CHICAGO — In 2019, Illinois passed a law requiring at least one semester of civics education for public school 6th-8th grade students. However, a 2023 report by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement found most schools do not have adequate resources like additional teacher support, equitable access to civic training, community connection and family engagement to support this effort.

To address these gaps, DePaul University’s Office of Innovative Professional Learning in the College of Education is partnering with the Barat Education Foundation to create the Center for Middle School Civic Leadership. With the support of a $720,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the center will use structured, evidence-based programming to serve as a civic learning and leadership initiative for middle school students in grades 5–8 in underserved communities across Cook County, Illinois.

“It’s important to teach civics from an early age to prepare students to be a responsible citizen who understands civic action and participates in the things that our democracy asks of us,” said Donna Kiel, a former K-12 principal and current instructional assistant professor in the College of Education who will oversee the center.

Faculty in the center will engage students in several different ways such as summer camps, afterschool programs and by contributing to curricula already being taught in schools. DePaul faculty will curate curriculum for each grade level, advancing in difficulty each year.

“We’ve found middle schoolers really are at the point of maturity where they are beginning to understand U.S. history, current events and civics. They are becoming passionate about civic action areas that interest them. Nurturing their interests and preparing them to become civically engaged citizens only benefits us all,” Kiel said.

The initial funding will support a Cook County pilot, which is expected to begin in October. The goal is to expand into a statewide resource and national model for integrating civic learning with leadership development in middle school settings, Kiel says.

"Civics education is essential to creating informed, intelligent citizens and voters,” said Jennifer Mueller, a former K-12 teacher and current dean of DePaul’s College of Education. “It’s ideal to get a head start educating our middle school children about the society in which they live, the rights they hold and the history of those who fought for those rights. The College of Education is grateful to the U.S. Department of Education for the generous grant that will help us in this important academic mission.”

Preparing middle schoolers for civic leadership

The Center for Middle School Civic Leadership will integrate two proven, complementary programs into a single, coherent model for preparing students to be engaged, civic citizens, Kiel said. The first is the Barat Education Foundation’s Our American Voice civic learning and community engagement curriculum. The second is DePaul’s Future Leader Microcredential Program, “Inspire and Impact.”

The goal is for students to identify community issues that matter to them, engage in civic inquiry, design and carry out informed action, and finally, develop and demonstrate leadership competencies.

Kiel aims to create a pipeline where middle school students complete the program and return as high school and college students to serve as teachers, leaders and mentors.

“We want students to see that they have voice and choice, meaning that they can use their voice and leverage it in a way that’s productive and engaging. We want students to see that there are ways they can make a difference in their community by knowing the processes and doing the work,” said Kiel.

DePaul College of Education students will also participate in the center’s work in Cook County schools. Kiel notes that the center will have graduate assistants in leadership roles and create opportunities for graduate students to engage with middle school students.

“Civic education is a key component to ensuring social justice. As a university who’s committed to social justice, it’s exciting that DePaul and its faculty, staff and students get to help educate the next generation of civic leaders,” said Kiel.

###

Source:
Donna Kiel
dkiel@depaul.edu

Media Contact:
Russell Dorn
rdorn@depaul.edu