Minnesota Civic Education Coalition
The Civics Education Coalition will create opportunities for students, enrich teacher capacity to engage students, and build state-wide networks. Work will include an interactive website, online youth summit, youth conference, new lessons for educators, teacher institutes, and expansion of the statewide Civic Education Network and its activities.
Civics Education. $250,000 the first year and $250,000 the second year are for a competitive Arts and Cultural Heritage Grants Program-Civics Education. The commissioner shall award grants to entities that conduct civics education programs for the civic and cultural development of Minnesota youth.
1. Students will increase their knowledge of Minnesota issues, ability to engage in conversation about controversial topics, and civic participation skills in voting and public problem solving. They will also grow in broader skills for democracy: sense of efficacy, respect for diversity, community engagement. The technology priority will increase access for all, particularly students in underserved communities.
2. Teachers will increase their knowledge and improve their skills for instruction and engagement of their students (especially alternative learning youth). The new lessons and "flipped" classroom resources will add interactive curriculum materials.
3. The Civic Education Network will actively support improved civic education delivery and impact especially in under-represented communities. Using program evaluation results and the digitized civic education climate assessment, the Civic Education Network will mobilize community interest and commitment to improved civic education.
- Project Citizen held May 3, 2013 for 160 students + 22 additional remotely. 60 were students of color. 125 additional students participated from Roseville HS.
- Youth Conference on State Issues conducted for 109 - 86 high school students, 14 college students and 9 adult advisors.
- 8 Flipped materials available on teachingcivics.org. 5 MN Lessons: Lessons drafted; reviewed and revised. Middle and High School lessons on Juvenile Justice in MN presented to 27 teachers at the MCSS conference in March, 2013.
- Civic Education Videos: 3 topics identified and planned. Topics include Voting Age, Legislative Process and Juvenile Justice. Videos will be completed in 2014.
- Middle School Development Institute designed and held June 25. Middle School Civics Lit project and Juvenile Justice presented to 25 participants. MN juvenile justice system presented Aug. 1 for 22 teachers. Update Workshop, Aug. 6-8 for 27 high school teachers with 15 judges. 20 Middle School civics lessons highlighted at June 25 conference. All materials online at LLAD website.
- Civic Ed Climate Assessment revised to integrate new civics and gov't standards and posted on teachingcivics.org. Digitization completed.
- Convene 3 meetings of statewide network : Expanded list to 39 people/orgs. Meeting 1 conducted July 25. Attended by 16. Meeting 2 held Sept. 25. Attended by 10. Meeting 3: Delayed.
- New “KV MN Network” established in response to the absence of state-wide affiliate - much new enthusiasm.
- KV Mpls implemented new program on ranked choice voting in 7 schools with training materials and lesson plans for students. 130 high school students, Mostly Hmong, Somali, Latino and African-American trained.
- Communities across the state received KV election curriculum.
- Website tech evaluated - Ipsity and Nina Hale were consulted on website project for KV. Progress was disrupted by changes that took place with KV USA as well as content provided to us by KV MN need consideration.
Jon Bacal; Connie Bernardy; Valerie Dosland; Jack Ellis; Tara Erickson; Anders Folk; Anika Hagenson; JillHalbrooks; JamesHaggar; Scott Hauch; Kristina Hufnagle; Jo Ling Kent; Michele Massimino; Monte Mills; Pat Murphy; Dominic Papatola; Scott Peterson; MaleaStenzel Gilligan; Nick Thompson; Deborah Yungner