School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program:

SCHOOL VIOLENCE PREVENTION DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM

Basic overview

The Center for Civic Education's School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program is a curriculum, training, and research program that provides students with opportunities to engage in high quality civic education and group participation exercises. The program is designed to improve students' civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes. It provides training opportunities for teacher participants that support the curriculum and emphasize critical thinking, cooperative learning, group problem-solving, and performance-based assessment. It also provides research and evaluation of changes in students' civic knowledge and attitudes as they relate to tolerance for the ideas of others; civic responsibility; authority and the law; and social and political institutions. The program began in May 1999, when the Center was awarded a grant from the United States Department of Education to study ways in which civic values and principles might be used to create a positive effect on violence among youth. Research studies had demonstrated that excellent civic education programs, such as the Center's We the People program, could have positive effects on students' attitudes towards society. The 1999-2000 school year pilot implementation of the program in seven large school district sites was premised on that belief and began the attempt to draw attention to ways in which civic education can be used as a violence prevention tool. The expansion of the program since the pilot year has been significant, and the program now includes twenty-one sites in public, private, urban, rural, and Native American school sites.

SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE

Sequatchie County High School and Bledsoe County Middle School serve as the training sites for teachers from the Southeast Tennessee Counties of Bledsoe, Bradley, Grundy, Marion, Rhea, and Sequatchie.

County	Per Capita Income	Population	Persons Below Poverty	U.S. Representative
Bledsoe	$13,889	13,030	19.0%	Lincoln Davis
Bradley Cleveland City	$18,317	38,627	16.1%	Zach Wamp
Grundy	$12,039	14,449	22.2%	Lincoln Davis
Marion	$16,419	27,942	15.0%	Lincoln Davis
Rhea	$15,673	30,347	16.2%	Zach Wamp
Sequatchie	$16,468	13,002	15.7%	Lincoln Davis
Averages	$15,592

Foundations of Democracy

Lesson Plan on Foundations Portfolio:

Lesson Plan

The average per capita income of the participating counties is $15,592. Since 2001, the Tennessee Center for Civic Learning and Engagement, in partnership with the Center for Civic Education, has used the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program (SVPDP) in elementary, middle, and high schools throughout U.S. Congressional Districts 3 and 4. In the first year of the program, teachers from Districts 3 and 4 were recruited; in the past four years, teachers from Congressional Districts 2, 3, 4, and 5 have been involved. The program has reached approximately 6,203 southeast Tennessee students. An estimated 125 teachers have continued to use the program materials in their classrooms after their initial year of training.

PROGRAM’S IMPACT ON SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE
	July 2008 - June 2009	September 2001 - June 2008	Total
Schools	9	85	94
Students	1,608	6,203	7,807
Teachers	22	178	200
Community leaders as outside resource persons	12	66	78

Program Highlights and Anecdotes

Six teachers brought students to participate in the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution state showcase.
Six teachers brought students to the Project Citizen state showcase in Nashville.
The results of Project Citizen portfolios:
- As a result of their Project Citizen portfolios, students succeeded in getting a crosswalk near their school in Congressional District 4, implementing a “leash law” to keep animals from their school playground, and establishing a “no bullying” policy.
Student awareness of local government structure and procedures has increased as a result of the involvement of local government officials acting as a resource for the program.
Teacher and student surveys indicate improved student civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards rights and responsibilities.

PowerPoints from Elementary Students:

2nd Grade Valley Forge Elementary School Video

The player will show in this paragraph

Quotes

Civics Education has been put in the spotlight on the state level by the teachers and students at Brown Academy thanks to the SVPDP.
Tennessee State Representative Tommie Brown

The SVPDP has provided me, my students, and their families with resources not available before. The students came to school motivated and anxious to learn.
Billy Campbell, Teacher

Students involved in the SVPDP had fewer absences, fewer behavioral referrals, and an increase in test scores.
Leigh Ann Burke, Principal
Brown Academy

The SVPDP has brought about major improvements in the way teachers teach civic education.
Frederick I. Denning, Director of Schools
Cleveland City School

Teachers are changing the way they teach that greatly affects assessment results for our students. The use of interactive teaching strategies incorporated with excellent curricula has increased the school attendance rate, the state-mandated test scores, and a positive change in attitudes toward authority.
Jeff Elliott, Principal
Cleveland Middle School

Through the SVPDP’s Project Citizen component, my students have learned that they “do have a voice.” Project Citizen activities allowed my class to develop and get implemented a “no bullying” policy that now exists system-wide.
Jack Kidwell, Seventh-grade teacher
Cleveland Middle School

The teachers who have the opportunity to participate in the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program are extremely blessed. I have worked with teachers across the state on topics related to the First Amendment and feel assured that no other teachers in Tennessee are as well equipped to handle First Amendment topics in the classroom as these teachers.
Dr. David Hudson, First Amendment scholar

For more information, contact:
Vera Adams, Site Coordinator ladyvals@aol.com
Janis Adams Kyser, jkyser@clevelandschools.org
Maria Gallo, Director, School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program gallo@civiced.org

APPALACHIA CORRIDOR TENNESSEE

The estimated population of Roane County, Tennessee is 53,293. In 2005, the per capita income in Roane County was $18,456. The population is 95.1% white, 2.7% African-American, and 0.5% Asian, with 14.7% living in poverty. Since 2001, the Tennessee Center for Civic Learning and Engagement, in partnership with the Center for Civic Education, has used the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program (SVPDP) in elementary, middle, and high schools throughout U.S. Congressional District 4. In the first year of the program, teachers from Congressional Districts 3 and 4 were recruited to pilot the curricular materials in collaboration with Southeast Kentucky. Since 2002, when Appalachia, Tennessee, became an individual site, the program has tripled in size and expanded to schools in Congressional Districts 1, 2, and 4. In the past seven years, the program has reached approximately 3,539 eastern Tennessee students. An estimated 65 teachers have continued to use the program materials in their classrooms after their initial year of training. During the 2008–09 academic year, 12 new SVPDP teachers in 13 classes are reaching 370 students in grades K-5 at Walnut Hill Elementary School. Walnut Hill School was targeted for school-wide implementation. Principal Glenna Treece, a past participant, requested the school as a pilot site for the entire county.

Foundations of Democracy

PROGRAM’S IMPACT ON APPALACHIA CORRIDOR TENNESSEE
	July 2008 - June 2009	September 2002 - June 2006	Total
Schools	2	42	44
Students	370	3,169	3,539
Teachers	12	81	93
Community leaders as outside resource persons	10	234	244

PowerPoint about Appalachia Corridor

Appalachia School Violence Prevention Program PPT

Program Highlights and Anecdotes

Happy Valley High SVPDP teacher Terry Morley and her class won the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution state showcase for the fourth year. The class will represent Tennessee at the national finals in Washington, D.C.
Doe Elementary School SVPDP teacher Daphne Greene received an “excellent” ranking in the Project Citizen national showcase.
The SVPDP students’ Project Citizen portfolio, a “Quieter Diet,” addressed lunchroom noise and placed first in the Tennessee state showcase.
Teacher and student surveys and the results of focus groups both indicated an improvement in students’ civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards rights and responsibilities.
Access to outside resource people enhanced student awareness of local government structure and procedures.
School resource officers, local businessmen, and government officials joined parents and community leaders in becoming involved in the program.
Representative Lincoln Davis (TN-04) of Tennessee supports the program and sends staff to serves as judges at showcases.

Quotes

The SVPDP provides the greatest opportunity for communities to become actively engaged in the youth’s education. I enjoyed the interaction with the youth and teachers.

John Heacock, Attorney

This year has been the best school year for our son. His involvement in the SVPDP provided our family with a unique way to stay actively involved in his education.

Sarah Johnson, Parent

The SVPDP provides curriculum and training that actively engages students in their own learning. I had to learn to become a “facilitator” of the student learning instead on standing in front of the class. This program has renewed my desire to remain in the classroom.
Colleen Proffitt, Fifth-grade teacher

I welcome the opportunity to work with teachers in Congressman Davis’ district. This program encompasses his beliefs on civic education.

Cynthia Jackson, Congressional aide to Congressman Davis

The School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program provides professional development that meets “Best Practices” and encourages teachers to use interactive strategies with their students.

Dr. David Timbs, Supervisor of Instruction, District 1

The curricula and training offered through the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program has been invaluable to my school. School attendance dramatically improved, behavioral problems have decreased, and students are motivated to learn.
Daphne Greene, Doe Elementary School, District 1

MEMPHIS TENNESSEE

Cordova Middle School in Shelby County, Tennessee, serves as the training site for teachers participating in the Memphis Tennessee School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program. In the 2007–08 academic year, 16 teachers reached 2,050 students in grades K–12.

During the second semester of 2006–07, the Tennessee Center for Civic Learning and Engagement, in partnership with the Center for Civic Education, piloted SVPDP in elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the district. In the first full implementation year of the program, teachers from U.S. Congressional District 9 participated in the program which, to date, has reached approximately 4,615 Memphis, Tennessee, students. An estimated 24 teachers continue to use the program materials in their classrooms after their initial year of training.

This year, Tennessee State Representative Joe Towns Jr. requested that the program take place in his district.

The per capita income of Memphis City is $17,838. The population averages 34.4 percent white, 61.4 percent African-American, and 3.0 percent Hispanic.

PROGRAM’S IMPACT ON MEMPHIS TENNESSEE
	July 2008 - June 2009	July 2007 - June 2008	January - June 2007 PILOT	Total
Schools	3	10	4	17
Students	1,637	2,050	988	4,675
Teachers	19	16	14	49
Community Leaders as outside resource persons	12	8	4	24

Foundations of Democracy
Program Highlights and Anecdotes

Ten teachers brought students to make presentations at the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution state showcase
Ten teachers brought students to the Project Citizen state showcase in Nashville
Student awareness of local government structure and procedures has increased with local government officials becoming actively involved as outside resource persons
Local attorneys are participating along with parents and community leaders
Teacher and student surveys indicate improved student civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards rights and responsibilities

Quotes

The SVPDP provides evidence-based curricula and professional development to Memphis City teachers that we could not afford otherwise. Participating teachers report motivated learners and engaged parents.
Marilyn Horton-Taylor, Social Studies Specialist
Memphis City Schools

Having the opportunity to serve as an outside resource person for the SVPDP was the highlight of my year. Working with teachers to impact the lives of young students was inspiring.
R. Layne Holley, Attorney

For further information contact:

Center for Civic Education, 5145 Douglas Fir Road, Calabasas, CA 91302
Foundations of Democracy

Website: www.civiced.org
Janis Adams Kyser, Site Coordinator, jkyser@clevelandschools.org,
Maria Gallo, Director, School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program, gallo@civiced.org