Service-Learning United

United in Our Support of
Service-Learning

STAY INFORMED: POLICY UPDATES  

1. SIGN LETTER OF SUPPORT: Urge Congress to Support Funding for Learn and Serve America (Deadline: March 30, 2010)

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives must hear from service-learning advocates NOW. Many Representatives will submit their priorities for the Fiscal Year 2011 budget. Add your school or organization's name to a letter to urge Congress to invest $50 million in Learn and Serve America and to provide $750,000 to support service-learning resources and technical assistance within the National Service Clearinghouse. Deadline to sign-on: Tuesday, March 30, 2010.

Read the letter here. Add your school or organization's name to the list of supporters here.

Download Take Action Instructions and Message Points you can use to call or email Congress.

2. SPEAK UP FOR SERVICE-LEARNING IN EDUCATION LEGISLATION: Endorse Statement to Promote Service-Learning within the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Deadline: March 26, 2010 - 5PM pacific)

Service-Learning United is submitting comments to the House Committee on Education and Labor regarding the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Review statement here. Add your school or organization's name to the list of endorsing organizations here.

3. ADD YOUR VOICE. Service-Learning United is currently developing a comprehensive policy agenda to expand support and federal investment in service-learning. We are currently seeking input on a varierty of topics and issue areas. Click here to review the call schedule and RSVP today.

View the PowerPoint presentation from Service-Learning United's 2010 Policy Town Hall, held March 25, 2010 in conjunction with the 2010 National Service-Learning Conference. Also view the presentation on the Investing in Innovation Fund (i3).

The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act: Reauthorization of the National and Community Service Act of 1990

• Service-Learning United Recommendations for Reauthorization
• GIVE Act, H.R. 1388 (introduced March 9, 2009)
• Service-Learning United Letter of Support for H.R. 1388
• About the Serve America Act
• Full Bill
• Serve America Service-Learning Highlights 
• Congress Sends Serve America to the President: Service-Learning Thank-You's and Next Steps (3/27/09)
• House Passes Landmark Legislation to Expand Service-Learning (3/19/09)

Learn and Serve America Funding Update

• 2009 Appropriations
• 2010 Appropriations
• 2011 Appropriations

Service-Learning and the Obama Administration

• The Obama Service Plan
• Service-Learning United Statement to the Obama Transition Team
• Service-Learning and the Stimulus (American Recovery Act)
• Service-Learning Policy Agenda for the U.S. Department of Education

About Serving-Learning United
Service-Learning United is a growing alliance of state and national organizations working collectively to educate our nation’s leaders, policymakers, and citizens about the positive and powerful impact service-learning has on our young people and the communities they serve. We are committed to increasing support, recognition, and resources for service-learning through public engagement and effective policy strategies.

Federal Funding for Service-Learning
Learn and Serve America is a national program that supports service-learning through grants to K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and community-based organizations.  Since 1990, Learn and Serve America has engaged more than 15 million young people in service-learning. 

Speak. Act. Now.

CALL CONGRESS.
Use your cell phone and urge your members of Congress to increase support for Learn and Serve America*. Educate members of Congress and local elected officials by sharing your stories about the power of service-learning and its positive impact on students in your community. After you make your calls, urge at least 5 other people to do the same.

*While you can talk about your program and the impact of service-learning to members of Congress and their staff, DO NOT ask for specific funding levels or legislation while on time paid for through a Learn and Serve America grant.

CLICK AND SEND A MESSAGE.
Take two minutes to personalize a sample message to Congress with our online advocacy tool . It’s fast, and it’s easy. But don’t stop there. Ask your colleagues, parents, teachers, youth, friends, local supporters, and funders to send a message too. Spread the word about service-learning with a quick click. 

SHOW SERVICE-LEARNING IN ACTION.
Invite members of Congress and state and local officials to visit your service-learning program.  Take advantage of events including Global Youth Service Day (April 23-25, 2010), the National Learn and Serve Challenge (October 2009 - June 2010), and Congressional recesses when members of Congress are back in their home states and districts.  Invite their local staff to attend at any time.  Help them see how service-learning engages young people as active citizens and engaged learners. 

For tips on organizing a site visit and a sample invitation, visit our page, Arranging a Site Visit

CREATE A BUZZ.
Write a letter to the editor or submit an opinion article (“op-ed”) to your local paper.  Upload a video to our site on YouTube.  Start a FaceBook or MySpace Group about service-learning in your school or community.

For additional information and resources on connecting with the media, visit our page, Contacting the Media.

JOIN US!
Participate in Service-Learning United by signing up to receive policy updates and action alerts.

OUR POLICY PARTNERS

• State Education Agency K-12 Service-Learning Network
• Voices for National Service
• ServiceNation
• Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools