William & Mary receives $2.8M to train 300 teachers for the nation’s 250th anniversary

The grant is the largest award to a Virginia institute of higher education since the program was established in 2017. (Photo by Grace Helmick)

William & Mary has received a three-year, $2.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to train teachers in conjunction with the nation's semiquincentennial in 2026.

It is the largest award to a Virginia institution of higher learning under the American History and Civics Education National Activities - Seminars for America's Semiquincentennial program.

Awarded to W&M's Strategic Cultural Partnerships, the grant will launch "We the Teachers: Preparing the Next Generation Through History & Civics." Timed to the nation's 250th anniversary, the initiative aims to strengthen K-12 history and civics education. It will equip teachers with deep content knowledge, evidence-based pedagogy and classroom-ready tools that connect America's founding principles to civic life. The result will be stronger learning outcomes for students across the country

The grant also benefits W&M students by providing nearly $100,000 for paid applied-learning opportunities exclusively for them. The opportunities will include roles such as learning design, digital content development and production, communications and event management.

The project advances the university's Vision 2026 Democracy and Careers goals. It also reinforces the university's national reputation for developing civic leadership.

"This grant underscores William & Mary's commitment to innovative scholarship in service to the nation," said Provost Peggy Agouris. "'We the Teachers' is a model of how leading research universities can advance civic learning by combining deep historical knowledge with cutting-edge pedagogy to empower educators. As a cornerstone of W&M's Vision 2026 initiative, it reflects the vital role of academic excellence in serving every citizen."

Congress of Educators

At the heart of "We the Teachers" is the Congress of Educators, an annual four-day seminar that will bring together 100 teacher delegates from all 50 states each year - 300 delegates over the life of the grant.

The inaugural congress will take place in July 2026 across the Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, with plenaries and workshops at William & Mary and partner institutions. Future congresses will be hosted in Denver (2027) and Minneapolis (2028), drawing on the unique civic histories of each region. Participants will study the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights alongside primary sources and contemporary scholarship. At the same time, they will practice historical inquiry, primary source analysis, civil dialogue and evidence-based argumentation.

Ann Marie Stock, presidential liaison for Strategic Cultural Partnerships, called the award an affirmation of years of work.

"We're thrilled and grateful for this national investment in teachers," Stock said. "Together with partners across the Historic Triangle and nationwide, 'We the Teachers' will strengthen civic learning by turning founding ideals into classroom-ready practice. There's no better place for this work than the Alma Mater of the Nation: William & Mary."

Mark Hofer, senior director in SCP and professor of educational technology in the W&M School of Education, will serve as co-principal investigator and project director. Danny Devlin, senior director of outreach and engagement for SCP, will also serve as co-PI.

"The momentum afforded to our 2026 efforts by this grant cannot be overstated," Hofer said. "We will deliver deep content, evidence-based pedagogy and a suite of tools for teachers across the nation."

Powering immersive learning

SCP will bring significant resources to "We the Teachers," including with longstanding museum and cultural site partners - connecting educators with original artifacts, curated exhibitions and living history environments. By convening these institutions, SCP will ensure teachers not only study America's founding principles but engage with them in the very spaces where history unfolded.

William & Mary will partner with the National Council for History Education (NCHE) to recruit and support delegates, manage operations and connect the congress to a nationwide educator network. Each delegate will receive support to defray costs, ensuring robust participation from Title I schools, rural districts and other underserved communities.

"The National Council for History Education is thrilled to partner again with William & Mary," said Jessica Ellison, executive director of NCHE. "Our collaboration here will result in meaningful, relevant programming for teachers across the country."

Grounded in W&M's leadership and SCP's partnerships, the initiative leverages NCHE's national infrastructure for recruitment and event management, while SCP provides the digital backbone for scalable, sustainable learning.

Beyond the convenings, SCP will expand its offerings for teacher professional development through free, on-demand microcourses nationwide - short, self-paced online modules built to fit into a teacher's busy schedule.

These courses will stack toward an "Educating for the 250th" microcredential at 25, 50 and 75 professional learning hours. Foundational courses such as "Leading Historical Inquiry in the Classroom" and "Facilitating Civil Dialogue" will be complemented by specialized modules in evidence-based argumentation, document and artifact analysis, curating classroom exhibits and podcasting for civic engagement.

Courses will be asynchronous, multimodal and fully accessible, with digital badges and PD certificates aligned to state licensure standards. Teacher delegates will receive early access and serve as co-design partners through structured feedback.

A train-the-trainer strategy will multiply impact: Delegates will return with professional video recordings, facilitator guides and classroom resources to launch local professional learning communities. The project aims to establish at least 100 communities, each engaging 15 or more educators. W&M will provide ongoing support to sustain momentum beyond the semiquincentennial.

"'We the Teachers' will create classrooms where students analyze, debate and engage as informed citizens for the next 250 years," Hofer said.

Staff, University News & Media

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