Learn about new civic education and municipal literacy projects for young people — in Colorado, Maine, and Kansas.

Colorado Municipal League Announces New Civics Curriculum Available to K-12 Teachers

Lessons on Local Government, developed in partnership with Colorado Counties, Inc., and written by teachers, offers a variety of lesson plans and classroom activities that teachers can use to educate students about the role of municipal government in their communities.

Maine Municipal Association Launches Municipal Literacy Project

In collaboration with the City of Saco, Maine, and Jobs for Maine’s Graduates (JMG) – a career exploration and preparatory program for high school students – the Maine Municipal Association has launched a new civic education pilot project in four high schools. The Municipal Literacy Project will help these schools develop a curriculum for a broader civic education program that will be available in 2012 in 62 high schools served by JMG.

The Maine Literacy Project partners report that the initiative is sparking new student interest in careers in local government.

League of Kansas Municipalities Promotes Civic Education

The League of Kansas Municipalities has the following resources to promote civic education:

• Local Government in Kansas – a book for 7th and 8th grade students
• “If I were Mayor…” – an annual essay contest especially for 7th grade students
• My City, My Home – an interactive coloring book for 3rd grade students