LRB-4818/1
PG:wlj:jf
2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE
March 8, 2006 - Introduced by Senators Olsen, Jauch, Darling, Harsdorf,
Erpenbach, Miller, Hansen
and S. Fitzgerald. Referred to Committee on
Senate Organization.
SR16,1,3 1Relating to: requesting a summit on civic education and providing for the
2preparation of a report and recommendations to promote and enhance civic
3education in Wisconsin schools.
SR16,1,64 Whereas, civic education encourages young people to be thoughtful and
5productive members of their communities and future leaders of the state of
6Wisconsin; and
SR16,1,97 Whereas, it is essential to the future health of our representative democracy
8that all young people be knowledgeable about democratic principles and practices,
9engaged in their communities and in politics, and committed to the public good; and
SR16,1,1110 Whereas, on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in 1998, 75
11percent of pupils scored at "basic" or "below basic" levels; and
SR16,1,1412 Whereas, according to The Civic and Political Health of the Nation: A
13Generational Portrait
, nearly one-half of 15- to 25-year-olds indicate that civic
14education increases their interest and participation in civic affairs; and
SR16,2,3
1Whereas, individuals who have a clear understanding of the rights and
2responsibilities of citizen in a representative democracy are more likely to exercise
3those rights and responsibilities; and
SR16,2,64 Whereas, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic
5Learning and Engagement, only 42 percent of eligible 18- to 24-year-olds voted in
6the 2004 presidential election; and
SR16,2,97 Whereas, service learning and project-based civic learning have consistently
8been shown to engage pupils in learning, improve their attitudes toward school, and
9have positive effects on their civic skills, knowledge, and abilities; and
SR16,2,1210 Whereas, providing civic education is a core mission of Wisconsin elementary
11and secondary schools and is explicitly recognized as an educational goal under s.
12118.01 (2) (c) of the statutes; and
SR16,2,1413 Whereas, civic education is crucial to the long-term social and political health
14of Wisconsin; now, therefore, be it
SR16,2,20 15Resolved by the senate, That the members of the Wisconsin senate request
16the state superintendent of public instruction, in cooperation with the governor of
17Wisconsin, to convene a summit on civic education with the goals of developing a
18strategy for promoting and enhancing civic education within the state and
19recommending a plan for improving civic education in the state's public elementary
20and secondary schools; and, be it further
SR16,3,2 21Resolved, That if a summit on civic education is convened, the delegates shall
22include the Wisconsin delegates to the congressional conferences on civic education,
23and shall include a diverse range of other delegates, including elected officials;
24students, teachers, and administrators from elementary and secondary education;

1members of the judiciary; representatives of civic organizations; representatives of
2the media; and other public members; and, be it further
SR16,3,5 3Resolved, That if a summit on civic education is convened, the delegates shall
4provide a report, with their findings and recommendations for future action, to the
5president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly by December 1, 2006.
SR16,3,66 (End)
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