Recent events in the United States reinforce the importance of greater participation by young people in our nation’s civic life. With remarkable synchronicity, the final report of the bipartisan National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service was recently published after two years of study. The report called for a dramatic increase in service-learning opportunities for K-12 students, giving young people the problem-solving and academic skills they need to be successful in school and as active members of a democratic society.

The Commission proposes to expand civic and service learning for K-12 and Higher Education, including a $250 Million Service-Learning Fund that would be used to train educators and support Summer of Service and Semester of Service service-learning programs.