On February 8-10, 2009, the McCormick Freedom Project, in partnership with the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition, hosted the Educating for Democracy conference at the former estate of our benefactor, Robert R. McCormick, Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois. This gathering of more than 70 social studies educators, their students, and civic education leaders and elected officials, who believe deeply in the notion that civics education is fundamental to our democracy, is part of the McCormick Foundation Conference Series.

The mission of this conference was to advance the cause of civic education in the State of Illinois at the high school level through the construction of and agreement upon a blueprint for implementation of a civic audit process. Administered by the Freedom Project through the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition, these audits will clarify the professional development needs of applicant high schools, and Coalition partners will provide the resources necessary for them to become Democracy Schools. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, we hope to add five Democracy Schools to the existing cohort and to escalate these efforts moving forward.

• Download a PDF of the proceedings report.
• Download a PDF of the Civic Blueprint.
• Download a combined PDF – Conference Report and Civic Blueprint.
• View recommended approaches to become a Democracy School
• Learn about existing programs that exemplify the suggested approaches
• View Conference Presentations
• Meet the Conference Conveners
• View a list of resource organizations from the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition

Click to view the Conference Presentations >>