive high schools, ensure that students graduate with strong work skills and credentials, and have dropout rates a third of the statewide average.  

    That is especially impressive because Massachusetts’s vocational-technical schools educate more special needs and low-income students than other public schools. No state has gotten vocational-technical education right the way Massachusetts has. These graduates have a choice of pursuing further education or entering jobs that offer family-sustaining wages—without college and the debt that often accompanies it. Importantly, expanding stronger vocational programs in other states will address labor shortages in the trades and technology manufacturing and services sectors. 


    Q:  How have your strategic partnerships helped PI expand vocational and technical school efforts outside of Massachusetts?   

    Stergios: Pioneer is partnering widely to extend the impact of our vocational-technical school work. Through our longstanding partnership with the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, we were able to connect with national industry organizations such as SkillsUSA and Advance CTE.  Working through our chambers of commerce, we developed contacts with peers in our target states (Kentucky, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas). Employers we’ve connected with understand the deficiencies in federally funded workforce development programs. Finally, we work with State Policy Network affiliates to disseminate our work nationally. 

    Pioneer also has hosted webinars on “Hands-On Achievement,” garnering over 14,000 views in our target states, California, Florida, New York and Washington. The book generated national print articles in outlets like The Washington Post, The Washington Times, IndustryWeek, Public News Service, radio coverage, media attention in target states and think tank podcasts and articles. Our mini-documentary, “Training Our Future Workforce: Voc-Tech Success,” was watched over 84,000 times. 


    Q:  The recent Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action in higher education will impact students throughout the country. Why is focusing on K-12 education important in creating opportunities for all students?   
     
    Stergios: Our focus remains on K-12. Much of the racial tension generated by affirmative action results from the failure of our monolithic public schools. Affirmative action in higher education admissions is itself a clear indictment of the success of America’s public K-12 schools. If traditional public schools were doing their job, such an “end of pipe” workaround would never have been necessary. This is, in part, why the vocational-technical model is vitally important. We need more K-12 models that bridge achievement gaps.  


    Q:  What are the ongoing challenges or pitfalls for PI and organizations like yours that aim to address expanding opportunity through education? How are you tackling these issues?   
     
    Stergios: I’m very hopeful about education. In 2000, few would have believed that by 2023, district schools in the U.S. would lose 10% of their market share, as measured by enrollment, to charters and private education models. Instead of responding by improving the product, the two national teachers’ unions are doubling down on divisive, self-serving rhetoric.  

    Pioneer is part of a group of organizations supporting change in states where that is possible. Only the threat of even greater losses in market share will force traditional public schools to change direction and focus on providing educational opportunity to all students. 

     For more information about this organization or others providing Pathways to Opportunity, reach out to Philanthropy Roundtable Program Director Erica Haines.  

  • Denisha Allen (Merriweather) on Why Black Minds Matter


    Philanthropy Roundtable recently sat down with Denisha Allen (Merriweather), founder of Black Minds Matter, a “national movement to celebrate Black minds, support excellence and promote the development of high-quality school options for Black students.” Allen, an American Federation for Children senior fellow, is a champion for school choice and a Florida tax-credit scholarship recipient. Through Black Minds Matter, she hopes to help provide access to an excellent education for every Black student. 

    The interview below has been edited for length and clarity.  

    Q: You founded Black Minds Matter, a project of the American Federation for Children Growth Fund (AFC), in 2020, a time when many Americans were seeking to address social injustices in our country. What led you to create this organization and what role does it serve? 

    Allen: I came to AFC after working at the U.S. Department of Education with Secretary DeVos. I worked with the Trump administration for two years, and then came to AFC as a director of Family Engagement. Then, in 2020, I wrote an op-ed in Real Clear Education about my frustrations in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. Our country was in civil unrest, maybe even the whole world was in civil unrest, and people were looking for ways to challenge racism. I wanted to bring attention to areas that would help Black America attain empowerment and excellence in all aspects of life. And, to me, that meant focusing on education. When I looked at the data, I saw that Black students are not reading on grade level or graduating from high school at the same rates as their white and Asian counterparts. I wanted to focus on changing that.  

    Unfortunately, at that moment in the national conversation, there was not a widespread initiative from the Black Lives Matter movement to talk about education and education reform. So, I coined the term Black Minds Matter to highlight that we need to focus on education freedom. We received a tremendous amount of support for what we stood for. And I’m proud that one of our first initiatives was to bring together a network of Black school founders. This was very personal for me because I went to a Black-founded school, and I benefited directly from the school choice movement.   

    Our mission is to nourish Black students with a rich education of their parents’ choice by any means necessary. Our goal is to expand our reach by engaging new audiences. This includes both Republican and Democratic elected officials, HBCU’s and our growing Black Founders Network. We are also committed to expanding our visibility through high quality content that can also be used to generate revenue for our work.  

    Lastly, we want to bring awareness about education freedom to the communities where Black students are most likely to be relegated to poor performing public schools. We have over 430 Black-founded schools in our online directory at www.BlackMindsMatter.net, and 150 Black school founders in our network. We were thrilled to have many of them in attendance at our second annual Black Minds Matter Summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this year.  

    Q: Can you tell us more about your personal connection to the work you are doing? 

    Allen: I went to a private school in Jacksonville, Florida, on scholarship from sixth grade onward. I failed the third grade twice because I couldn’t read. As you can imagine, I had very low self-esteem, and I was lashing out by starting physical fights. My life trajectory was going in the same direction as many of the people in my family who had all dropped out of school. When I switched schools, I went from getting F’s and D’s to getting straight A’s.  When I founded Black Minds Matter, I saw the opportunity to highlight Black-owned schools as a part of that narrative, since school choice had such a transformative impact on my own life. 

    Q: Your website says that nourishing Black minds with a rich education is the first step to breaking generational poverty and societal inequities. What do you mean by societal inequities, and how does education combat this problem? 

    Allen: In America, there’s a class issue and there are a race issues, and sometimes those issues get intermingled and intertwined. But, at the root of both of those conversations is our education system. And the data shows that Black and brown students are performing the worst academically in this country. Just to give you an example, the NWEA just came out with a new study that follows in the same vein as recent NAEP [The Nation’s Report Card] scores. They said students on the whole will need three to four months of additional schooling in order to catch up from recent learning loss.  

    Shockingly, they found Black students will need two additional months to catch up. So, you’re telling me that Black students will need five to six months of additional schooling to make up for learning loss. When the system is pumping out hundreds of thousands of Black students who can’t read or do math into society, they end up in the criminal justice system. We call it the school-to-prison-pipeline. That is a societal inequity. That’s a civil rights issue. Black kids are not able to read. We need to change that. 

    When we look at education in America, we need to ensure that no kid is relegated to poor performing or failing schools because of where they live. Students in poorer neighborhoods are not receiving the same education as students who are going to schools where almost 90% of parents own their homes. We can solve this socio-economic/racial problem if we can create a market where competition is going to create incentives that perform better for students. Education freedom allows parents to choose the best school for their child regardless of school type. I sit on the board for Step Up For Students in Florida – the largest school choice program in the country. In Florida, we’ve seen academic outcomes for students in traditional public schools increase with every expansion of the state’s scholarship program. That’s because everyone is competing for students.  

    Q: Our 2021 Simon-DeVos Prize Winner Bill Oberndorf, chairman of the board of the American Federation for Children, has called access to education the civil rights issue of our time. Do you agree, and if so, why is that the case? 

    Allen: I absolutely do. It is the civil rights issue of our time. One of the goals of Black Minds Matter is to help the public see that school choice and education freedom are a part of the longer struggle for freedom in the United States and have deep historical roots. The conversation has been led by policy folks for so long, which is important. But I really want to make it more approachable and accessible to everyone. When we talk about the history of freedom in America, it is inextricably tied to access to education, from slavery through the Antebellum period all the way up to today. The struggle has always been access to education.  

    One of the ways we are working to showcase the connection between freedom and education is by conducting exhibits that illustrate the extent to which slaves wanted to read. One part of our exhibit showcases findings from archaeologists who found “pit schools” or deep holes in the ground where they also found tablets and pencils for writing. The slaves understood that their freedom was rooted in the ability to read and write, and they risked their lives to try to attain those skills. I always like to say there is freedom of the body and also of the mind, and that has always been the goal of African Americans in this country. They have never been divorced from one another. 

    Q: The recent Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action in higher education could impact students throughout the country. How do you feel about this decision and why? 
     
    Allen: I think it’s going to be very obvious that we need better options for Black students, and this decision makes that clearer. Black kids are not reading on grade level and removing affirmative action in higher education means Black kids will have to perform even better academically to be accepted into colleges and universities.   

    Q: As you look ahead, what are you most excited about for Black Minds Matter? 

    Allen: I’m always very excited about the Black School Founders network. They are amazing, so to be able to support them and champion the work they do for students is very rewarding. Many of them have models that are worthy of replication. We are going to focus on capacity building and finding ways to support them. I’m also very excited to get more involved in states and districts with the worst academic and life outcomes for Black and brown students, and to advocate for better outcomes in the lowest performing districts in the country. For example, I get excited when I think about a city like Baltimore, where reading and math levels are abysmal. The creation of education savings accounts in that city will help students access better choices. Through projects like this, we are going to close the achievement gap.   

    For more information about this organization or others providing Pathways to Opportunity, reach out to Philanthropy Roundtable Program Director Erica Haines.

  • Happy Birthday, America! Why Remembering Our Past is Integral to Our Future


    This year our country celebrates its 247th birthday – commemorating the 13 American colonies’ declaration of independence from Great Britain. The newly formed American republic was based on the idea that all people are created equal with fundamental, inalienable rights that cannot be taken or given away. As we continue to cherish our democracy and the American way of life, it’s worth remembering that its strength depends on our shared understanding of this country’s history and founding principles.  

    Sadly, civics knowledge has been waning for years, with many students unable to understand and explain how our government –and our civic society – actually work. According to a survey released this spring by the National Center for Education Statistics, just 22% of eighth-grade students were graded as “proficient” on a national civics assessment, a two point decline since 2018. It’s no understatement to say this downward trend of knowledge and understanding is dangerous for the health and survival of the American republic. 

    Fortunately, many philanthropists recognize this crisis exists and are dedicated to reversing its decline.  

    In April, Philanthropy Roundtable partnered with the Connelly Foundation and the Daniels Fund to host a National Civics Expo that highlighted 10 nonprofits (five Philadelphia-based, where the expo was located, and five nationally focused) that are doing exceptional work in elevating civics knowledge for students, teachers and parents.  


    Philadelphia-focused nonprofits: 

    The Union League Foundation 

    For 77 years, the Union League Foundation has hosted its Good Citizen Day program, providing an immersive experience in constitutional and civics education for high school students. The day culminates in a celebratory awards banquet, where each student is presented with a personalized Union League Good Citizenship Award. Over 18,000 young men and women have been celebrated and educated. 


    Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge 

    Located in historic Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, the Foundation seeks to preserve American patriotism and civic duty by providing high-quality history and civics opportunities, including seminars, workshops and site visits for students and educators. Students from across the country come to the Foundation to engage in the study of the principles of our Constitution and focus on understanding the U.S. political, social and economic system and the responsibilities of good citizenship. 


    Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Engagement 

    By supporting K-12 teachers and administrators to advance the learning of U.S. history, government and civics, the Rendell Center is restoring the civics mission of schools. The Center’s programs include hands-on, experiential learning activities like its Citizenship Challenge, an essay contest for fourth and fifth graders that provides an opportunity for students to express themselves on a current issue facing our democracy. The organization also offers literature-based mock trials, which combine literacy and civics to provide K-8 students with “the knowledge and disposition of engaged citizens.” 


    National Constitution Center (NCC) 

    Located on Philadelphia’s historic Independence Mall, the NCC brings the Constitution to life for people of all ages, nationalities and perspectives through “its interactive exhibits, rare documents and artifacts, moving theater programs and educational activities.” Last fall, NCC launched Constitution 101, a full online core curriculum for high school students designed “to provide a basic understanding of the Constitution’s text, history, structure and case law.” The Center is currently developing an edition for middle school students. 


    Museum of the American Revolution (MoAR) 

    The newest addition to the history and civics landscape in Philadelphia and the nation, the MoAR opened in 2017 and “owns a collection of several thousand objects including artwork, sculpture, textiles, weapons, manuscripts and rare books.” Operating under the belief that civics education is most effective with a lived experience-centered approach, MoAR focuses on powerful storytelling about “people in predicaments” and developing historical empathy. 


    National organizations scaling and building their programs: 

    Bill of Rights Institute (BRI) 

    With a network of 70,000 history and civics educators, thousands of classroom-ready history and civics resources and annual student and teacher programming, BRI equips students and teachers to “live the ideals of a free and just society.” By 2026, BRI plans to increase its teacher network to 100,000 educators who will “teach 10 million students each year,” and in 2024, will release a “digital resource in civics that emphasizes civil society and constitutionally limited government.” 


    Jack Miller Center (JMC) 

    Partnering with faculty, administrators and donors to change the way college and high school students learn about the history and principles at the heart of American political life, JMC aims to “bring our nation’s history and founding principles back into the minds and hearts of young Americans.” JMC is developing a Civics Consortium master’s degree, which will improve graduate education for civics teachers and strengthen the teaching of America’s founding. 


    American Legion Boys State 

    Founded in 1935 “to counter socialism-inspired Young Pioneer Camps,” Boys State “participants learn their rights, privileges and responsibilities as citizens and participate in legislative sessions, court proceedings, law-enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, choruses and recreational programs.”  Active in each state for over 85 years, the COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted its student engagement, and the American Legion is working to rebuild its reach throughout the country. 


    Institute for Citizens & Scholars 

    Urban and rural areas are the largest civics deserts in the country. With that in mind, the Institute is launching a Civic Innovation Fund to provide early-stage capital to entrepreneurs with big ideas on how to ensure 14- to 18-year-olds in these overlooked regions are civically well-informed. Bringing together innovators from the left, right and center, the Institute is building an ecosystem to develop and test new ideas to increase civic understanding. 


    Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) 

    Established in 2019 as a statewide debate program focused on civics education, the FCDI creates access and opportunities for all students in this arena. Their programming uses “debate specifically as a tool to enrich civics education” and benefits from incredibly strong support from state leaders. The program has grown exponentially over the past three years and is now ready to work with other states to scale beyond Florida. 

    In the words of Thomas Jefferson, one of America’s founding fathers and its third president: “Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. … They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” Indeed, civics education is fundamental to our nation’s future, and as we celebrate Independence Day, Philanthropy Roundtable applauds the organizations working to advance education on this vital topic.  

    For more information on how to help protect and support the American values that strengthen our free society, please reach out to Clarice Smith, program director at Philanthropy Roundtable.  

  • Nonprofits Transforming Civics Education Worth Celebrating on Presidents Day

    Presidents Day was originally a commemoration of George Washington’s birthday. He considered civic virtue to be essential, saying in his famous Farewell Address, “Virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government,” and to Marquis Lafayette that the government “can never be in danger of degenerating into a monarchy, an oligarchy, an aristocracy, or any other despotic or oppressive form; so long as there shall remain any virtue in the body of the people.”  

    This Presidents Day, Philanthropy Roundtable is celebrating by highlighting donors and organizations that are championing civics education that inform citizens, protect democracy and create a safe, enduring society. 

    Equipping Teachers: While schools traditionally incorporate civics education as part of their curriculum, many teachers lack opportunities to gain expertise in civics content or ideas for how to best engage their students with it. Here are two initiatives that are working to fill this gap. 

    • American Civics and History Initiative (ACHI), is an ambitious initiative by three major civic education organizations: the Bill of Rights Institute (BRI), the Jack Miller Center (JMC), and the Ashbrook Center. ACHI’s purpose is to reach 680,000 students by training 6,800 teachers in Florida over the next two years. ACHI’s trainings are designed to “empower educators through rich, content-based programs and resources” they can use in the classroom. ACHI would not be possible without the involvement of the Jack Miller Family Foundation, which is funded by Florida-based philanthropist Jack Miller. Miller brought together BRI, JMC and Ashbrook, and now is facilitating ACHI not just by writing checks, but by acting as a partner in the initiative, along with the Marcus Foundation, funded by philanthropist Bernie Marcus. 

      Learn more in the Roundtable’s interview with ACHI’s funders and grantees. 
    • Georgia Center for Civics Engagement (GCCE), “has been working to help fill gaps in civics education among the state’s young people through programs that promote self-esteem, leadership skills and a sense of responsibility for oneself and the greater community.” First, GCCE uses a train-the-trainer approach in providing quality professional development and curricular resources that are aligned with the state educational standards to enhance quality instruction. Secondly, they provide students with opportunities to participate in simulated governmental proceedings like mock elections, model United Nations and legislative meetings. The success and popularity of GCCE’s programs has inspired other states, including Kansas and Arkansas, to replicate GCCE’s model. 

      Learn more about GCCE by reading the Roundtable’s interview with GCCE’s CEO, Dr. Randell Trammell. 

    Student Opportunities: While acquiring civic knowledge is essential, students also need engaging ways to apply their knowledge to the real world. These donors and organizations are partnering to provide students with these experiences:  

    • The National Civics Bee is an annual competition that encourages young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. Supported by the Daniels Fund and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Civics Bee challenges middle school students to apply their civics knowledge for a chance to win recognition and prizes provided by the local community. The goal is to awaken the possibility that civics engagement can make this country a better place. Instead of being organized by schools, civics bees live at local chambers of commerce who encourage the entire community to get involved in this important effort. 

      Learn more from Daniel’s Fund President and CEO Hanna Skandera on how civics bees can help today’s students get excited about our nation’s history. 
    • JA BizTown, a Junior Achievement USA program (JA USA), blends teacher-led sessions with experiential learning. The fourth through sixth grade students prepare for their JA BizTown experience by participating in a series of classroom lessons where they learn about financial literacy, community and economy, work readiness and business management, all through a civics lens. Each student selects a career, creates a business plan, develops a marketing campaign and elects a mayor. The students then take their newly acquired skills to JA BizTown. At the “town,” which consists of a variety of businesses, a municipal building, a radio station and banks, the students get hands-on experience as employees and consumers by paying rent, buying insurance, depositing paychecks and more. Due to the encouragement of longtime supporter The Marcus Foundation, JA USA added content to their program to increase the civics knowledge and experience for those who participate in JA BizTown programming.  

      You can learn more about JA BizTown and their partnership with The Marcus Foundation here. 

    Building a Healthy Civic Culture: Civic knowledge and skills obtained in the classroom are important, but all citizens also need to be equipped with a mindset to constructively engage with those with whom they disagree. Here are organizations and initiatives focused on this uniting effort. 

    • Braver Angels seeks to unite America by bridging the divide among liberals, conservatives and others by helping these groups understand each other as fellow citizens, beyond the stereotypes. To reduce the “vitriol that poisons our civic culture,” Braver Angels hosts workshops, debates, campus engagement and other positive activities at the grassroots level to form community alliances. The Sumners Foundation is a key supporter of the Braver Angels work in Texas.  

      Read more about Braver Angels and their depolarization efforts here. 
    • Constitution Drafting Project, created by the National Constitution Center with support from philanthropist Jeff Yass, brought together three teams of leading constitutional scholars in 2020: team libertarian, team progressive and team conservative, to draft and present their ideal constitutions, according to their website. The National Constitution Center later reconvened the teams for a virtual constitutional convention to draft and propose a series of amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The result was five new amendments adopted by representatives from all three teams. The project demonstrates how those of opposing viewpoints can civilly disagree as well as work together to find points of consensus. 

      You can watch the Roundtable’s interview with Jeff Yass, NCC president Jefferey Rosen and the leaders of the respective drafting teams. 

    Philanthropy Roundtable believes a robust civics education is essential to promoting and preserving good citizenship, which is crucial for the health and future of our nation. In 1776, future President John Adams warned of the importance of enduring virtue in a letter to his cousin, Zabdiel Adams: 

    “The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our people, in a greater measure than they have it now, they may change their rulers, and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty. They will only exchange tyrants and tyrannies.”