§ 15 -   Council on civics education

§ 15. Council on civics education

(a) The commissioner of education or designee shall convene and chair a council on civics education to strengthen civics education opportunities for all Vermonters.

(b) The council shall consist of the secretary of state or designee and one person chosen by each of the following organizations: the Vermont league of women voters, the Vermont bar association, the Vermont humanities council, the Vermont principals association, the Snelling Center for Government, a teacher from the Vermont alliance for social studies, a teacher from the Vermont national education association, the Vermont school boards association, and the Vermont superintendents association. Any interested member of the house or senate committee on education may attend council meetings as a nonvoting member.

(c) The council shall:

(1) continually assess the status of civics education in Vermont schools at all education levels, including higher education;

(2) make recommendations to enhance civics education;

(3) make recommendations regarding benefits of increasing civics coordination services at the state house;

(4) maintain an inventory of civics and service education opportunities available for Vermont students;

(5) assess and recommend best practices in civics education;

(6) build and maintain a network of civics education professionals to share information and strengthen partnerships;

(7) support and help coordinate an alignment of civics education curricula at all education levels, including higher education;

(8) prepare an annual report of its activities. (Added 2005, No. 182 (Adj. Sess.), § 29.)