Creating a modern and robust democracy takes individuals, groups, neighborhoods, and communities working together. It also doesn’t hurt when you have a state institution charged with overseeing the education of 353,776 students that works hard every day to improve and advance civics education in our public schools.
Fortunately, we have just that with our very own Nebraska Department of Education. And they don’t just talk about the importance of civics education, they consistently take action to emphasize and advance civics in Nebraska. The Department of Education has made civics a core part of their mission and strategic plan. This year alone their Social Studies Specialist, Harris Payne, held a statewide civics summit, and worked closely with State Senator Bob Krist to craft legislation that would emphasize substantive civics education in Nebraska while still allowing schools with excellent civics programs to keep doing what they do well.
When it comes to the Nebraska Department of Education, actions really do speak louder than words, and because they have consistently taken action to strengthen civic education, we are proud to present them with the Outstanding Community Partner Award.
