Learn and Serve America

Wisconsin's Service-Learning Program

High quality service-learning practice does not happen by accident, nor does it happen in isolation. Wisconsin takes a systems approach to the process, grounding implementation solidly in the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice.

Over the next three years, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WDPI) will leverage funding to develop the necessary support and infrastructure to result in sustainable, high quality service-learning practice in teaching STEM and creativity concepts and skills.

The following components will impact retention and graduation rates and have the potential to reach every student in the state:

1. Funding that specifically addresses support for ongoing professional development and teacher mentoring. A cascade model of professional development will provide ongoing skill development, exemplar curricular models, mentoring, and implementation that fosters continuous improvement. This work will be grounded in the STEM disciplines, focusing on utilizing service-learning as a core instructional methodology to teach 21st century skills across the curriculum.
2. An emphasis on increased support and policy development to advance service-learning.
3. Funding for districts to institutionalize service-learning throughout the educational experience. Leadership institutes will be provided that assist districts in simultaneously adopting the five critical components for institutionalization: Vision and leadership; curriculum and assessment; community-school partnerships; professional development; and continuous improvement.

DPI Administers Service-Learning Grants

Each year the DPI receives a Learn and Serve America (LSA) grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service to support school-based service-learning programs. The current focus of the Learn and Serve grant is to support ongoing professional development and establish an infrastructure to nurture the practice of high quality service-learning as an instructional methodology in teaching STEM and creativity concepts and skills.

Grant awards of up to $20,000 to local education agency partnerships or a consortium of LEAs to support the implementation and institutionalization of programs that advance service-learning as an effective pedagogy in teaching STEM and creativity. This year, $118,172 is available to support applications to create a lasting service-learning culture in Wisconsin schools.

The 2009-10 RFP is available as a pdf.

Deadline for proposals was June 15, 2009 with grant awards to be announced no later than August 31, 2009.

Funding Priorities

Funding priority was given to Learn and Serve programs that

• Expand upon previous grant work with documentation of successful implementation of a 2008-2009 Learn and Serve America grant. Continuation grants are provided for up to six years.
• Provide for innovative ongoing professional development that leads to continuous improvement in service-learning practice based on the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice.
• Incorporate strategic curriculum development to teach STEM and creativity across the content areas with learning that is explicitly tied to service. These curricular models must be grounded in STEM and creativity through learning in arts and sciences. In designing models for implementation, process is more important than content. For more on STEM, please see DPI's STEM webpage.
• Identify a strategic plan to develop district policies and practice which support the advancement of service-learning through vision and leadership, curriculum and assessment, professional development, community-school partnerships, and continuous improvement.
• Identify service-learning as a strategy to address the school district's need to improve achievement test scores, student attendance, reduce drop-out rates, and/or close the achievement gap.
• Establish partnerships with teacher education departments in providing professional development in service-learning for pre-service and P-16 educators in the public schools and institutions of higher education.

Types of Grants

Three types of grants were available for the 2009-2010 school year.

A. Planning Grants

The DPI provides planning grants to an LEA or consortium of LEAs in order to develop a plan to establish service-learning as a key instructional practice for teaching STEM concepts and skills across the district curriculum. Grant allocations in this category were $5,000-$10,000.

B. Implementation Grants

The DPI provides grants to implement service-learning to an LEA or consortium of LEAs. Applicants are expected to have a plan in place for district-wide utilization of service-learning as an instructional methodology to teach STEM and creativity across the curriculum.

C. Institutionalization Grants

The DPI provided grants to an LEA or consortium of LEAs to institutionalize service-learning as a key instructional methodology to teach STEM and creativity across the curriculum. Districts must have implemented high quality service-learning for a minimum of three years to be eligible for this grant.

Strategies to Advocate for Service-Learning

Service-Learning and Learn and Serve America Policy and Advocacy is a PowerPoint about what Service-Learning advocates can do to ensure that funds for Learn and Serve America are continued at a reasonable level.

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For questions about this information, contact Theresa L. Dary (608) 261-7494

Last updated on 6/25/2009 9:51:24 AM