The Koret Foundation has announced the launch of a three-year, $3.25 million civic-learning initiative aimed at improving the quality of civic education in California and beyond. 

To that end, the initiative will include professional learning support for teachers as well as digital and media literacy programming for students. Recipients include iCivics, which will offer high-impact professional learning for California teachers via a train-the-trainer program; the Commonwealth Club of California, which will use the grant to expand its Creating Citizens initiative to include more educator resources, student field trips, intergenerational programming, and a youth advisory committee to incorporate student insight into the planning of events and academic experiences; and Common Sense Media, which will pilot new content aimed at helping students build their digital literacy skills in Bay Area schools and develop a distribution strategy to reach students nationwide.

“We are seeing the impact of a generation of neglect of solid civic learning in our K-12 education system, failing to adequately equip our students who represent the future citizens and leaders of American democracy,” said Koret Foundation president Michael Boskin. “These initiatives will equip teachers and inspire students to learn about and engage with our democracy. A new generation educated on the fundamentals of our government is the strongest way to ensure democracy for decades to come.” 

(Photo Credit: Getty Images/Kara Gebhardt)