SEANet Quality Review Tool/Sustainability Index
RMC Research Corporation has been contracted by SEANet to establish an online database on service-learning quality and sustainability. The database will help local and state users determine the status of programs at the local, state, and federal levels, and plan professional development services. Changes will be charted over time, for a period of up to three years.
If you are in the midst of developing a school or districtwide service-learning initiative or if your goal is to better understand the components of high performing schools or districts, you've come to the right place.
Families-Schools-Communities Learning Together: School Volunteer Guide 
DPI published this guide on recruiting, using, and retaining volunteers. There are articles and forms to meet just about all your needs.
Service Learning Education Beyond the Classroom: for students grades K through 12.
The Corporation for National and Community Service and the Environmental Protection Agency have collaborated this publication. The guide may be downloaded or ordered on line.
This booklet contains several service-learning projects that focus on various aspects of safe solid waste management, such as reducing household hazardous waste and buying recycled-content products. Each profile includes contacts who can provide information on how to start a similar program in your area. Additional resources, including grants that can help you start a project, are located in the back of this booklet.
ESEA (No Child Left Behind Act) and Service-Learning
Shelly H. Billig and Stephany Brown have written a short analysis 
of ways in which Service-Learning relates to the recently re-authorized federal education legislation. Billig (RMC Research) summarizes research related to academic learning.
Shumer's Self-Assessment for Service-Learning
The purpose of this self-assessment is both formative and summative. It is designed to gather information helpful to you--to improve your service-learning initiative, report on it, publicize it, secure support for it, or seek funding for it. You can choose any of a variety of ways to use it. Your focus can be on a class, grade, school, district, etc. You choose how often to use it, and when. It can be used for formative purposes at the beginning of the semester or year, monitoring in the middle, and summative evaluation at the end.
Decision makers at all levels, from governors to school principals to parents, can play a role in supporting service-learning. Below is a sample school district policy on service-learning. By establishing such a policy, school districts lend legitimacy to service-learning and encourage its use among educators.
Another way a school district can support service-learning is by dedicating staff time to coordinate a district-wide program. See: Sample Job Description for School District Service-Learning Coordinator.
Wisconsin Community Service Statute: 118.33(1)(c)
(c) A school board may require a pupil to participate in community service activities in order to receive a high school diploma
For more ideas on how to support service-learning visit the National Service-Learning Partnership.
If you are searching for the latest in service-learning research, this link includes a
listing of research findings.
SchoolGrants is a one-stop site for PK-12 school grant opportunities. Grant writing can be intimidating to those who are new at it. SchoolGrants helps ease those fears by providing tips to those who need them. Finding suitable grant opportunities requires a great deal of time and research - SchoolGrants reduces the effort by listing a variety of opportunities available to elementary and secondary schools and districts across the United States.
Sample Service-Learning School District Policy:
San Diego City School District Board of Education Policy on Service-Learning
The Board of Education desires that all students develop a strong sense of personal and social responsibility. We understand development of this virtue can occur by infusing service learning instructional formats as an integral component of curriculum. Research shows that infusion of these integrated teaching strategies improves critical thinking, communication, and planning skills while enhancing the targeted curricular framework. The District desires that service learning methodology be linked and coordinated with the instructional program. The PARC model, which emphasizes Preparation, Action, Reflection and Celebration, is supported by the District.
The District recognizes that service learning can help students develop skills, career awareness and self-esteem. Service experiences can also motivate students by allowing them to apply their skills and knowledge to local needs and problems and showing them that they can make a contribution to their community, by being part of the solution.
The District supports the integration of service learning activities with the curriculum to enhance the relevance of their instruction and meet standards in all subject areas. These activities provide exhibits that can be used as portfolio entries on which to base the senior exhibitions. We encourage staff to collaborate with local public and nonprofit agencies in order to develop service learning activities that meet educational objectives and also support current community efforts to meet health, educational, environmental or public safety needs. This meets the District's goals of helping to develop youth as contributing citizens and allows the opportunity for youth to be seen as resources in their communities.
Adopted unanimously on May 12, 1998
For questions about this information, contact Theresa L. Dary (608) 261-7494
Last updated on 2/25/2008 9:08:24 AM
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