RDA Coordinators:

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http//www.representativedemocracy.org/index.asp
RDA Coordinators Jennifer Hunter Kevin Smalley
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Thomas Jefferson

• "I know of no safe depository of the ultimate
  powers of society but the people themselves, and
  if we think them not enlightened enough to
  exercise their control with a wholesome
  discretion, the remedy is not to take it from
  them but to inform their discretion."

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What is RDA?

• Project involving The Center for Civic Education,
  National Conference of State Legislatures, and
  the Center on Congress
• Working to reinvigorate in our system of
  government to foster civic learning and citizen
  engagement
• RDA is funded by the US Department of Education
  under the Education of Democracy Act approved by
  Congress

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Mission

• Improve public understanding of representative
  democracy and encourage Americans to play a
  responsible role in their government
• Strengthen classroom teaching about
  representative democracy
• Develop mass media programs to inform the public
  about representative institutions
• Provide legislators and staff with resource
  materials to help improve public understanding of
  their institutions
• Support research on public views about Congress
  and state legislatures

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Contents

• Representative Democracy in America Voices of
  the People
• A six-part video series on DVD to help middle and
  high school students understand our system of
  representative democracy.
• The six programs, each approximately 15-20
  minutes in length, and the instructional guide
  address the following topics
• the roots of representative democracy
• federalism and the separation of powers
• the roles of representatives, executives, and
  justices in our democracy
• our representatives and how they are chosen
• how our representatives work to represent us
• the role of the citizen in a representative
  democracy

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How Americans View Their Democracy

• http//www.representativedemocracy.org/repdem_docu
  ments/LeadershipSem_July08_Kurtz.pdf

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Supporters of RDA
Center for Civic Education 5145 Douglas Fir
Road Calabasas, CA 91302 818.591.9321 www.civiced.
org
National Conference of State Legislatures 7700
East First Place Denver, CO 80230 303.364.7700 www
.ncsl.org/trust
The Center on Congress at Indiana University 1315
E. Tenth Street Bloomington, IN
47405 812.856.4706 www.centeroncongress.org
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Center for Civic Education

• The Center for Civic Education is a nonprofit,
  nonpartisan educational corporation dedicated to
  promoting an enlightened and responsible
  citizenry committed to democratic principles and
  actively engaged in the practice of democracy in
  the UnitedStates and other countries.
• The Center specializes in civic/citizenship
  education, law-related education, and
  international educational exchange programs for
  developing democracies. Programs focus on the
  U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights American
  political traditions and institutions at the
  federal, state, and local levels
  constitutionalism civic participation and the
  rights and responsibilities of citizens.

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CivEds Goals

• The principal goals of the Center's programs are
  to help students develop
• an increased understanding of the institutions of
  American constitutional democracy and the
  fundamental principles and values upon which they
  are founded,
• the skills necessary to participate as effective
  and responsible citizens, and
• the willingness to use democratic procedures for
  making decisions and managing conflict.

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CivEds Programs

• Center for Civic Educations programs include
• We the People The Citizen The Constitution--An
  instructional program on the history and
  principles of American constitutional democracy
  for elementary, middle, and high school students.
  
• We the People Project Citizen--It is designed to
  develop interest in public policymaking as well
  as the ability to participate competently and
  responsibly in state and local government.
• Campaign to Promote Civic Education--influence
  states and school districts to devote sustained
  and systematic attention to civic education from
  kindergarten through the twelfth grade.

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CivEds Programs, Cont.

• School Violence Prevention Program--curriculum,
  training, and research program that provides
  students with opportunities to engage in high
  quality civic education and group participation
  exercises.
• Civitas An International Civic Education
  Exchange Program--provides for a series of
  exchanges among leaders in civic education in the
  United States and emerging and established
  democracies worldwide.

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The Center on Congress

• Problem
• Surveys have shown for many years that
• large numbers of Americans say the work of
  Congress has no relevance to their lives,
• many of our top high school students cannot list
  basic functions of government,
• people say they have become so disillusioned with
  the political system that they have simply given
  up on it.
• In a representative democracy such as ours, that
  is a cause for concern!

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COCs Response

• The Center is non-partisan and its goal is purely
  educational to explain the work and role of
  Congress. Information on Congress is presented in
  a variety of ways, including newspaper op-eds,
  radio commentaries, website articles and
  brochures, teaching materials, conferences,
  books, television spots, and videos and
  interactive learning programs for students.
• Areas covered by the Center include public
  perceptions of Congress, the role of Congress in
  our large, diverse country, the main public
  criticisms of Congress, and the impact of
  Congress on people's everyday lives.

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National Conference of State Legislatures

• The National Conference of State Legislatures is
  a bipartisan organization that serves the
  legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states,
  its commonwealths and territories.
• NCSL provides research, technical assistance and
  opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas
  on the most pressing state issues.
• NCSL is an effective and respected advocate for
  the interests of state governments before
  Congress and federal agencies.

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Contacts

• District Coordinators
• Jennifer HunterTeacherGraves County High
  School1107 Housman StreetMayfield, KY
  42066270.328.6242
• jennifer.hunter_at_graves.kyschools.us
• Kevin SmalleyAdministrative Office of the
  Courts100 Mill Creek ParkFrankfort, KY
  40601502.573.2350
• kevinsmalley_at_kycourts.net

• State Coordinator
• Deborah WilliamsonAdministrative Office of The
  Courts100 Mill Creek ParkFrankfort, KY
  40601502.573.2350
• deborahwilliamson_at_kycourts.net

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SoWhy Use RDA?

• Why Not?
• It has existing lesson plans!
• It serves as a supplement to add to already
  existing curriculum
• It can be taught as stand alone lessons
• You get a FREE curriculum set (DVD, teacher
  guide, tote bag) just for attending an RDA
  training!
• Where do I sign up to get more information?

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Sign Up to Attend!

• A RDA training session will be held in Western KY
  at Graves County High School on Friday, October
  17, 2008 from 400 to 730.
• Sign up to attend or for more information on this
  training session before you leave.