**We the People Forum on American History, Civics, and Service\
**

The USA Freedom Corps, as part of its mission to promote a culture of
service, citizenship and responsibility in America's communities, has
worked with federal agencies to find ways government can support the
teaching of American history and our democratic traditions. Today's "We
the People" forum is part of that effort.

-   On September 17, 2002, the 215^th^ anniversary of the signing of the
    U.S. Constitution, President George W. Bush announced new government
    efforts to improve the teaching of American history and civics and
    make national treasures more accessible to teachers and students --
    including a "We the People" Forum on American History, Civics, and
    Service. At the forum, members of his Administration announced the
    National Endowment for the Humanities will ask Congress to provide
    \$100 million over the next three years to support this effort, and
    the Department of Education is accepting applications for nearly
    \$100 million in competitive grants this year to raise student
    achievement by improving teachers' knowledge of American history.

## Background on Today's We the People Forum

-   Today's forum, co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Education,
    Corporation for National and Community Service, and National
    Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) with the USA Freedom Corps, also
    included the inaugural NEH "Heroes of History" lecture and the
    presentation of the first "Idea of America" medals to outstanding
    high school students.

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-   Historians, educators, college and university professors, education
    policy experts, school administrators, and state policy makers
    assembled at the National Museum of American History in Washington,
    D.C. President Bush addressed the forum by video, and other featured
    speakers included [Mrs. Laura Bush]{.underline}, [Mrs. Lynne
    Cheney]{.underline}, and [historians Robert Remini and David
    McCullough]{.underline}. The forum also included panel discussions
    on the state of cultural and historical literacy, and promising
    practices for promoting American history, civics, and service in
    schools and through cultural institutions. Forum participants also
    watched students demonstrate well-regarded learning methods.

# 

# The Need for Better Instruction in History and Civics

America's second president, John Adams, said "Liberty cannot be
preserved without a general knowledge among the people." Unfortunately,
data on the historical and civic knowledge of America's students tells
us that too few of our students are learning those lessons well.

-   The U.S. Department of Education's National Assessment of Education
    Progress (NAEP), which tracks both Civics and American History
    understanding among K-12 students, shows less than one quarter of
    America's students are proficient in either subject.

-   According to an Albert Shanker Institute study, 48 states have
    standards for learning in American history and civics, but only 12
    states have standards that include the depth and breadth of the
    history of democracy students ought to learn.

# Training Educators to Teach History and Civics

-   In September 2002, President Bush announced the NEH would administer
    a new "We the People" initiative to enhance the teaching, study, and
    understanding of American history and civics, and today his
    Administration announced that it would seek [\$100 million over the
    next three years]{.underline}, beginning with the \$25 million
    installment President Bush requested as part of his fiscal year 2004
    budget.

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-   The NEH will use a significant portion of that funding to support
    teacher training and instruction to improve student knowledge and
    understanding of American history, including the following new
    resources to improve instruction:

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-   The NEH is expanding its [seminars and institutes]{.underline}
    program to provide teachers with additional opportunities to study
    significant texts on American history under the guidance of
    distinguished scholars and educators in the field.

-   To support the development of model curriculum projects to help
    schools establish or improve course offerings in American history,
    culture, and civics, the NEH is launching a [new grant
    competition]{.underline} as part of "We the People."

-   The NEH is also supporting new grants for intensive [two-week
    residential academies for school principals and
    teachers]{.underline} centered on American history, culture, and
    institutions. Universities and other educational organizations will
    compete to sponsor and host these academies in 2004.

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-   The Education Department announced the [start of its latest annual
    grant competition to support enhanced instruction in American
    history with nearly \$100 million]{.underline}. "Teaching American
    History" grants will support elementary and secondary schools
    working to improve the quality of history instruction through
    innovative professional development programs carried out in
    partnerships with colleges and universities, humanities and
    nonprofit organizations, museums, and libraries.

# National Treasures in Communities and Classrooms

In September, President Bush noted the federal government "conserves and
protects some of our greatest national treasures, and we need to make
them more readily available to Americans in their schools and local
communities." That day he announced "Our Documents," an initiative to
share the resources of the National Archives and Records Administration
with teachers and students. Since then, almost 100 educators have
requested copies of the materials [each day]{.underline}. In addition to
those resources:

-   A pilot project at the NEH called "[Landmarks of American
    History]{.underline}" will support summer enrichment programs for
    teachers at important historical sites across the nation, such as
    presidential homes, battlefields, and archaeological sites.

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-   A number of federal agencies are already having great success
    helping teachers, such as:

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-   The [Library of Congress]{.underline} American Memory program, which
    makes nearly eight million original documents from American history
    available online, as well as new oral histories of our veterans.

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-   The [National Park Service]{.underline}, which offers students ways
    to learn about national treasures such as Mesa Verde, Jamestown,
    Thomas Edison's laboratory, the Statue of Liberty, and the Kitty
    Hawk.

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-   The [National Museum of American History]{.underline}, where today's
    forum took place, which offers educational resources online that
    give teachers and students virtual access to its exhibitions.

# 

# Resources for Teaching History, Civics, and Service

-   The Education Department announced today it is developing a new
    video series for schools across the country that will teach students
    the origins and significance of our national holidays.

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-   The Learn and Serve America program at the Corporation for National
    and Community Service has received dozens of applications for a new
    set of competitive grants dedicated to supporting schools,
    community-based organizations, and colleges that are developing and
    implementing curricula that link student service with the study of
    history and civics.

-   Students across the country will be able to participate in a new
    "National History Bee" to be sponsored by the NEH, including
    statewide competitions, followed by a national championship.

# Honoring Excellence

As part of "We the People," the NEH is already working to recognize
excellence among historians and students.

-   At the forum, Robert Remini, the author of a three-volume biography
    of President Andrew Jackson and of biographies of Henry Clay and
    Daniel Webster, and a dozen other books on Jacksonian America,
    delivered the NEH's inaugural "Heroes of History" lecture.

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-   Mrs. Bush recognized the first six winners of the "Idea of America"
    high school essay contest, a new annual competition sponsored by the
    NEH.