Civic Education Survey

Fall 2002 Cover Letter to Principals

Dear Principal:

The most recent New Hampshire General Court passed HB1151 which established a commission to examine and assess the status of Civic Education in New Hampshire. The commission, chaired by the Honorable J.D.Colcord of Warner, consists of legislators, teachers, students, representatives of higher education, the Secretary of State’s Office, and the Department of Education. One purpose of the commission, but by no means the only one, is to review the adequacy of Civic Education in the K-12 public school curriculum. To that end, Chairman Colcord appointed a subcommittee on public schools. That subcommittee seeks your assistance to collect information about Civic Education in your school. This information may impact whether the next legislature proposes or passes new legislation on this subject.

Especially since the events of 9/11, there has been a national discussion of the need for Civic Education, and of what that might be made up. Your school can participate in that discussion. Please take a few minutes to answer the enclosed questionnaire, or pass it on to someone else. You may complete the pen and paper version, or go to the NHDOE website, www.ed.state.nh.us under “Assessment” – “Social Studies” for electronic versions of the survey in PDF and Word. It is critical that the questionnaire be returned to Kenneth J. Relihan, NHDOE, 101 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301 or krelihan@ed.state,nh.us no later than December 20, 2002. Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Nicholas C. Donohue

Commissioner

Enclosure