The Education Commission of the States (ECS) and the National Center for Learning and Citizenship (NCLC) are pleased to announce the receipt of a grant for $926,640 from the Corporation for National and Community Service for grades 6-9 in the K-12 school-based program.

Service-learning is an approach to education that links community service to academic achievement while also teaching students about America's civic institutions and traditions.

"We're pleased to partner with NCLC to engage students to become involved in their communities through organized service-learning activities and experience a range of benefits, from improved academic achievement to the development of an ethic of civic involvement," said Elson Nash, acting director of the corporation. "We look forward to working with NCLC to make service-learning a common expectation in American education and youth development."

"It is an honor to receive this prestigious grant that covers a three-year program. We look forward to engaging the 100 District Leaders Network for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning and their schools to promote the use of high-quality service-learning to connect 21st Century Skills with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) objectives," notes ECS' NCLC Executive Director JoAnn Henderson. "We will serve a minimum of 100 students per school and anticipate awarding 20 sub-grant schools annually -- 10 through our existing Schools of Success initiative and 10 others made possible by this funding. Ultimately, we will serve over 6,000 students across the nation."

NCLC's Schools of Success program currently receives support from the State Farm Companies Foundation to promote service-learning leadership, policy and sustainability.

According to Henderson, participant development will emphasize civic engagement along with high-quality service-learning and academic achievement. At least one of the community issues sub-grantees will address community health.

Education Commission of the States (ECS) is the only nationwide, nonpartisan interstate compact devoted to education. ECS helps governors, legislators, state education officials and others identify, develop and implement public policies to improve student learning at all levels. A nonprofit organization, ECS was formed in 1965 and is located in Denver, Colorado. NCLC is an institute within ECS led by an executive advisory board composed of chief state school officers, state policymakers, district superintendents and national civic leaders. A major priority of NCLC is to assist leaders in developing policies and programs to deepen service-learning and citizenship education in K-12 schools.

The Corporation for National and Community Service improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. As the nation's largest grant maker in support of service and volunteering, the Corporation engages four million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to their communities each year through the Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, VISTA, NCCC, and Learn and Serve America programs.