U.S. Department of Education awards $1.22 million grant to University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Civic Education

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a three-year, $1.22 million American History and Civics Education - Seminars (AHC-Seminars) grant to the University of Northern Iowa Center for Civic Education. The funding will support the creation of the Iowa Civic Educators Institute, a new initiative designed to strengthen civic education across the state.

The project, which is 100% funded by the U.S. Department of Education, will provide programming for pre-service and in-service teachers through seminars, workshops and curriculum development. The goal is to deepen educators' understanding of the American political tradition, constitutional principles and Iowa history, while equipping them with strategies to teach civic knowledge more effectively.

"The Iowa Civic Educators Institute is an opportunity to provide content-rich professional development to Iowa's current and future teachers that will strengthen civic learning for students across Iowa," said Allison Rank, director of UNI's Center for Civic Education. "Money and time are two significant barriers for teachers interested in this kind of extensive professional development. Through this grant, we'll be able to provide ICEI participants a stipend, as well as cover programming costs."

The Iowa Civic Educators Institute will focus on two key outcomes:

• Improving pre-service and in-service teachers' knowledge of the American political tradition and the ideas, traditions, institutions and texts essential to American Constitutional government and our American history and heritage.
• Facilitating the creation and distribution of course materials connecting updated Iowa standards, including the study of Iowa politics and history, to the first principles of the American founding.

"The Center for Civic Education embodies UNI's commitment to preparing informed and engaged citizens. This grant affirms the national importance of that work," said UNI President Mark Nook. "The Iowa Civic Educators Institute will empower teachers across our state with the knowledge and tools to strengthen civic learning for generations of students. We are deeply grateful to Governor Reynolds for her support of our grant application, and to the U.S. Department of Education for investing in this vision. Together, we are ensuring that civic education remains a cornerstone of Iowa's schools and communities."

Central to the Institute will be thematic seminars on civic virtues, Iowa as a constitutional subject, balancing individual rights and community membership, and the civic experience. Programming will reach educators through three avenues:

• In-service teacher seminars: A 60-hour program for high school social studies teachers, combining reading groups, workshops and a summer institute.
• Pre-service teacher seminars: Intensive four-week sessions for UNI social science and history teaching majors.
• Elementary educators literacy seminars: Daylong workshops for pre-service and in-service elementary teachers, focused on incorporating civic content into literacy instruction.

The Iowa Civic Educators Institute builds on UNI's long-standing leadership in teacher preparation and civic education, while partnering with Iowa educators to ensure content is both historically grounded and classroom-ready.