Introduction

At this National Conference on Citizenship, I can't help but think how citizenship is directly linked to education. In my role at the U.S. Department of Education and as a first generation Iranian American and new mom, education is something that is always on my mind. Possibly one of the most important functions of education is to create productive, competent citizens who can make valuable contributions to their local communities, country, and even the world at large.

Margaret Mead, the American anthropologist, writer, and teacher, phrased this idea best when she said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

These words have special meaning now, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and after the four-year anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks on our country, when committed citizens are changing the landscape of disaster.

"Teachable Moments" Result from Disaster

After Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast region, people across the nation donated time, energy, food, clothing, and supplies to Gulf Coast residents displaced by the storm. Here in Washington, D.C., there was such an outpouring of support for Katrina victims that the D.C. National Guard Armory recently reached capacity with donations. And last week, on the fourth anniversary of September 11th, nearly 2,000 Muslim leaders from around the country came together to assist hurricane victims at Houston's downtown convention center.

In the aftermath of one of the worst natural disasters this country has experienced, our children can learn important lessons about what it means to be good citizens. Our children can see diverse people joining to help the less fortunate. Many of our children's schools are organizing book drives, fundraising events, and are taking in Gulf Coast students who no longer have schools of their own.

Even the terrorist attacks of September 11th have provided students with valuable civics lessons. The attacks showed students that involvement in government, politics, and volunteerism matter. According to new data, Americans who were in their adolescence during the 2001 attacks are now more involved in public affairs than previous generations. For example, voting rates increased by 23 percent among 18- to 24-year-olds in the national elections of 2002 and 2004, a growth rate 2 to 12 times faster than that of other age groups during those years. College freshmen are increasingly talking about politics, and 82 percent of high school seniors volunteered in 2004, an increase of 14 percent from 1986.

The Importance of American History and Civics

As this country's youth is becoming more civic-minded, we need to provide high-quality opportunities for them to participate in civics education and learn about American history. The President recognizes that students need to be proficient in all core subjects: English, math, science, and history. According to the most recent results from the history portion of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, between 1994 and 2001, the average scores of fourth and eighth graders increased, and the achievement gap between white and minority students noticeably narrowed. Despite these positive figures, the Nation's Report Card also shows that too many public school students are still struggling to master history. Fifty-seven percent of high school seniors scored below basic on the U.S. History exam, meaning that over one-half of the students could not identify significant people, places, and events in American history.

Civics Programming from the U.S. Department of Education

That's why the President has invested in programs to bolster students' grasp of history and civics. The Teaching American History program from the Office of Innovation and Improvement at the U.S. Department of Education focuses on traditional American history. Students learn about major national events from the past, and are introduced to the Founding Fathers and the ideals they used to shape the nation. The President has invested millions of dollars each year in this program since its inception, and we are preparing to announce the winners of this year's competition, which will go to 129 entities throughout the country. In fact, today we have at least one Teaching American History grantee in every state.

I am also happy to announce a new program from my office called the Presidential Academies for American History and Civics Education, which was spearheaded by Senator Lamar Alexander. Through this program, colleges, universities, libraries, museums, state and local education agencies, and other organizations with expertise in historical methodology or teaching can offer summer professional development seminars, or "academies," to both veteran and new teachers of American history and civics. Teachers strengthen their knowledge in these subjects, learn new instructional approaches, and as a result, boost student achievement. We recently announced the winners of the FY 2005 competition. In the next year, we hope to announce the companion piece—a competition for Congressional Academies for American History and Civics Education, which will consist of summer academies for students.

And thanks to Senator Robert Byrd, who has been known to carry a copy of the Constitution in his pocket, we now celebrate Constitution and Citizenship Day in every school across the country. Tomorrow, the U.S. Department of Education will be observing Constitution Day with teachers and scholars, and in celebration of everything American, we're even serving apple pie!

Now, although I am partial to the programs in my office, the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools at the U.S. Department of Education offers strong civic education programs. For example, the "We The People" program promotes civic competence for elementary and secondary school students through activities that complement a school's regular curriculum. Students participate in critical thinking and problem solving exercises where they discover the relevance of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in today's society.

Additionally, there is the Cooperative Civic Education and Economic Education program, which is designed to bring civic education to eligible developing countries, such as those in Central Europe. This program allows participants to create and implement civics, government, and economic education programs that draw from the experiences of their particular countries.

From the Field

Recently, I've been impressed and heartened by many of our grantees, some of whom are determined to teach despite the challenges imposed on them by Hurricane Katrina. Here, committed citizens are changing the landscape of education.

Ann Trappey, Director of the Louisiana Teaching American History program in Amite, Louisiana, wrote to the Department: "Tangipahoa Parish was destroyed. There are so many areas that do not have electricity, water, and phone service. We are expecting over 3,000 evacuated children to enroll in our schools. They will need all our support and compassion."

Ann leads a successful Teaching American History program for elementary through high school teachers from 14 local education agencies. Her program aims to increase teachers' understanding of traditional American history and their appreciation for Louisiana's role in it. By partnering with organizations like the Louisiana Office of Culture, the Louisiana State Museum, and Southeastern Louisiana University, the program provides professional development, weekend workshops, and graduate-level courses for participants. And, according to the teachers, their involvement in the program is paying off. Ninety-four percent of teachers reported that the program has better enabled them to meet the needs of diverse student populations and has resulted in improved student achievement.

And moving east to Georgia, a state not as weather-beaten but just as committed to its students' performance, teachers are not simply teaching history—they're visiting and learning in the places where history was made. This summer, through its Teaching American History grant, Savannah-Chatham County sponsored a "Venues of Freedom" institute where 25 teachers traveled to Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. In preparation for the institute, teachers read biographies of significant Americans, wrote analytical essays based on their reading, and heard historians and biographers speak.

The travel program began because most county teachers had never visited the historic sites that they teach their students about. In Boston, teachers attended a Paul Revere lecture at the Massachusetts Historical Society and ate traditional Colonial and Native American food. In Pennsylvania they toured the Gettysburg National Cemetery and the battlefield. Here in DC, teachers visited Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home; got a "behind-the-scenes" tour of the presidential exhibit at the National Museum of American History; and learned how to integrate primary source documents into their lessons at the National Archives. Thanks to this program, teachers can better instruct their students because they have stood in the places where great leaders spoke, fought battles, and defended our freedom.

Over 97 percent of the teachers who participated in the Teaching American History project agreed - reporting in surveys that their students' performance would be enhanced because of something they learned in the program.

In order for us to learn more about our Teaching American History grantees and enable other locations across the country to replicate their success, our grant competition includes priorities for evaluations using experimental or quasi-experimental designs. In this way, we examine students who have participated in Teaching American History projects and compare their achievement results to students who have not participated. We also look at teachers and whole classrooms to determine the real benefits of the program.

In the next few weeks, the Policy and Program Studies Service will release its evaluation of the Teaching American History program, which looks at the program's participants, services, quality, and effectiveness; and we are optimistic about its results.

Closing

Initiatives like We the People, the Cooperative Civic Education and Economic Education program, the Presidential Academies, and the Teaching American History program help to ensure that American students understand their country's past and are poised to contribute to its future. If it is true that one of the main goals of education is to produce responsible citizens, then we must help our children see that they live on a timeline that extends far back into the past. Decisions they make today have probably been made by others before them, and will probably be made again by others in the future. They must understand that all things have consequences, from the winds and rain of a hurricane to the decisions of radical extremists on an airplane. They must also know that like Ann Trappey in Louisiana and all of the other educators around the country, we will never cease in our quest to help them learn.