About

What We Do

The Center for Civic Education helps students develop (1) an increased understanding of the institutions of constitutional democracy and the fundamental principles and values upon which they are founded, (2) the skills necessary to participate as competent and responsible citizens, and (3) the willingness to use democratic procedures for making decisions and managing conflict. Ultimately, the Center strives to develop an enlightened citizenry by working to increase understanding of the principles, values, institutions, and history of constitutional democracy among teachers, students, and the general public.

To fulfill this mission, the Center develops high-quality curricular materials, provides exceptional professional development for teachers, and advocates for stronger civic education in the United States and emerging democracies.

Civics Curriculum

The Center provides research-backed curricular programs that have been trusted by teachers for decades. Our primary curricular programs are We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution and Project Citizen.

Professional Development

The Center for Civic Education offers high-quality professional development through its state partners, national events funded by federal grants, self-guided online courses, and webinars.

Network of Educators

The Center partners with a network of 50 state programs. These state programs conduct local teacher professional development and organize local and state simulated congressional hearings for students, impacting thousands of teachers and students each year.

Mission Statement

The Center is dedicated to promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy in the United States and other countries.

Newsroom

Newsletters

Press Releases

Center in the News

Featured Videos

Contact: Maria Gallo
818-591-9321
gallo@civiced.org

For information on the Center's programs
Interviews with experts on the Constitution, civic education, public policy, and emerging democracies
Referrals to classroom civic teachers

The Center for Civic Education partners with a network of 50 state civics, government, and law programs sponsored by state bar associations and foundations, colleges and universities, and other civic and law non-profit organizations to promote teaching and learning about the Constitution and Bill of Rights. These state programs conduct local teacher professional development, hold conferences and organize local and state simulated congressional hearings for elementary and secondary students. Each year these state programs impact thousands of teachers and tens of thousands of students. If you would like to know more about your state program click on the map.

Board of Directors

Pauline Weaver
President

Prof. Jonathan D. Varat
Vice President

Clara Slifkin
Secretary

Cheryl Cook-Kallio

Benjamin Glickman

Hon. David B. Ladenburg

Thomas Melia

Mariam Memarsadeghi

Dr. Ali Mossaver-Rahmani

Liza J. Prendergast

M. Carmen Ramirez

James Wise

Daniel Wong

MEMBERS EMERITUS

Ruth M. Gadebusch

Dale Rogers Marshall

Leland R. Selna Jr.

National Advisory Committee

Hon. Spencer Abraham
Abraham Group LLC.

Jack Lockridge
Federal Bar Association

William L. Lucas

David McIntosh
Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies

Glenn Anne McPhee
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Joe McTighe
Council for American Private Education

Hon. Patty Murray
United States Senate

Kitty O'Reilley
American Lawyers Auxiliary

William Pound
National Conference of State Legislatures

J. Danforth Quayle
United States Vice Presidential Museum

Diane Ravitch
New York University

Cheryl Red Owl
Rosebud Indian Reservation

Alfred S. Regnery
The American Spectator Karen M. Ristau, Ed.D
National Catholic Educational Association

Robert A. Schadler

Hon. Philip R. Sharp
Resource for the Future

Gordon H. Smith

Raymond W. Smock

Philippa Strum
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Gerald N. Tirozzi
National Association of Secondary School Principals

Dennis Van Roekel
National Education Association

Randi Weingarten
American Federation of Teachers

Gene Wilhoit
Council of Chief State School Officers

Mary Wilson
The League of Women Voters

Paul A. Yost, Jr., USCG Ret.
James Madison Memorial

Former Honorary Chairs

Hon. J. Danforth Quayle

Hon. Warren E. Burger

Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor

Hon. David H. Souter

Together, the state bar and the UCLA committee created an executive committee for the Law in a Free Society Program composed of leading scholars, educators, and members of the legal profession. In 1981, this committee became the board of directors of what is now known as the Center for Civic Education. Founding members of the board made significant contributions to the development and expansion of the Center’s programs, which are now implemented in every state and in eighty-two other countries. Read more about the Center's founders ->

Meet our Staff

Christopher R. Riano
President

Christopher R. Riano is the president of the Center for Civic Education, the nation's largest constitutional law and civic education nonprofit dedicated to promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry both in America and ... [read more]

Charles N. QuigleySenior Consultant and Founding Executive Director Emeritus

Charles N. Quigley is broadly recognized as one of the most prominent curriculum, framework, and program developers in the field of civic education. Prior to the founding of the Law in a Free Society Project of the State Bar of California in 1970, ... [read more]

John HaleSenior Consultant

John Hale helps conceptualize, develop, and administer all of the Center's domestic and international programs. Mr. Hale has written student texts, policy papers, and articles in professional publications. He has directed and given speeches at numerous institutes and scholarly conferences, ... [read more]

James B. HerediaAssociate Director, Fiscal Affairs

James Heredia works with the executive director and other associate directors to advance the mission of the Center by providing fiscal leadership to meet its strategic goals and objectives. He has made numerous presentations on the importance of fiscal compliance in managing federal awards at conferences in ... [read more]

Robert S. LemingDirector, We the People Program

Robert S. Leming manages a national network of fifty state civic education programs involving thousands of upper elementary, middle, and high school teachers and tens of thousands of students in the study of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. He also directs a national effort ... [read more]

Maria GalloDirector, Professional Development & Special Programs

Maria Gallo oversees the professional development programs of the Center and manages the presentation of Center programs and curricula at conferences, both nationally and internationally. Gallo also directs the Citizens Not Spectators voting curriculum and the annual American Civic Educator Teacher Awards. ... [read more]

Alissa Irion-GrothDirector of Program Administration

Alissa Irion-Groth has been coordinating international partnerships and other Center programs since 2004. Originally joining the Center to support the Arab Civitas Program in the Middle East and North Africa, she has worked to support programs and foster partnerships between the United States and ... [read more]

Greg SynnottDirector, Information Technology

Greg Synnott develops and manages the Center's information systems, including data systems, accounting systems, and websites. Synnott is a hands-on leader who serves many roles, including data management, database administration, web development, and accounting. He has degrees in management information systems and accounting. ... [read more]

Jessica MartinezProgram Coordinator

Jessica Martinez is the program coordinator for the James Madison Legacy Project. She provides assistance in the coordination and management of JMLP and the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution national civic education program. Previously, she was the Parent Outreach Coordinator/ AmeriCorp VISTA ... [read more]

Mark GageDirector of Publishing and Digital Content

Mark Gage directs the Center for Civic Education's publishing efforts in traditional and new media. He also manages the editorial content of the Center's websites and social media platforms. Gage co-founded the 60-Second Civics podcast in 2009 with Kaci Patterson and Tyler Shores. The daily podcast and quiz, which has published more than two thousand episodes, ... [read more]

Janel HuberReceptionist and Administrative Assistant

Janel Huber has been with the Center since 2005. She has a bachelor of science degree in education from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. She has taught at various child care centers in Pennsylvania and Vermont. Huber is the Center's receptionist and provides ... [read more]

History of the Center

1965

The Beginning

The Center began as the Committee on Civic Education at the University of California at Los Angeles.

1965

1965-67

The Committee developed and implemented professional development programs with nationwide participants supported by the Danforth Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education under the National Defense Education Act and the Education Professions Development Act.

The Committee developed and implemented curricular programs in civics and government entitled, Your Rights and Responsibilities as an American Citizen; Conflict, Politics and Freedom; and Voices for Justice.

1967-69

The Committee created and administered a statewide curricular program on the Bill of Rights sponsored by the Advisory Panel to the Committee on Teaching About the Bill of Rights of the California State Board of Education.

1967-69

1969

The Center became affiliated with the State Bar of California.

1969-74

The Center was funded by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration of the U.S. Department of Justice and the California Council on Criminal Justice to develop and implement the Law in a Free Society professional development program in ten major school districts in California. The program was based on concepts fundamental to an understanding of politics and government. It was conducted under the auspices of the Extension Division of the University of California at Los Angeles.

1969-74

1974

The Center became a program of the State Bar of California.

With funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Center produced the first editions of the Law in a Free Society/Foundations of Democracy multi-media curriculum materials.

1979

The Center became part of a consortium implementing civic education programs throughout the nation funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Law Related Education Act. Other members included the Constitutional Rights Foundations of Los Angeles and Chicago, Street Law, and the Special Committee on Youth Education for Citizenship of the American Bar Association.

1979

1981

The Center became an independent 501(c)(3) California nonprofit corporation affiliated with the State Bar of California.

1982

With funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, the Center began the Youth for Justice program in conjunction with the Constitutional Rights Foundation, Street Law, the American Bar Association, and Phi Alpha Delta. The Center promoted the implementation of its Foundations of Democracy program through this funding.

1982

1987

We the People Program Begins

With funding through the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, the Center started the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program and published the first We the People text, which was for high school students. The We the People program won national acclaim as a civic education program focusing on the history and principles of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. It has since been implemented in every state and congressional district and the District of Columbia.

1988

The Center published the We the People texts at the elementary and middle school levels.

The Center began The Disney Channel Salutes the American Teacher and The Walt Disney Company Presents the American Teacher Awards.

1988

1991

The Center published CIVITAS: A Framework for Civic Education, which was developed in conjunction with educators in every state as well as several other countries.

1992

The We the People program continued as a direct line item in the budget of the U.S. Department of Education and became an authorized program of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act for twenty-three years.

1992

1993

Project Citizen Program Begins

The Center created We the People: Project Citizen, which was incorporated into the ESEA as an authorized educational program. Project Citizen is a portfolio-based curricular program that promotes engaged participation in local, state, and federal government.

1994

The Center published the National Standards for Civics and Government, developed in conjunction with more than two thousand scholars, educators, and members of the general public. The National Standards have been widely used as a model for state curricular frameworks and standards throughout the country and in a number of other nations describing what students should know and be able to do in the field of civics and government at the end of grades 4, 8, and 12.