When did your organization launch and why?
This year marks the first-ever national Civic Learning Week, building on the success of state efforts in Massachusetts in 2021, and the regional efforts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York City in 2022.
What does your organization do? What are its main goals? Main projects?
Civic Learning Week seeks to highlight the importance of civic education in sustaining and strengthening constitutional democracy in the United States.
By highlighting the civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions that provide the foundation for an informed and engaged populace, Civic Learning Week seeks to further energize the movement to prioritize civic education across the nation.
What makes your organization stand out? What would you say is the most unique thing about your organization?
To date, 88 organizations have signed on as Champions of Civic Learning Week, with 38 partner organizations holding events across the country, and 20 states officially endorsing the week.
What are recent projects or new resources that your organization would like to share with other NAMLE members?
The week will be marked by a half-day opening forum on March 7 at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Students, parents, and educators as the primary stakeholders of civic education will be joined by leaders in political science, technology, and research to discuss the importance of civic education from multiple perspectives. The RAND Corporation also will unveil a significant piece of research about the infrastructure for K–5 social studies, noting gaps in civic education and areas for improvement.
What are the connections between the work of your organization and media literacy?
Information and media literacy are integral to civic learning. Following are just two of the events scheduled for the week that focus specifically on media literacy (check out the events page for more):
March 5 @ 4:00-6:00 pm ET | Virtual
Decoding Democracy: Media Literacy for Civic Readiness
Available On-Demand
Friends of the Facts (recorded series about media literacy)
Why is media literacy important to your organization?
Information and media literacy are essential skills for informed and engaged members of a self-governing society.
Anything else you want our readers to know about your organization, your mission, or your staff?
Civic Learning Week is co-sponsored by the Farvue Foundation, iCivics, Microsoft, the National Archives Foundation, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the SN Charitable Foundation. Its goal is to mobilize policymakers, educators, and community members in a growing movement to make high-quality civic education accessible to each and every K–12 student.
The views and opinions expressed in the Organizational Spotlight blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NAMLE or its members. The purpose of the Organizational Spotlight blog is to highlight our Organizational Partners and give them a place to share their reflections, opinions, and ideas.