The North Carolina Civic Education Consortium
The North Carolina Civic Education Consortium, a program of the School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill, is a non-partisan, statewide partnership of 200+ organizations and individuals formed in 1997, with the support of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, to revitalize civic education for young North Carolinians. We unite diverse partners to revitalize civic education and foster engagement of young people.
Goals
- Promote effective resources and best practices for teaching and learning civic engagement.
- Engage all segments of the community as partners in an inclusive approach for civic education.
- Build public awareness of and support for civic education.
- Be an effective organization and secure diverse resources to fulfill and sustain our mission.
Achievements
Small Grants : Since 1999 the CEC has distributed seven rounds of small grants ($1,000-$10,000 per grant) totaling $347,000 to 59 different school and community-based programs, involving more than 360,000 young people and reaching all regions of the state. Funding: Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.
Civic Index : In May 2003, the CEC released the nation’s first statewide Civic Index, which included adult and youth surveys of civic attitudes, behaviors, knowledge, skills, and opportunities. The Index was designed by one of our work groups, which drew many measures from several national studies, including a national youth survey funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Funding: Carnegie Corporation of New York, Smith Richardson Foundation, and Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.
Civic Index Community Forums : From Fall 2003 to Spring 2005, the Consortium hosted forums in nine areas around the state to discuss Civic Index findings and what they mean for various communities. Diverse planning teams in each community played a key role in shaping these forums. More than 600 participants at the nine sites have identified priority civic education strategies for their communities. Funding: Carnegie Corporation of New York and community support.
Pilot Work on Best Practices : A new 2004 grant allows the Consortium to partner with several groups, including two local school systems, to develop new resources related to best practices, including work in Duplin County Schools related to assessment and accountability for civic education, as well as work in Charlotte/ Mecklenburg to develop teacher resources related to current events. The latter will be made available statewide through a CD-ROM. Funding: The Civic Mission of Schools Campaign (Knight Foundation).
DPI Guidebook Update : The Consortium provided extensive materials for a Department of Public Instruction guidebook for middle and high schools related to 2003 civic education legislation. The guidebook will be a supplement to the 2002 Character Education Guidebook and will provide materials on best practices related to student service, service-learning, current events, and student voice (student councils, school newspapers, etc.).
Contact Information:
Debra Henzey, Executive Director
Phone: (919) 962.8273
E-mail: henzey@iogmail.iog.unc.edu
Website: www.civics.org