Thirty Schools Recognized for Dedication to High Quality Civic Learning

On August third Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas announced that thirty Arizona public schools are being recognized as 2014-2015 Arizona Civic Engagement schools by the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Excellence in Civic Engagement Program (ECEP). Currently in its third year, ECEP recognizes and supports the important role schools play in ensuring that students are informed and engaged citizens.

“The ECEP program highlights what I feel is a critical function of our public education system, which is to ensure that when students leave school to pursue further education or their chosen career they are able to contribute to our great nation as active citizens,” said Superintendent Douglas. “These honorees should be very proud of their accomplishments, and I hope that other schools across Arizona will look to them as models when emphasizing civic learning in their classrooms.”

ECEP identifies schools that demonstrate knowledge and effective implementation of the following six proven practices in civic learning: classroom instruction in civics and government, history, economics, geography, law and democracy; service learning linked to classroom learning; experiential learning; learning through participation in models and simulations of democratic processes and procedures; guided classroom discussion of current issues and events; and meaningful participation in school governance.

Public schools from around the state, both traditional and charter, applied for recognition as an Arizona Civic Engagement school with one of the following designations: School of Merit, School of Distinction or School of Excellence. Of those schools, 16 have been recognized as Schools of Merit, 10 have been honored as Schools of Distinction and four have received the most prestigious recognition as Schools of Excellence.

The schools will be formally recognized at an award ceremony on September 17, 2015— Constitution Day.

For more information about ADE’s Excellence in Civic Engagement Program, please visit www.azed.gov/civicengagement.

Arizona Civic Engagement Schools 2014-2015

Schools of Merit

Arizona Charter Academy – Charter

Benson High School – Benson Unified School District

Boulder Creek High School – Deer Valley Unified School District

Carson Junior High – Mesa Public Schools

Chandler High School – Chandler Unified School District

East Valley Academy – Mesa Public Schools

Franklin Junior High – Mesa Public Schools

Imagine Prep-Surprise – Charter

Kino Junior High – Mesa Public Schools

Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies – Mesa Public Schools

Mesa High School – Mesa Public Schools

Sandra Day O’Connor High School – Deer Valley Unified School District

Shadow Ridge High School – Dysart Unified School District

Stapley Junior High – Mesa Public Schools

Westar Elementary School – Liberty Elementary School District

Taylor Junior High – Mesa Public Schools

Schools of Distinction

Dobson High School – Mesa Public Schools

Hamilton High School – Chandler Unified School District

Mountain View High School – Mesa Public Schools

New School for the Arts and Academics – Charter

Red Mountain High School – Mesa Public Schools

Safford IB Magnet School – Tucson Unified School District

Shepherd Junior High – Mesa Public Schools

Smith Junior High – Mesa Public Schools

South Mountain High School – Phoenix Union High School District

Westwood High School – Mesa Public Schools

Schools of Excellence

Arizona School for the Arts – Charter

Rhodes Junior High – Mesa Public Schools

Skyline High School – Mesa Public Schools

Tanque Verde High School – Tanque Verde Unified School District