CERL Issues Report on the James Madison Legacy Project
Dr. Diana Owen and the Civic Education Research Lab researchers Kathryn Hartzell and Chelsea Sanchez released a major report on the Center for Civic Education’s James Madison Legacy Project, a program of professional development for teachers of high-need students. The James Madison Legacy Project (JMLP) is a nationwide initiative of the Center for Civic Education (Center) that aims to expand the availability and effectiveness of civics instruction in elementary and secondary schools by providing professional development (PD) to teachers of high-need students. This report evaluates the first three years of the JMLP, from October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2018.
The JMLP successfully increased the number of highly effective teachers through PD based on the Center’s We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution (WTP) curriculum. The PD program substantially improved teachers’ content knowledge and developed their pedagogic skills, which in turn significantly enhanced students’ achievement in attaining state standards in civics and government. In conjunction with the JMLP, the Center developed a scalable blended-learning version of its long-standing WTP PD program that was viable, effective, and resource-efficient. The JMLP was implemented through the Center’s nationwide network of affiliated organizations that continues to support the program’s expansion and sustainability. The JMLP was funded by a Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant from the U.S. Department from Education.