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2008 ANNUAL REPORT

CENTER FOR CIVIC EDUCATION

C O N T E N T S

2 History

4 Goals

5 National Programs

11 International Programs

18 Conferences, Workshops, and Professional Development

21 Research and Evaluation

24 Publications and Resources

28 Financial Highlights

34 National Advisory Committee and Board of Directors

36 Supporting Organizations

2008 ANNUAL REPORT

CENTER FOR CIVIC EDUCATION

M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T

The mission of the Center for Civic Education is to promote

an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to

democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice

of democracy in the United States and other countries.

T H O M A S J E F F E R S O N

“I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers

of the society but the people themselves, and if we think

them not enlightened enough to exercise their control

with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take

it from them but to inform their discretion.”

3 A N N U A L R E P O R TC E N T E R F O R C I V I C E D U C A T I O N

A H I S T O R Y O F T H E C E N T E R F O R C I V I C E D U C A T I O N

The Center for Civic Education, based in Los Angeles, California, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organiza-

tion. The Center has its roots in the interdisciplinary Committee on Civic Education formed at the University of

California, Los Angeles, in 1964. The Committee was established to develop curricular programs for pre-collegiate

civic education, to train teachers, to implement programs nationwide, to evaluate programs, and to conduct

research on political socialization. It consisted of faculty from the departments of philosophy, political science,

sociology, psychology, the law school, and the school of education. Charles Quigley, who became the Committee’s

executive director in 1968, is the Center’s executive director.

In 1969, the State Bar of California approached the Committee to develop a statewide civic education

program. This curricular effort, called the Law in a Free Society project, focused on basic concepts of politics and

government, such as justice, authority, privacy, responsibility, freedom, diversity, property, and participation.

The project, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, was designed to serve students in kinder-

garten through the twelfth grade. In 1981, the Center became an independent nonprofit organization, although

it remains affiliated with the State Bar.

In 1987, the Center launched its most ambitious program, the We the People… National Bicentennial

Competition on the Constitution and Bill of Rights, now known as We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Education for Democracy Act approved

by the United States Congress.

The Center developed the National Standards for Civics and Government in 1994 with support from the U.S.

Department of Education and The Pew Charitable Trusts. This accomplishment was followed by the Center’s promi-

nent role in the development of the civics framework for the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress.

The Center’s international activities were greatly enhanced in 1995 when it launched Civitas: An International

Civic Education Exchange Program funded by the U.S. Department of Education and conducted with the

assistance of the United States Information Agency.

In 1996, the Center initiated a new middle school civic education program titled We the People: Project Citizen

with the assistance of the National Conference of State Legislatures. In February 1998, the Campaign to Promote

Civic Education was established to reaffirm the civic mission of our nation’s schools and to encourage state and

local education requirements for civics and government. The campaign focuses on giving civic education

systematic attention in the K–12 curricula.

The Center created the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program in May 1999 with the goal

of showing how the teaching of civics can prevent the formation of attitudes conducive to violent behavior.

The program incorporates high-quality curricular materials and professional development resources from

the Center’s Foundations of Democracy text, and the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution and

We the People: Project Citizen programs.

In 2002, the U.S. Congress reauthorized the Center’s domestic and international programs in the No Child

Left Behind Act, and the Center held its first annual scholars’ conference. The international program was expanded

through funds from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. In 2003,

the Center received funding for its Representative Democracy in America program, conducted cooperatively with

the Center on Congress at Indiana University and the Trust for Representative Democracy of the National

Conference of State Legislatures.

In July 2007, more than 250 young people from thirty-one countries gathered in Washington, D.C., for the

International Project Citizen Showcase. The event was the culmination of months of work by students to create

public policy proposals addressing problems in their local communities.

In May 2008, educators representing more than sixty-five countries and thirty U.S. states gathered in Morocco

for the Twelfth Annual World Congress on Civic Education, titled “Sustaining Civic Education: Achievements

and Challenges.”

A documentary film, The World We Want, featuring the We the People: Project Citizen program, won the

Audience Choice Award at the American Film Institute’s AFI FEST 2008. Directed by Patrick Davidson, the film

follows Project Citizen students in eight countries as they work to solve problems in their communities

through public policy action.

In November 2008, teachers from California, Kentucky, and Montana were recipients of the Third Annual

American Civic Education Teacher Awards (ACETA) in recognition of their exemplary work in preparing young

people to become informed and engaged citizens. ACETA is sponsored by the Center for Civic Education, the

Center on Congress at Indiana University, and the National Education Association as part of the Representative

Democracy in America: Voices of the People program.

HISTORY

G O A L S

The principal goals of the Center’s programs are to help students develop

n an increased understanding of the institutions of constitutional democracy

and the fundamental principles and values upon which they are founded;

n the skills necessary to participate as effective and responsible citizens;

n the willingness to use democratic procedures for making decisions

and managing conflict.

The Center accomplishes its mission by

n developing curricular materials for elementary, middle, and high school students;

n providing professional development programs in civics and government

at the local, state, and national levels;

n conducting research and evaluation to determine the effects of the Center’s programs

on students’ civic knowledge, participation, and attitudes.

In addition, the Center

n maintains a national network of educators and scholars who assist in the

development and implementation of its programs;

n provides leadership in the development and implementation of public policy

supporting the enhancement of civic education at local, state, and national levels;

n undertakes related projects that strengthen and extend its programs and goals.

These include international conferences on civic education for educational leaders,

scholars, and others involved in civic education and exchanges with advanced

and emerging democracies committed to improving civic education.

5 A N N U A L R E P O R T

W E T H E P E O P L E : T H E C I T I Z E N A N D T H E C O N S T I T U T I O N

We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is the cornerstone program of the Center for Civic Education.

For more than twenty years, We the People—an examination of the history, principles, and values of the U.S.

Constitution and Bill of Rights—has proven remarkably effective in instilling in young Americans an under-

standing of the rights and responsibilities of citizens in our constitutional democracy.

The Center is extremely proud of the program’s demonstrated success. Independent studies have clearly shown

that students who participate in We the People showed a dramatically greater knowledge and understanding

of both historical and current political issues than those who have not. We the People students also exhibit an

increase in political tolerance and commitment to constitutional principles and values.

The success of We the People can be attributed to the innovative design of its instructional program, culminating

with simulated congressional hearings, in which students take, evaluate, and defend positions on important

historical and contemporary issues. Classroom, district, and state competitions in this event lead to the national

finals, held in chambers of the U.S. Congress. Since its inception in 1987, more than thirty million students and

one hundred thousand educators have participated in the We the People program, as well as members of Congress

and prominent professional, business, community, and government leaders from across the country.

This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under

the Education for Democracy Act approved by the U.S. Congress.

W E T H E P E O P L E : N A T I O N A L F I N A L S

The twenty-first annual We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution national finals were held in Washington,

D.C., in May 2008. More than 1,500 students, teachers, parents, competition judges, public officials, and

international civic educators took part in the event. The Center welcomed an international delegation of education

officials from Colombia. Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana was the recipient of the 2008 Dale E. Kildee Civitas

Award, which recognizes members of Congress for their commitment to civic education.

NATIONAL PROGRAMS

C E N T E R F O R C I V I C E D U C A T I O N

GOALS

Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... they are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.



W E T H E P E O P L E : P R O J E C T C I T I Z E N

We the People: Project Citizen is a curricular program for middle, high, and post-secondary school students and

youth groups that promotes competent and responsible participation in local, state, and federal government.

The program is designed to help students learn how to monitor and influence public policy. In the process,

they develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy.

Entire classes of students or members of youth organizations work cooperatively to identify a public policy

problem in their community. They then research the problem, evaluate alternative solutions, develop their

own solution, and create a political action plan to enlist local or state authorities to adopt their proposed policy.

Participants develop a portfolio of their work and present their project to a panel of civic-minded

community members.

Every year, each of the fifty states and the District of Columbia chooses one exemplary portfolio to be presented

at the Project Citizen National Showcase, held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the National Conference

of State Legislatures. At this final event, a panel of legislators, staff, and adult volunteers from across the nation

evaluate the portfolios and achievements of each presenting group.

Since its inception in 1995, the domestic Project Citizen program has expanded to include schools in

every state as well as American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,

and the United States Virgin Islands. To date, more than 30,000 teachers have taught Project Citizen to more

than two million students. The curriculum is also widely distributed through the Civitas International Programs.

Project Citizen enjoys the active participation of members of Congress and state legislatures, as well as

support from professional, business, and community organizations across the nation.

The program, cosponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures, is funded by the

U.S. Department of Education under the Education for Democracy Act approved by the U.S. Congress.

S O M E P R O J E C T C I T I Z E N S U C C E S S S T O R I E S

Basalt, Colorado

Project Citizen students at Basalt High School acted on their concern for the environment and energy conservation

and lobbied for local public policy change. The class supported a bill before the Colorado state legislature that

would permit residents to dry their clean laundry on outdoor clotheslines: some neighborhoods prohibited the

practice. The council unanimously passed a resolution in favor of the bill and has pledged to notify the governor

of its stance.

Montrose, Michigan

Seventh-grade students at Kuehn-Haven Middle School rallied behind a classmate with Crouzon Syndrome to raise

awareness of craniofacial conditions in their community. Students presented their research to local leaders,

suggesting the creation of Craniofacial Awareness Month. Because of their efforts, Senator John Gleason sponsored

a senate resolution to recognize the month of February as Craniofacial Awareness Month, and Governor Jennifer

Granholm signed a proclamation designating it as such.

Astoria, New York

Concerned with hazardous air pollutants and rising asthma rates in New York City, fifth-grade students from

P.S. 122 in Astoria, New York, worked to restrict the time that motor vehicles may idle their engines outside of

public schools. The class presented its portfolio before a city council hearing, basing its testimony on extensive

research findings and defending its proposed public policy solution. The council passed legislation based on the

students’ platform. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg publicly supported their civic efforts, resolving

to sign both pieces of legislation once the bills take effect.

Vancouver, Washington

In January 2006, Project Citizen students at Evergreen High School met with U.S. Representative Deb Wallace,

a member of the House Education Committee. When she asked them what needed “fixing” in education, the

students replied that courses in Washington state history could be made more relevant. The students composed

broad outlines for a bill that Wallace cosponsored with State Senator Craig Pridemore in the 2008 session.

The Project Citizen students testified before the House and Senate education committees. The bill, HB 2781,

passed both the state House and Senate and the students were present at its signing on March 27, 2008.


NATIONAL PROGRAMS

If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in a democracy, they will be attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.

A R I S T O T L E


R E P R E S E N T A T I V E D E M O C R A C Y I N A M E R I C A : V O I C E S O F T H E P E O P L E

The Center conducts the Representative Democracy in America project in collaboration with the Center on

Congress at Indiana University and the Trust for Representative Democracy at the National Conference of State

Legislatures with the goals of improving public understanding of representative democracy and encouraging

citizens to take a responsible role in their government. The Center’s primary activity in this project is a six-part

video series for middle and high school students informing them about the system of government of the United

States, from its origins and creation to current practices and institutions. An instructional guide for teachers

includes lesson plans, a correlation to the We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution text, and other resources.

In July 2008, the partners joined to launch the Representative Democracy in America Professional

Development Leadership Initiative. Designed to provide teachers across the country with training in the various

curricular materials of the three partners, the initiative was launched at a two-day seminar in Washington, D.C.,

attended by 150 coordinators and trainers. During the seminar, legislators, scholars, and civic educators gave

presentations on the institutions and practices of representative democracy in the United States. The materials

have been well received by elementary and secondary teachers across the country.

This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under

the Education for Democracy Act approved by the U.S. Congress.

NATIONAL PROGRAMS


S C H O O L V I O L E N C E P R E V E N T I O N D E M O N S T R A T I O N P R O G R A M

The School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program (svpdp) employs civic education as a strategy

to prevent youth violence. The program has three curricular components: Foundations of Democracy,

We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution, and Project Citizen are provided to schools in a cross-section

of districts across the country.

svpdp differs from other programs in two important ways:

n Teachers make a commitment to one full academic year and must attend a minimum of forty

to sixty hours of professional training with special focus on the unique needs of the program.

n Support and guidance are provided at each school by on-site coordinators who work directly

with teachers and students.

svpdp includes research on changes in students’ civic knowledge and attitudes as they relate to tolerance for

the ideas of others; civic responsibility; authority and the law; and social and political institutions. Some school

districts have begun to implement the curriculum into their mandated social studies classes at certain grade levels.

The site in Allentown, Pennsylvania, began this trend and became the focus of a climate study to determine

the impact of the program on the schools. The study revealed a highly positive impact on both the behavior

of the students and their academic achievement. The study is available at www.civiced.org/research.

Twenty-four sites in nineteen states implement the program at grades four through twelve in urban,

suburban, rural, and Native American school districts.

This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Education for Democracy Act approved by the U.S. Congress.

C O N S T I T U T I O N D A Y

To celebrate Constitution Day, lessons adapted from We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution and Foundations

of Democracy were posted on the Center’s website for teachers and students. The Center recorded more than

194,000 hits on its Constitution Day web page by users from more than 40,000 institutions.

1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T

NATIONAL PROGRAMS


C A M P A I G N T O P R O M O T E C I V I C E D U C A T I O N

The Campaign to Promote Civic Education has two important objectives. The first is to reaffirm the civic mission

of our nation’s schools, and the second is to encourage states and school districts to devote sustained and

systematic attention to civic education from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

The Campaign seeks to reaffirm the traditional civic mission of the schools

and enhance instruction by promoting the establishment of curricular requirements

in accord with the following principles:

n Education in civics and government is a central purpose of education,

essential to the well-being of American democracy.

n Civics and government is a subject on a level with other subjects. Civics and

government, like history and geography, is an integrative and interdisciplinary subject.

n Civics and government should be taught explicitly and systematically to all students

in kindergarten through twelfth grade, whether as a separate unit or as a readily

identifiable part of other subjects.

n Effective instruction in civics and government requires attention to the content

of the discipline as well as the essential skills, principles, and values required for

full participation in and reasoned commitment to our democratic system.

The Campaign is a fifty-state effort run by concerned citizens and organizations that recognize the need

for improvement in the civic education of American youth. As is appropriate to the American tradition of local

control of schools, the Campaign seeks improvement in each state and school district’s approach to education

in civics and government.

This program is funded primarily by discretionary funds available to the Center.

Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone.The people themselves are its only safe depositories.


C I V I T A S I N T E R N A T I O N A L P R O G R A M S

In fostering an engaged citizenry with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for democratic self-governance,

democracies around the world face challenges familiar to civic educators in the United States. This makes the

Center’s interactive, student-centered civic education curricula relevant internationally. The Center and its partners

around the world train teachers in effective classroom use of such curricula and encourage the sustainability of

civic education initiatives by involving education policymakers and other gatekeepers in efforts to institutionalize

support for the programs. The Center’s international programs are implemented through a network of civic

education organizations in the United States and other participating nations.

Administered by the Center, Civitas International Programs are funded by grants from the Department of

Education under the Education for Democracy Act approved by the U.S. Congress; the U.S. State Department; the

U.S. Agency for International Development; and other public and private sources. Currently, more than eighty

countries and thirty U.S. states participate in the network. Lessons learned and best practices developed around

the world are shared at the annual World Congress on Civic Education, at regional meetings, multinational

theme-based workshops, and via exchange visits and online interaction.

Many countries participating in Civitas International Programs are partnered with U.S. states for civic

education exchange activities. These partnerships identify the specific civic education needs of each U.S. and

international site and develop programs to address these needs, taking full advantage of the experience, expertise,

and programmatic offerings of each for the benefit of teachers and students in the United States and abroad.

Other countries partner directly with the Center for support and technical assistance. The Center provides this

assistance drawing on its broad network of civic educators. Of the Center’s curricular offerings, Project Citizen

and Foundations of Democracy are the most widely used internationally. They have been adapted, translated,

and implemented in dozens of countries. Members of the Civitas network are also encouraged to develop and

implement their own student-centered curricula and to seek additional sources of support to ensure program

sustainability and expansion.

Civitas International Programs are funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Education

for Democracy Act approved by the UnitedStates Congress; additional support is provided by the

U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other sources.

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

1 3 A N N U A L R E P O R TC E N T E R F O R C I V I C E D U C A T I O N

N E T W O R K R E S T R U C T U R I N G

The Civitas network is currently undergoing a significant partnership restructuring. The goal of the reorganization is

to promote the network’s sustainability and to engage outstanding new programs in long-term partnerships with

established programs. Regional networks, established to facilitate exchanges of educators and policymakers at a

regional level, also continue to play an important role in the Civitas network.

N E W S F R O M T H E N E T W O R K

Project Citizen Philippines Semi-Finalist in World Bank Competition

Project Citizen Philippines’s proposal for the World Bank’s “Panibagong Paraan” (New Way) competition placed

in the top one hundred, out of the more than five hundred proposals submitted.

Tenth Anniversary Celebration of Civitas Dominican Republic

The Consortium for Civic Education of the Dominican Republic commemorated the tenth anniversary of Civitas

Dominican Republic. Meetings were held with President Leonel Fernandez, the president of the senate, U.S.

officials, and other supporters.

White Paper on Civic Education in Morocco

The Center, in collaboration with Bowling Green State University and the Moroccan Center for Civic Education

as part of the the Civic Education Partnership Initiative, organized a policymaker visit to Washington, D.C.,

to advance work on an educational white paper on civic education in Morocco.

International Project Citizen Documentary Film

The World We Want, a feature film documenting the stories of Project Citizen students in eight countries,

made its official premiere at the 2008 American Film Institute’s annual film festival, winning the Audience

Award for best picture.

No free government, nor the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by...a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.

G E O R G E M A S O N


N E W P A R T N E R S

Kansas

Kansas State University joined the Civitas domestic network as a new co-management site for the Eurasia partner-

ship (formerly known as the Russia West partnership), which includes the American Federation of Teachers,

Russell Sage College, Boston University, Maryland We the People, and international partners in Western Russia,

Armenia, Georgia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Bulgaria. The Russia West partnership celebrated its twelfth

anniversary in 2008.

Korea

The Korea Democracy Foundation and the Center signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure future

collaboration in strengthening civic education efforts in Korea and the Asia region. The Korea Democracy

Foundation is sponsored by the Korean government and is highly regarded by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.

N E W I N I T I A T I V E S

Teaching Civics with Geography

Through a collaborative effort involving the Center’s partner in Bolivia, the Wyoming Partnership for Civic

Education, the Wyoming Project Citizen Program, the Wyoming Geographic Alliance, the Wyoming Department

of Education, and the College of Education at the University of Wyoming, a training institute was designed

to facilitate the use of civic education curriculum in combination with geography curriculum and to improve cultural

awareness and cooperation between educators, professors, and policymakers in both Bolivia and the United States.

Justice Goes to School Program New York/Venezuela Partnership

The New York/Venezuela Partnership launched the Justice Goes to School Program to promote among school-

children a basic knowledge of the Venezuelan legal system through volunteer judges, lawyers, and law students from

the Catholic and Metropolitan Universities of Venezuela.

Visiting Summer Fellow

The Center hosted Natasha Djuricic from Civic Initiatives, the Center’s partner in Belgrade, Serbia, as a visiting inter-

national fellow. Through this experience, she deepened her understanding of the role of advocacy in the U.S. political

system to advance policy prescriptions, and learned effective methods to apply these lessons in her home country.


N E W F U N D I N G

New Funding for Thailand and the Balkans

The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) awarded the Center new

funding to pilot a Foundations of Democracy adaptation for Thailand, expand the Project Citizen program to new

provinces, and work with a consortium of government and civil society partners to promote national support for

civic education over a three-year period. DRL also awarded the Center a two-year regional grant to develop

education for reconciliation programs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.

I N T E R N A T I O N A L P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T W O R K S H O P S

Regional Arab Civitas Trainings

The Center organized simultaneous training of trainers workshops on Project Citizen and Foundations

of Democracy in Amman, Jordan, for forty-six participants from seven countries. These were the first regional

training of trainers workshops to be conducted in Arabic and were led by top Arab Civitas trainers from

Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, and the West Bank.

China

Costa Rica Joven coordinated two Project Citizen teacher trainings led with the assistance of an experienced trainer

from Fundacion Presencia, the Center’s Colombian partner and Latin American training hub. Both trainings

were directed towards university students and professors from ten private universities in Costa Rica. Costa Riva

Joven recently signed an agreement with a group of private universities in Costa Rica to use Project Citizen

to fulfill the mandatory 150-hour community service requirement for graduation.

West Bank and Gaza

The Teacher Creativity Center (TCC) has been highly successful in introducing Project Citizen and Foundations

of Democracy to youth throughout the West Bank via community-based organizations and private schools. The TCC

trained twenty-eight supervisors, coordinators, and youth leaders from three community-based organizations.

TCC’s successes in implementing programs have attracted the attention of the Ministry of Education, which

expressed an interest in incorporating Project Citizen into the official curriculum for all ninth-grade students.


South Africa

During a three-day Foundations of Democracy teacher training, educators began adaptation of the unit on

Authority for middle school students. The new curriculum and training program for South Africa is currently

being piloted. The Project Citizen program, established in 2008, held its national showcase in Cape Town, where

Ministry of Education officials and civil society representatives participated as judges. The Center and its South

African partners anticipate that the new curriculum will follow in the successful path of its predecessor.

Ghana

The National Commission for Civic Education hosted a teacher training in Koforidua, Ghana. The three-day

training was opened by Municipal Chief Executive Nana Adjei and the eastern regional director of education

who endorsed the program as an effective tool for equipping Ghanaian youth to participate responsibly in

democracy. Regional and municipal leaders of the Ghana Education Service also pledged support.

N E W P U B L I C A T I O N S

Human Rights Curriculum for Senegal

In-country director Boubacar Tall formed a new partnership with the Spanish Red Cross and the Senegalese

Red Cross in Ziguinchor, Casamanche, to work with twelve schools opening in 2008–09. The schools will pilot

a new curricular blend of Project Citizen and “Exploring Humanitarian Law,” which uses interactive-based

strategies to examine issues related to human rights.

Inter-American Journal on Education for Democracy

The first edition of the Inter-American Journal on Education for Democracy, a bilingual, online academic publica-

tion produced electronically by the Inter-American Program of Education for Democratic Values and Practices

of the Organization of American States, was developed with the assistance of the Center. The objective of the

journal is to foster intellectual discussion and exchange ideas to promote education for democratic citizenship

across the Americas.

Colombia

The Center’s partner in Colombia, Fundación Presencia, has developed and begun implementing Proponiendo

Soluciones, a Project Citizen adaptation for students ages 9–14. This adaptation introduces the Project Citizen

methodology to younger children by focusing on solving problems within the school environment.


P R O J E C T C I T I Z E N

Project Citizen is the Center’s most widely-implemented civic education program internationally. Students

from more than sixty-five countries participating in the program identify public policy issues that are important

to them, gather information about the issues, discuss alternative solutions, propose their solutions, and create

action plans to implement them.

Project Citizen Short-Listed for Prestigious Bertelsmann Prize

Project Citizen was one of four finalists for the 2007 Carl Bertelsmann Prize. The prize was awarded for “civic

engagement as an educational goal.” Finalists were selected from approximately seventy international initiatives

that have been implementing strategic policies designed to motivate young people and provide them with better

opportunities and skills for engaging in civic-minded endeavors. The international award is presented annually

by Germany’s Bertelsmann Foundation.

U.S. Under Secretary of State Karen Hughes Meets Project Citizen Students in Peru

Former Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes met with Project Citizen

students during her trip to Peru in August 2008. The State Department’s Office of Public Diplomacy newsletter,

Public Diplomacy Update, reported that “as a result of the program, Project Citizen students develop support

for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy, and eventually become the

citizens who are helping to build democracy in Peru from the ground up.”

On-Site Evaluations of U.S. Partnerships with Russian Far East and Senegal

Gary Marx, president of the Center for Public Outreach, conducted external on-site evaluations of the Russia

Far East–Alaska and Senegal–New Jersey partnerships, both of which promote the implementation of Project Citizen.

In Senegal, Marx met with students, teachers, administrators, parents, and other key community representa-

tives in the cities and towns of Dakar, Ross-Bethio, Louga, and Kaolack. Local officials expressed appreciation

for the lessons in democracy as students rallied the community to take constructive action.

In Russia, Marx met with students, teachers, principals, parents, and community leaders at numerous

schools as well as representatives of city and regional departments of education and other public officials in areas

of Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka and Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai. Students participating in Russia’s Civitas programs



said they would be more involved in their community and that the program would help their country overcome

a culture of “indifference.” Their teachers noted that when students see what is happening in Civitas activities,

they want to become part of it. Parents responded that their children seem more responsible and disciplined,

have become more interested in the life of the community, and gained confidence.

N E W F U N D I N G

Center Wins USAID Award for Kosovo Project

The Center was awarded USAID funding for a new project in Kosovo on “Reconciliation through Civic Education.”

The program builds on the experience of the Center’s Irish partner, Co-operation Ireland, which has a successful

history of using Project Citizen to promote dialogue in divided societies. The new project comes at a sensitive time

in relations between ethnic Albanians and Serbians. It will provide a common experience for students of all

ethnicities and a shared foundation of citizenship skills, knowledge, and dispositions. Through Project Citizen

showcases and a culminating student leadership camp based on Foundations of Democracy, the project will

improve opportunities for interethnic student interaction.

Malaysia and Indonesia

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) of the U.S. Department of State awarded the Center

new funding to conduct an expanded Project Citizen program in Malaysia’s lower secondary schools and among

university students. It will foster intensive interaction among students of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds.

DRL additionally awarded the Center new funding to conduct a 28-month civic education program in Indonesia

using translated and adapted versions of Project Citizen and Foundations of Democracy. Implementation sites

are located in conflict and post-conflict areas throughout the country.

India–Kazakhstan–U.S. Exchange Program Approved

The State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs approved funding for a two-year exchange

program for Kazakhstan, India, and the United States, titled “Civic Leaders Advancing Active and Responsible

Citizenship.” The program entails a three-phase exchange involving about thirty delegates from the three nations.


CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

W O R L D C O N G R E S S O N C I V I C E D U C A T I O N 2 0 0 8 — M O R O C C O

Each year, the Center hosts a World Congress on Civic Education in a country that has shown marked progress

in education for democratic citizenship. In 2008, the World Congress on Civic Education was held in Morocco.

The twelfth World Congress brought more than two hundred educators from more than sixty-five countries and

thirty U.S. states together for four days of sessions devoted to the theme “Sustaining Civic Education: Achievements

and Challenges.” It was co-hosted by the Center’s partner in Morocco, the Moroccan Center for Civic Education

(MCCE), in partnership with the Higher Council for Education, the Moroccan Ministry of Education, and

Al Akhawayn University under the High Patronage of His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco. The congress

was officially opened by Center Executive Director Charles N. Quigley; MCCE’s president Elarbi Imad; Abdelaziz

Meziane Belefkih, advisor to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, vice-chair of the Higher Council for Education;

Ahmed Akhchichen, minister of education, Morocco; and Assistant Deputy Secretary Deborah Price. Participants

shared best practices and discussed the theme of the congress. Session topics included informing institutionalizing

civic education reform, the role of parliament in democracy education, civic education and Islamic society,

democratic citizenship reforms in the Americas through research, human rights and civic education, and interna-

tional perspectives on practices used to implement character development and democratic citizenship. Regional

partners met and discussed matters of regional concern. Small group discussions and evening receptions provided

additional opportunities to share ideas and experiences.

C I V N E T . O R G

During the past year, Civnet.org has experienced an unprecedented increase in its daily traffic: in April 2008,

587 visitors were recorded; by August, that number had increased to 1,437 visitors. Additionally, there has been

a similar surge in the number of newly registered users. Newsletters are now being published on a monthly basis

in both English and Spanish, and new tools and resources are being released.

A N N U A L G E R M A N - A M E R I C A N C O N F E R E N C E

The annual German-American conference sponsored jointly by the Center and Germany’s Federal Agency for

Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung) was held this year in Münster, Germany. The theme was

“Citizenship Education in an Age of Worldwide Migration.” The week-long conference included scholars and

practitioners from Germany and the United States.


F I R S T W O R L D W I D E P R O J E C T C I T I Z E N S H O W C A S E I N W A S H I N G T O N , D . C .

More than two hundred fifty young people from thirty-one countries gathered in Washington, D.C., to participate

in “Empowering a New Generation for Democracy: The International Project Citizen Showcase.” Teams raised their

own travel funds to showcase their Project Citizen portfolios. The purpose of the event was to highlight the results

of the U.S. government’s ten-year investment in the program and demonstrate that Project Citizen is a vital and

effective means of promoting democratic citizenship around the world.

Keynote speakers included Rep. Dale E. Kildee; Jonathan D. Farrar, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary,

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State; and Colleen P. Graffy, Deputy

Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy at the State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian

Affairs. All voiced support for the students, the Center, and its Civitas partners. Congressional staff representing

more than fifteen senators and several members of the House of Representatives, the Senate Foreign Relations

Committee, and the House Rules Committee had a chance to meet and interact with Project Citizen students,

Civitas partners, and Center staff and program leaders.

Students presented their public policy projects to panels of evaluators. Projects featured at the showcase

addressed issues such as a community’s lack of potable water, the inclusion of disabled students in regular classes,

neglect of historical monuments, and violence in schools. Participating in the showcase were classes from Argentina,

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kosovo (under UN administration), Lithuania, Mali,

Montenegro, Northern Ireland, Panama, Peru, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, the

United States (Washington state and Florida), Venezuela, and the West Bank and Gaza.

Project portfolios were exhibited in the historic Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building. The event

received considerable media attention, including reports on Voice of America as well as televised segments on both

Newschannel 8 and ABC affiliate WJAL’s “Good Morning, Washington” program. The showcase was also featured

in the Congressional publication Roll Call.

Let us tenderly and kindly cherish, therefore, the means of knowledge.Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write.

J O H N A D A M S


RESEARCH AND EVALUATION

O V E R V I E W

Research on Center programs demonstrates their success in enhancing effective political participation among

youth. A variety of quantitative and qualitative studies have determined that Center programs are effective. Most

of these studies measure civic competence, political knowledge, and civic dispositions underlying informed

political participation. In addition to research on participants, the Center also evaluates professional development

institutes for teachers. The following are examples of recent research conducted on Center programs; a complete

list can be viewed on our website at www.civiced.org.

W E T H E P E O P L E : T H E C I T I Z E N A N D T H E C O N S T I T U T I O N

We the People Students Outperform Comparison Groups on Political Knowledge in 2007 Study

Using a pre/post design, RMC Research examined 822 We the People students from grades 11 and 12 and compared

them to 735 students with similar demographics and achievement levels. Results of the study reveal that We the

People participants scored 30% higher overall on a test of constitutional knowledge when compared to their high

school peers and 36% higher than university/college students enrolled in introductory political science courses

on all study outcomes. We the People students scored significantly higher than their peers on the following

subsections of the test:

n Constitutional limits on government institutions: We the People students scored 18% higher than the

comparison high school classes. Questions included topics such as states’ rights, the expansion of congressional

power, the limits of free speech, separation of powers, and judicial review.

n Core values and democratic principles: We the People students scored 11% higher than the comparison high

school classes. Questions included topics such as natural rights philosophy, federalism, classical republicanism,

representative and direct democracy, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution.

n Rights and responsibilities of democratic citizens: We the People students scored 9% higher than the

comparison high school classes. Questions included topics such as civic duty, naturalized citizens,

constitutional rights, and due process of law.


CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

I N T E R N A T I O N A L P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

Because the effectiveness of a civic education program depends to a great extent on the qualifications of its

teachers, the Center has established regional, state, national, and international professional development programs

for educators. Participants are selected by a thorough application process that includes a written essay, two letters

of recommendation from colleagues, and a statement of administrative support.

Summer Teacher Training Institute in Morocco

The Moroccan Center for Civic Education held its third annual Project Citizen preservice teacher training

institute in Casablanca, Morocco. Workshop participants included twenty-four recent graduates from teacher

training institutes throughout Morocco and five university students actively engaged with youth organizations.

Training of Trainers at Bogotá Training Hub

For the past three years, Bogotá, Colombia, has served as a training hub for Latin America. Civic educators and

trainers from the Civitas Latin America network travel to Bogotá to participate in professional development events

coordinated by the Center in collaboration with Fundación Presencia. The 2008 training of trainers brought

together the most experienced trainers from the network to strengthen the knowledge and skills necessary to train

teachers in civic education methodology.

Asia Regional Project Citizen Professional Development Seminars

Center consultants led two advanced-level professional-development seminars organized by the Center and the

Malaysian Citizenship Initiative at Universiti Sains Malaysia. Participants included country directors and lead

Project Citizen trainers from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Arab Civitas Sustainability Workshops

The Center and its Arab Civitas partners hosted two meetings for long-term planning to sustain civic education

programs in Arab Civitas countries. The meetings–one in Tunisia, the other in California–included sessions

on grant writing, compliance, and institutional sustainability. Participants were encouraged to think strategically

about the institutionalization of civic education programs in their home countries to ensure support for the

programs from government and civil society.



W E T H E P E O P L E : T H E C I T I Z E N A N D T H E C O N S T I T U T I O N ( C O N T . )

n Knowledge of early American history: We the People students scored 19% higher than university/college

students. Questions included topics such as the Revolutionary War, the development of state constitutions,

the Articles of Confederation, and the nation’s Founders.

n The United States and world affairs: We the People students scored 17% higher than university/college students

on questions regarding the international roles of the U.S. Department of State and the United Nations.

Students Display Increased Political Tolerance

Dr. Richard Brody of Stanford University conducted a study to determine the political tolerance of high school

students from across the United States. Brody found that students who participated in the We the People

program were more politically tolerant than the average American. We the People students were found to be more

self-confident, perceived fewer limits on their political freedom, and were more willing to extend those rights

to others.

National Finals Participants Outperform Peers and Adults

Surveys conducted annually from 1999 to the present reveal that high school students who compete at the We the

People national finals possess significantly greater knowledge of American democratic institutions and processes

than the average American citizen. The participants surveyed outperformed the national sample of high school

students participating in the National Assessment of Educational Progress in every category of civic knowledge

delineated in the survey. In addition, the national finals students correctly answered three key knowledge questions

asked in the American National Election Studies survey at a rate of 77%, versus 17% of adults and

8% of high school students.

Majority of We the People Alumni Reported Voting in the 2008 Election

Between November 2008 and March 2009, the Center conducted a survey of more than 400 alumni of the We the

People program. The median age was 28, and most of the respondents were 18 years of age and first-time voters.

We the People alumni expressed great interest in the 2008 election. Ninety-five percent of eligible alumni reported


voting, in contrast to 53% in estimates of young voters across the nation. Seventy-six percent of We the People

alumni said they voted in all previous elections for which they were eligible. The highest percentage of respondents

chose to vote because of a sense of civic duty or responsibility. When asked what qualities make a good citizen,

a plurality responded that it was most important to help those who are worse off, to be active in voluntary

organizations, and to vote.

We the People alumni understand and appreciate representative democracy more than members of the general

public. Researchers found that 86% of the public agreed that “elected officials should stop talking and just take

action.” 1 In contrast, only 20% of alumni felt this way, while 80% endorsed the statement that “elected officials

need to deliberate to take proper action.” Additionally, 83% of alumni agreed that “compromise is an important

part of the democratic processes even when principles are at stake,” in contrast to 60% of the public who felt

“what people call compromise is really just selling out of one’s principles.” 1 A majority of alumni expressed

optimism about the future of the United States. When asked to explain the reasons for their optimism, alumni

often referred to our political institutions and history of innovation. “The foundations that make this nation

great are still intact,” wrote one student.

1 John R. Hibbing and Elizabeth Theiss-Morse, Stealth Democracy: Americans’ Beliefs

about How Government Should Work (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002).

A democratic form of government, a democratic way of life, presupposes free public education over the long period; it presupposes also an education forpersonal responsibility that too often is neglected.

E L E A N O R R O O S E V E L T


PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES

C U R R I C U L A R M A T E R I A L S

We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution, the companion text to the We the People program, encompasses the

history and principles of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Published in elementary, middle, and high school

editions, We the People is also correlated to the Center’s video series, Representative Democracy in America, as well

as the National Standards for Civics and Government and the social studies standards of many states.

We the People: Project Citizen is a workbook created for use with the Project Citizen program, which promotes

competent and responsible participation in state and local government and actively teaches young people to monitor

and influence public policy. A Spanish-language edition, Nosotros El Pueblo: Proyecto Ciudadano, is available.

The Foundations of Democracy series explores four concepts fundamental to understanding politics and govern-

ment—authority, privacy, responsibility, and justice. The material is published in single-volume editions for middle

and high school students; for elementary school children, each concept is presented in its own set, which includes

a storybook, an activity book, and an interactive cd-rom.

Representative Democracy in America: Voices of the People is a six-part video series that helps students understand

our system of representative democracy. Representative Democracy in America is designed primarily for high school

students, although various elements are appropriate for middle school or upper elementary students. The six

programs, each approximately fifteen minutes in length, address the following topics: the roots of representative

democracy; federalism and the separation of powers; the roles of representatives, executives, and justices in our

democracy; our representatives and how they are chosen; and the role of the citizen in a representative democracy.

Elements of Democracy explores the range of ideas that make up the vocabulary of democracy. Sections include

“Concepts and Fundamental Principles of Democracy,” which deals with such subjects as democracy and equality

and the common good. Other sections discuss the political processes of democracy and democracy and citizenship.

Elements of Democracy is an excellent resource for high school, college, and adult audiences.

Education for Democracy: California Civic Education Scope & Sequence presents methods for introducing civic

education in the primary grades and building on that foundation through middle and high school. The book is an

important tool for high school administrators, district curriculum development coordinators, and classroom teachers.

American Legacy: The U.S. Constitution and Other Essential Documents of American Democracy is a pocket-sized

book containing the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, the Mayflower Compact, excerpts

from The Federalist Papers, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and twenty-four other documents that encompass

essential ideas of American democracy.

I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much libertythan to those attending too small a degree of it.



PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES

Res Publica: An International Framework for Education in Democracy was developed through a cross-cultural

consensus on the central ideas, values, and institutions of democracy. Res Publica, which is available free of charge

at www.civiced.org, can be used by any country seeking to develop a civic education curriculum.

Comparative Lessons for Democracy, a resource book for high school teachers on emerging democracies in Central

and Eastern Europe, was developed collaboratively by educators in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland,

Russia, and the United States. It contains lesson plans that actively engage students in this rapidly changing region

of the world, as well as background readings and original essays from Central and Eastern European scholars. A new

version of Comparative Lessons that highlights a broader range of countries is currently in development.

W E B S I T E S

The official website of the Center for Civic Education is www.civiced.org. Resources available at the site include

program news and information, sample lessons from Center curricula, the National Standards for Civics and

Government, and Constitution Day lessons.

Civnet.org is a website developed by Civitas International and maintained by the Center for Civic Education,

Co-operation Ireland, and Fundación Desarrollar, an Argentine nongovernmental organization. Its purpose

is to promote the ideas and tools of democratic participation throughout the world. Used by civic educators,

scholars, policymakers, journalists, and civic education organizations around the world, CIVNET provides

downloadable teaching materials, civic education news, an events calendar, scholarly articles, and other

valuable tools for educators.

R E S O U R C E S

National Standards for Civics and Government identifies the knowledge and skills that students should master by

the end of the fourth, eighth, and twelfth grades. Employed as a model for state curricular frameworks and

standards throughout the country, the standards were developed through an extensive consensus-building process

conducted by review committees in all fifty states. Three thousand individuals and organizations participated in

the two-year project, and more than 150 open hearings and public discussions were held.

National organizations such as the American Association of School Administrators, the American Federation

of Teachers, the American Bar Association, and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

have recognized the importance of the National Standards for Civics and Government and assist in its dissemination.

More than forty thousand copies have been distributed to individuals and organizations, including members

of Congress, governors, state legislators, boards of education presidents, and the media. The U.S. Department

of State has distributed an international edition of the standards to other nations through its Public Affairs

Offices and other agencies throughout the world. To promote widespread use of the standards, the Center has

granted educational agencies permission to reproduce them, and they are also available, free of charge, on the

Center’s website.

The development of the National Standards for Civics and Government

was supported by the U.S. Department of Education and The Pew Charitable Trust.

CIVITAS: A Framework for Civic Education is a comprehensive K–12 model for establishing civic education programs.

Developed with contributions from more than forty scholars and dozens of educators and teachers, CIVITAS sets

forth the knowledge, skills, and commitments necessary for responsible citizenship in the twenty-first century.

This framework has been used by educators to create effective civic education curricula throughout the United

States and has also been referenced in more than thirty-seven countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern

and Western Europe.

The development of CIVITAS was cosponsored by the Council for the

Advancement of Citizenship and funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.


Board of Directors, Center for Civic Education

We have audited the accompanying statements of financial

position of Center for Civic Education (the Center) (a non-

profit California corporation) as of July 31, 2008 and 2007,

and the related statements of activities and cash flows for

the years then ended. These financial statements are the

responsibility of the Center’s management. Our responsibility

is to express an opinion on these financial statements based

on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with generally

accepted auditing standards followed in the United States of

America and the standards applicable to financial audits

contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the

Comptroller General of the United States. Those standards

require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain

reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements

are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examin-

ing, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and

disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also

includes assessing the accounting principles used and the

significant estimates made by management, as well as evalu-

ating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe

that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to

above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial

position of Center for Civic Education as of July 31, 2008

and 2007, and the changes in its net assets and its cash flows

for the years then ended in conformity with accounting prin-

ciples generally accepted in the United States of America.

In accordance with Government Auditing Standards, we

have also issued our report dated January 16, 2009, on our

consideration of the Center’s internal control over financial

reporting and our tests of its compliance with certain


FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

July 31, 2008 and 2007

Assets 2008 2007

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents (Notes 1 and 2) $ 953,779 $ 1,378,436

Certificates of deposit (Note 3) 70,409 418,207

Investments (Notes 1 and 4) 3,156,570 2,763,224

Accounts receivable (Note 1)

Trade 184,077 237,992

Grants 1,249,237 1,644,902

1,433,314 1,882,894

Inventories (Note 1) 124,519 138,105

Prepaid expenses 62,612 62,612

Total current assets 5,801,203 6,643,478

Furniture and equipment – at Cost (Note 1)

Furniture and equipment 65,913 65,913

Less accumulated depreciation 54,498 47,269

11,415 18,644

$ 5,812,618 $ 6,662,122

Liabilities and Net Assets

Current liabilities

Accounts payable $ 452,172 $ 347,163

Accrued liabilities 240,585 227,197

Grants received in advance 887,852 2,076,345

Total current liabilities 1,580,609 2,650,705

Commitments (Notes 5,6 and 7) – –

Unrestricted net assets 4,232,009 4,011,417

$ 5,812,618 $ 6,662,122

E See Notes to Financial Statements on following pages

provisions of laws, regulations, contracts, and grant

agreements and other matters. The purpose of that report is

to describe the scope of our testing of internal control

over financial reporting and compliance and the results of

that testing, and not to provide an opinion on the internal

control over financial reporting or on compliance. That

report is an integral part of an audit performed in accor-

dance with Government Auditing Standards and should

be considered in assessing the results of our audit.

Our audit was conducted for the purpose of forming

an opinion on the basic financial statements of the Center

taken as whole. The accompanying “Schedule of Expenditures

of Federal Awards” is presented for purposes of additional

analysis as required by U.S. Office of Management and

Budget Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments,

and Nonprofit Organizations, and is not a required part of the

basic financial statements. The accompanying schedules of

“Allocation of Expenses” and “Grant Revenue and Allocated

Expenses” are presented for purposes of additional analysis

and are not a required part of the basic financial statements.

Such information has been subjected to the auditing proce-

dures applied in the audit of the basic financial statements

and, in our opinion, is fairly stated, in all material respects,

in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.

Ferri & Company

Glendale, California

January 16, 2009

I N D E P E N D E N T A U D I T O R ’ S R E P O R T S T A T E M E N T S O F F I N A N C I A L P O S I T I O N


1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business

The Center is a nonprofit, tax exempt organization whose

main activity is the development of civic education programs

for elementary and secondary school students. The Center

is affiliated with the State Bar of California.

Financial Statement Presentation

The Center reports information regarding its financial

position and activities according to three classes of net assets:

unrestricted net assets, temporarily restricted net assets,

and permanently restricted net assets. The Center reports

temporarily restricted grant revenue as unrestricted in the

period in which it is received, because any restrictions

are met in the same reporting period.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Center considers all highly liquid investments with

a maturity of three months or less, when purchased, to

be cash equivalents.

Investments

Investments are composed of debt and equity securities

carried at fair value. Fair value of securities is determined

by quoted market price. Unrealized gains and losses are

included in the net gain or loss on investments in the

statement of activities.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are reported at the amount management

expects to collect on balances outstanding at year-end.

Management closely monitors outstanding balances and

writes off, as of year-end, all balances that have not been

collected by the time the financial statements are issued.



For the years ended July 31, 2008 and 2007

2008 2007

Revenues

Grant revenue (Note 7) $25,603,212 $25,627,031

Net sales – educational materials 1,058,234 1,154,128

Investment (loss) income (106,654) 326,559

Interest income 24,461 34,177

Other income 162,992 115,669

Total income 26,742,245 27,257,564

Expenses

Salaries and related costs (Note 6) 6,190,459 6,190,522

Sub-awards 9,335,823 9,731,029

Teacher training institutes 1,218,253 1,431,124

Leadership training workshops 1,725,303 1,558,086

Leadership conferences 728,540 1,458,091

National hearings and showcases 1,317,468 987,488

Staff and consultant travel 610,714 743,920

Educational materials 2,341,533 1,616,775

Cost of sales – educational materials 308,828 285,296

Mailing and educational materials distribution 607,276 567,147

Contractual services 659,158 762,446

Office space and utilities 501,527 477,228

Other general support and administrative expenses 976,771 1,002,133

Total expenses 26,521,653 26,811,285

Increase in net assets 220,592 446,279

Net assets at beginning of year 4,011,417 3,565,138

Net assets at end of year $ 4,232,009 $ 4,011,417

E See Notes to Financial Statements on following pages

S T A T E M E N T S O F A C T I V I T I E S N O T E S T O F I N A N C I A L S T A T E M E N T S

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost is

determined principally by the first-in, first-out method.

Furniture and Equipment

The Center depreciates furniture and equipment using the

straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the

assets. The Center assesses the impairment of long-lived

assets whenever events and circumstances indicate that

the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable.

Income Tax Status

The Internal Revenue Service has advised the Center that it

is exempt from federal income taxes under Internal Revenue

Code Section 501(c)(3). As such, the Center is taxable only

on any net unrelated business income under Section 511

of the Code. The Center has also received an advance ruling

dated January 28, 1983, that the Center is not a Private

Foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the Code.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with

accounting principles generally accepted in the United

States requires management to make estimates and assump-

tions that affect certain reported amounts and disclosures.

Accordingly, actual results could differ from those estimates.

In addition, the Center leases warehouse and additional

office space, and an apartment under month to month

operating leases for approximately $7,300 per month. Total

rental expense for the years ended July 31, 2008 and 2007

was approximately $445,400 and $435,400, respectively.

Future minimum lease payments are detailed as follows

at July 31, 2008:

6. Employee Benefit Plan

The Center maintains a defined contribution pension plan

covering substantially all eligible employees. The plan calls

for yearly contributions by the Center to eligible participating

employees. Contributions of approximately $627,000 and

$643,000 were authorized and made for the years ended

July 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively.

7. Grants

Revenue from cost-reimbursement grants totaling approxi-

mately $35,000,000 at July 31, 2008 is subject to review

and audit by the grantors. On May 12, 2008, the Center was

notified by the Office of Inspector General of the Department

of Education (ED) that it was initiating an audit of the

expenditures charged by the Center to the “We the People”

and certain other grants issued by ED to the Center.

The ED auditors have completed their initial on-site review



N O T E S T O F I N A N C I A L S T A T E M E N T S ( C O N T . )

2. Concentration of Credit Risk

The Center maintains its cash funds and temporary invest-

ments in domestic financial institutions and brokerage

firms. Financial instruments that potentially subject the

Center to a concentration of credit risk consist of cash and

cash equivalents on deposit in financial institutions in excess

of federal insured limits. To mitigate this risk, the Center

maintains deposits in high-quality financial institutions.

3. Certificates of Deposit

At July 31, 2008, the Center had two certificates of deposit

ranging in maturities from 180 days to one year, with

interest rates ranging from 1.49% to 3.5%.

4. Investments

Investments are recorded at fair value. At July 31, invest-

ments consisted of the following: (see chart below)

5. Commitments

The Center has entered into a five-year operating lease for

office facilities effective April 12, 2004. The monthly rental

was $27,060 for the first year, and increased by 3% on

each anniversary date.

In November, 2008, the Center negotiated a two-year

extension of the lease commencing on April 27, 2009,

with a base rent of $33,292 and an increase of 3% on the

anniversary date.

of the Center’s records, but are continuing to request

follow-up information from the Center to complete the audit.

The Center has provided the documents and information

requested by the ED auditors. To date, ED has not notified

the Center that any expenditures charged by the Center to

the ED grants were noncompliant with applicable laws,

regulations or grant provisions. The ultimate outcome of the

audit is uncertain at present. The accompanying financial

statements do not include adjustments, if any, that might

be necessary based on the final outcome of the ED audit.

As of July 31, 2008, the Center has been awarded twenty-

three grants totaling approximately $34,700,000 of which

approximately $24,800,000 has not been expended or received.

One major federal grantor comprises approximately 87%

of total grant revenue. A significant reduction in the level

of this support could have a material effect on the Center’s

ability to continue programs and activities.

Organization Status

The Center for Civic Education is a nonprofit organization

as defined in sections 509(a)1 and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) of the

Internal Revenue Code.

Financial Statements

These condensed financial statements have been derived

from the full audited financial statements. A copy of these

audited financial statements and independent auditor’s

report may be obtained by contacting the Fiscal Office,

Center for Civic Education, 5145 Douglas Fir Road,

Calabasas, California, 91302.

Investment Return (Summarized) 2008 2007

Interest and dividend income $ 131,287 $ 97,948

Net unrealized gains (237,941) 228,611

Total investment (loss) income $ (106,654) $ 326,559

Investment Cost Fair Value Unrealized Appreciation

2008 Vanguard Mutual Funds $ 3,041,313 $ 3,156,570 $ 115,257

2007 Vanguard Mutual Funds $ 2,410,026 $ 2,763,224 $ 353,198

Fiscal year ending July 31 Amount

2009 $ 366,000

2010 $ 369,000

2011 $ 309,000

$ 1,044,000


Charles N. Quigley

executive director

Hon. Spencer Abraham

Hon. Les AuCoin

Richard D. Bagin

William G. Baker

Hon. Max Baucus

Hon. Bill Bradley

John M. Bridgeland

Anne Bryant

Hon. John H. Buchanan Jr.

Hon. Dale L. Bumpers

R. Freeman Butts

Mark W. Cannon

Gene R. Carter

Michael Casserly

Hon. Thad Cochran

Hon. William S. Cohen

Gail Connelly

John F. Cooke

Hon. Philip M. Crane

Hon. Mitchell E. Daniels Jr.

Thomas Donohue

Jean Bethke Elshtain

Hon. Dianne Feinstein

William Galston

Susan Griffin

William F. Harris

Hon. Orrin G. Hatch

Hon. Mark O. Hatfield

Charles Haynes

Hon. Ernest F. Hollings

Paul D. Houston

A. E. Dick Howard

Victoria Hughes

Hon. James Jeffords

Hon. Edward M. Kennedy

Kathryn Kolbert

Jack Lockridge

William L. Lucas

Hon. David McIntosh

Glenn Anne McPhee

Joe McTighe

Hon. Patty Murray

Kitty O’Reilley

William T. Pound

Hon. J. Danforth Quayle

Diane Ravitch

Cheryl Red Owl

Alfred S. Regnery

Karen M. Ristau

Robert A. Schadler

NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R SN A T I O N A L A D V I S O R Y C O M M I T T E E

Thomas A. Craven, Esq.

president

Dr. H. David Fish

Richard A. Frankel, Esq.

Prof. C. Hugh Friedman

Ruth M. Gadebusch

Janet M. Green

William D. Hatcher

Paul A. Kramer Jr., Esq.

Stanley W. Legro

Dr. William L. Lucas

Dr. Dale R. Marshall

Dr. Ali Mossaver-Rahmani

Laura O’Leary

Hon. James D. Otto

James N. Penrod, Esq.

Dr. Paul M. Possemato

Dr. Clark N. Quinn

M. Carmen Ramirez, Esq.

Moina Shaiq

Clara Slifkin, Esq.

Robert B. Taylor

Jeri Thomson

Prof. Jonathan D. Varat

David Vigilante

Hon. Philip R. Sharp

Hon. Gordon H. Smith

Raymond W. Smock

Philippa Strum

Gerald Tirozzi

Donnis Van Roekel

Randi Weingarten

Gene Wilhoit

Mary Wilson

Paul A. Yost Jr.

Pauline Weaver, Esq.

Robert Wells

Dr. Charles L. Whiteside

Daniel Wong

James W. Ziglar Sr.

directors emeriti

Dr. R. Freeman Butts

Joanne M. Garvey, Esq.

Dr. Tom Giugni

Leland R. Selna Jr., Esq.

In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion,it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.

G E O R G E W A S H I N G T O N


S U P P O R T I N G O R G A N I Z A T I O N S

The Center for Civic Education wishes to express its appreciation

to the following groups for their support of project activities

California State Department of Education

Congress of the United States

Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation, Inc.

Maytag Foundation

National Endowment for the Humanities

The Pew Charitable Trusts

United States Agency for International Development

United States Department of Education: Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools

United States Department of Justice: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

United States Department of State

D E C L A R A T I O N O F I N D E P E N D E N C E

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal,

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable

Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness—

That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men,

deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.

Cover Image: Detail, Gilbert Stuart, James Madison, c. 1821, 1979.4.2, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund,Image courtesy of the Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington.

FOR ADDIT IONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVIT IES

OF THE CENTER FOR CIVIC EDUCATION PLEASE CONTACT

Main Office Washington, D.C. Office5145 Douglas Fir Road 1743 Connecticut Avenue NWCalabasas, CA 91302-1440 Washington, DC 20009-1108800 350-4223 202 861-8800818 591-9330 fax 202 861-8811 [email protected] [email protected] civiced.org