The Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition (MCLC) is a non-partisan coalition of over 60 nonprofits, educators, universities, and other partners committed to renewing our democracy by ensuring that all students gain the knowledge and experience of civic engagement to become thoughtful and active participants in building a better tomorrow. We believe that civic education has a vital role to play in the health of democracy and that everyone has a stake in the civic life of our communities, state, and nation.

In this Issue:

• MCLC Message
• MCLC Action Items
• MCLC Upcoming Meetings
• MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Updates
• MA Council for the Social Studies (MCSS) Updates
• Events, Resources and Announcements

The release of Ken Burns' The American Revolution is a reminder of the many dimensions of our history and how much of that complexity is still playing out today. As the film description notes, thirteen British colonies on the Atlantic Coast rose in rebellion, won their independence, and established a new form of government that radically reshaped the continent and inspired centuries of democratic movements around the globe…[the revolution] declared American independence with promises that we continue to strive for. The American Revolution opened the door to advance civil liberties and human rights, and it asked questions that we are still trying to answer today.

The celebration of America’s 250th anniversary is an ideal time to take stock and to take another look at where we came from and where we are going as a nation. MCLC is committed to that exploration, with a particular focus on the vital role civic education has to play in the health of democracy and the civic life of our communities, state, and nation. We continue to make the case for civic education through our many projects, ranging from engaging youth leaders to our ongoing collaboration with the history and social studies team at the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Most recently, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to discuss ways to deepen the collaboration with DESE with Massachusetts Commissioner, Pedro Martinez. In addition, we presented the work and resources of MCLC members to legislators and other state leaders who serve on the Special Commission on the 250th Anniversary Celebration of the American Revolution. We will continue to make the case for civic education during MA Civic Learning Week, March 9th to 13th, 2026 and throughout the year. 

See the action items below to join us in celebrating the unique place of Massachusetts in standing for liberty, pluralism, and independence for over 250 years.

Action Item #1

Help Us Promote Massachusetts Civic Learning Week 2026 — Share This Save the Date with Your Contacts!

Liberty and Learning: Civic Education at the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution

Save the Date: March 9th to 13th, 2026

MCLC is excited to host the annual Massachusetts Civic Learning Week 2026, which will be held this year from March 9th to 13th. As in past years, MCLC will host Massachusetts-focused events while National Civic Learning Week will host events on the national stage. 

Civic education provides each person with the necessary tools to engage as members of our self-governing society. We know that the best civic learning happens both in and outside of the classroom and is a lifelong endeavor. Civic Learning Week brings together students, educators, policymakers, and leaders in the public and private sectors to underscore the need to make civic learning, in all of its forms, a priority and to further energize the movement for civic education across Massachusetts.

As in past years, MCLC will host: 

• Student-focused sessions during the school day, for teachers to share with their classes. 
• Teacher-focused sessions in the afternoons, to provide professional learning and support. 
• General public sessions, to engage policymakers and families in the work of promoting civic learning.

MA Civic Learning Week events are free and open to all, including students, teachers, administrators, policymakers, families, and community members.

Don’t miss out! Save the dates and fill out the Interest Form to stay up-to-date with Civic Learning Week updates and registration in early 2026.

Action Item #2

We Need to Hear About Your Work!

How has your work contributed to teaching and learning, school culture, and overall academic performance? To further bolster our advocacy work with DESE, government officials, and others, MCLC is seeking stories of the great work of our member organizations in districts and schools across the state. Please briefly describe the project, the school, the district, and the results in a short paragraph of 8-10 sentences and submit it to the Steering Committee Lead for this project, Katie Giles (kgiles@civichistory.org). If you have any educator and/or student quotes or images of relevant student work, we’d also love to receive those. We plan to follow up with you on any stories that we will plan to use.

Action Item #3

A250/MA250 — Please Share MCLC Resources for the 250th Anniversary with Your Networks!

As part of our celebration of this 250th anniversary year, MCLC has compiled educational resources and programs from member organizations and others in the MCLC MA250 Slide Deck. On November 18th, we presented these resources to legislators and other state leaders who serve on the Special Commission on the 250th Anniversary Celebration of the American Revolution. We would like to make further use of this set of resources to promote MA Civic Learning Week and MA250. Please share it with your networks.

Action Item #4

Future Newsletter Submissions — Use the New Form!

MCLC is updating our procedure for producing the newsletter. Please use the new submission form to send any announcements or updates for publication. Note that this form is new—to replace the one shared recently that had tech issues. We will publish the next newsletter in early January, so please send all submissions by Monday, January 5th, 2026.

If you would like to attend one of these meetings, please contact David Buchanan (david.buchanan@icivics.org).

MCSS Annual Conference and Membership                                                             

Annual Conference

Mark your calendars: March 13th is the Spring 2026 MCSS Annual Conference at Old Sturbridge Village. See the conference website here.

A robust set of workshops provided by both subject matter experts and teachers in the field will revolve around these conference themes:

• Social Studies in a Digital Age: Artificial Intelligence, Media Literacy, and Critical Thinking
• The American Story: 250 Years of Revolution and Resilience

The conference presents three opportunities:

1. Present — The Call for Proposals is out now. Consider presenting or tapping one of the experts in your department.
2. Attend — The price is right: $50 for member districts and $75 for non-members. Carve out those funds now! Registrations will be open January 1st. 
3. Organize — We’re an educator-driven organization. If you’d like to get in on the creative/organizational side of this conference, please let us know.  

Membership



Districts and organizations should join today! Enjoy membership benefits, which include discounts for PD and the annual conference. Click here to view the membership form and here to make a copy to fill out. Don’t miss out!

Introducing Facing History’s Civic Education Curriculum Collection

Facing History’s new Civic Education Curriculum Collection is rich in instructional strategies proven to foster meaningful civic engagement. Designed for middle and high school classrooms, this flexible, C3-aligned collection uses our evidence-based approach to help educators guide students toward ethical and informed civic participation in democracy.

From the Case Method Institute for Education and Democracy: Professional Development Opportunity for History, Government, and Civics Teachers 

The Case Method Institute (CMI) is offering exceptional, no-cost professional development opportunities this year for high school teachers of U.S. history, government, and civics. These programs introduce educators to the case method and the History of American Democracy case collection. Choose from one of two pathways to get started: a live Zoom-based workshop featuring an interactive session led by Professor Moss, with an upcoming date on December 8th, or a fully asynchronous option teachers can start right away. Visit cmi.org/apply to view CMI’s upcoming PD opportunities and sign up. If you’re not ready to apply just yet, you can join the mailing list or download this brochure to learn more. 

From the Civic Learning Institute, Harvard Graduate School of Education: Registration for the 4-Week Online Courses is Now Open

Registration for the brief, 4-week online courses offered by the Civic Learning Institute at the Harvard Graduate School of Education is now open! Courses involve two live sessions and two asynchronous sessions for 10 hours total time (2.5 hrs/wk). 

Connect with educators from across the country, get feedback from teachers using these civics-based ideas in your grade level, and enhance your teaching skills in supporting civics student learning in any grade level or subject area. Enroll for just $15 per course (tuition is subsidized). Register today, as space is limited. Receive a Certificate documenting your learning hours from the Democratic Knowledge Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

Upcoming courses include:

• Difficult Conversations in the Classroom with Meira Levinson of Harvard Graduate School of Education | January 29th to February 25th, 2026

Each course is aligned with the Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy, developed by a cross-ideological group of 300 educators, scholars, and practitioners, and uniquely integrates strategies designed to enhance both your content knowledge and pedagogical skills. Learn more on CLI’s website, and share with your colleagues and other interested educators!

Want some help publicizing an event, resource or other announcement? MCLC can help. Submit info on your event or announcement via the Submit My Event or Resource Form.