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  • On-demand Events
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Civic Readiness Education in New York

Learn how Facing History's resources are used in the New York Department of Education’s Civics for All curriculum, and find resources to support schools implementing the Seal of Civic Readiness.

Supporting the State Seal of Civic Readiness

The New York State Department of Education is now inviting districts and schools across the state to apply to offer the Seal of Civic Readiness. To support schools offering or wishing to offer the Seal, Facing History & Ourselves is partnering with the NYCDOE’s Civics for All initiative to develop a Pathway to the Seal. Our new Civics Elective, Civics Project, and Civics Research Paper, forthcoming in summer 2023, all are designed to help students earn points toward the Seal.

Interested in learning more? Apply for our Teaching Civics Through History Grant! Grant recipients will receive access to our new Civics resources upon launch, fee waivers for summer professional learning, free planning sessions throughout the school year with our New York team, and more.

Our Teaching Civics Through History Grant awards special access to our Civics resources and support.

Learn More & Apply

A Proven Approach

A compelling body of research validates our approach to civic education. In a randomized controlled trial, Facing History was shown to significantly increase

  • students’ tolerance for others with different political views, 
  • their capacity for civil discourse, and 
  • their belief that they can make a difference.

Facing History students score higher than their peers on a civic responsibility index. Facing History alumni are more civically involved than their peers: more likely to vote, to participate in a civic or community group, and to discuss current events.

In addition, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) named Facing History as one of only nine middle or high school SEL programs (among nearly 400 nominated) that has a proven positive impact on students, such as increased empathy or more prosocial behavior. Facing History is just one of two cited that works at both the middle and high school level.

Civics for All

Civics for All, an initiative launched in Spring 2018 by the NYC Department of Education, provides resources, programming, and professional learning to all NYC schools. Civic education is an essential part of every student’s core academic program. This initiative focuses on education models that are interactive, project-based, and relevant to students’ lives. We have partnered with the Civics for All Team on their 6 - 12 Civics for All Curriculum and on the development of a Pathway to the Seal of Civic Readiness, forthcoming in summer 2023.

Explore Our Civics Resources for New York Educators

Learn more about how Facing History's resources meet the New York Department of Education’s Civics for All curriculum.

Facing History’s pedagogy engages young people with challenging content through a process that builds the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of deep civic learning.

Learn More

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