Service-Learning Coalition

Join the Service-Learning Coalition!

Recent events in the United States reinforce the importance of greater participation by young people in our nation’s civic life.  With remarkable synchronicity, the final report of the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service was published simultaneously with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. After two years of study, the bi-partisan Commission recommends a dramatic increase in service-learning opportunities for K-12 and Higher Education students, giving young people the problem-solving and academic achievement skills they will need to be successful in school, work, and life.  In the Commission’s vision, every American will be exposed to service opportunities throughout their lifetime, beginning with young people experiencing robust civic education and service-learning during elementary, middle, and high school.  

 

Indeed, the Commission set out to explore recommendations for adult service, but in their national listening sessions, the Commission heard again and again about the dire need for civic education and service-learning beginning in childhood. They include robust recommendations to support youth participation in meaningful and thoughtfully organized service facilitated by schools, community groups, and colleges. The Commission proposes that $200 M be administered by the US Department of Education for civic education, to train educators and develop curriculum. The Commission proposes a $250 M Service-Learning Fund that would be administered by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service, to train educators and support summer and school year service-learning programs, organized locally.

 

More information about the Service Learning Fund is here.  Please also see this brief video clip about the Service Learning Fund from a webinar presentation by Dr. Jill Rough, Director of Research at the Commission.  

 

A coalition of education and youth development advocates is organizing an effort to support the implementation of specific recommendations for service-learning in the Commission Report, with the following strategies:

 

• Work with Appropriations subcommittees in the House and Senate to secure FY21 funding for service-learning, as currently authorized by the bi-partisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act;

• Work with current Members of Congress to introduce or co-sponsor new authorizing legislation from the Report to establish the Service Learning Fund;

• Reach out to the presidential and congressional campaigns and seek focused speeches and policy proposals supporting the Commission’s recommendations;

• Work with the new Congress and Administration in January 2021 to introduce and pass both the authorization and appropriations for the Service Learning Fund  in the first 100 days, with amendments that also include after-school programming and significantly increased formula funds for SEAs and LEAs.

 

You can participate in the Coalition in many ways. Please sign up here  (participating in coalition strategy calls; direct outreach to Members they have relationships with; staff time commitment if they have government relations staff; grassroots mobilization of their chapters/affiliates located in target districts; wider grassroots mobilization through websites, e-mails, social media, etc. ). 

Your participation can include any or all of the following:

• Endorse the Service Learning Fund proposal and sign on to statements or letters of support from this coalition
• Participate in monthly coalition strategy calls
• Speak to Congressional representatives and/or congressional campaigns and their staffs about the legislation
• Commit staff time of your government relations staff
• Conduct targeted outreach to members/chapters/affiliates located in target congressional districts
• Share opportunities for grassroots advocacy through your website, e-mails, social media, etc.