22 Arizona schools recognized for civic engagement

Twenty schools across Arizona are the first to be recognized as Arizona Civic Engagement schools through the Arizona Department of Education’s Excellence in Civic Engagement Program. The ADE designed ECEP to recognize and support the important role that schools play to ensure that students are informed and engaged citizens.

ECEP, launched in October 2012, recognizes schools that implement the principles discussed within the Guardian of Democracy: The Civic Mission of Schools report, which provides research-based evidence of the decline in civic learning in American schools and presents six proven practices that should be at the center of every school’s approach to civic learning.

Twenty-eight schools, traditional and charter, applied for recognition as School of Merit, School of Distinction and School of Excellence. Of those schools, eight were judged to have emerging programs, ten have been recognized as a School of Merit and ten are honored as a School of Distinction. None of the schools were deemed to be ranked high enough to be rated as a School of Excellence.

“We are encouraged by the programs that schools are offering to prepare our youth to become informed, engaged citizens—and future civic leaders,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal. “I congratulate each of these schools for the work they are doing. We hope to see more schools apply for this recognition this coming school year.”

The schools will be recognized at an award ceremony on Sept. 17, 2013—Constitution Day.

Arizona Civic Engagement Schools 2012-2013

School of Merit/SCHOOL DISTRICT

School of Distinction/SCHOOL DISTRICT