Center for Civic Education

The Center for Civic Education will be offering the Presidential Academy for teachers and the Congressional Academy for high-need students online from July 5 through July 23, 2021. In these free programs, teams of teachers and students will enjoy quality academic engagement with scholars, mentor teachers, and their peers from across the country in the study of constitutional history and principles. This opportunity is for high school American history and civics teachers and high-need* high school students, preferably students going into the 11th or 12th grade this fall. In order to enhance collaboration and planning of joint civic engagement activities in the ensuing academic year, we ask that teachers and students from the same school or district apply in teams of one teacher and two students. Go here to learn more and apply. *”High-need” includes students from low-income families and ethnically or racially diverse students, among others.

C-SPAN Classroom

C-SPAN Classroom offers a variety of professional development opportunities for middle and high school educators. You can learn about our collection of free resources through online sessions, connect with us during our Summer Educators Conferences for a more in-depth exploration, or apply for the opportunity to collaborate with us to develop new educational materials as a C-SPAN Fellow. Details about our 2021 programs can be found on our website: C-SPAN Classroom Teacher Opportunities

Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate

In community with other educators and expert non-profit partners, explore how community dialogue can be applied to civic issues in multidisciplinary classroom settings. In six half-day sessions with one-on-one coaching and support, you’ll develop a dialogue-based lesson plan for use in your classroom, learn how to create conditions for productive and community-building dialogue, practice your facilitation skills and learn strategies and ideas for dialogue as a pathway to civic engagement. Who should apply?
In the spirit of dialogic practice, the Civic Conversations project team is committed to cultivating an inclusive and empowering learning community where all people are welcomed and able to succeed. We seek and welcome applications from candidates of varying backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. The application is open to current educators teaching grades 6-12, who anticipate teaching grades 6-12 during the 2021-2022 school year. Go here to learn more and apply. The deadline is April 23.

George Washington Teacher Institute

This summer, the George Washington Teacher Institute summer programs are going digital with six, 5-day sessions. Each session focuses on a different theme and is designed to support K-12 educators who teach about the life, leadership, and legacies of George Washington and the 18th-century world in which he lived. Applications open January 11, 2021. Sessions will run from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. ET from June 14 – August 6, 2021. Apply for the week that best fits your classroom needs and schedule. Stipends to honor the time and commitment of participants will be provided to all teachers accepted to the George Washington Teacher Institute in Summer 2021. Go here to learn more.

Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

The Gilder Lehrman Institute and its partners are excited to offer three different ways for K-12 teachers to learn with us in the summer of 2021. All of these programs will offer access to renowned scholars, discussion with skilled master teachers, and interaction with colleagues from around the country via synchronous and asynchronous activities. You can choose the option (or options!) that best fits your interests, needs, and schedule. Go here to learn more.

National Constitution Center

This summer, join educators from across the country and constitutional scholars from across the philosophical spectrum for virtual summer programs with the National Constitution Center. Educators will work with content experts to deepen their knowledge of the history and modern understandings of constitutional topics. Through working with master teachers and the education teams from the Center, participants discover and develop innovative, nonpartisan ways to make the content relevant to their students. Educators gain new content knowledge, teaching tools, classroom-ready resources, and new skills for improving constitutional literacy. These programs are open to educators working with grades 5–12 at public, charter, independent, parochial, and other schools. They are free to attend, but successful applications are required. Go here to learn more.

National Endowment for the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities offers tuition-free opportunities for K-12 educators and higher education faculty to study a variety of humanities topics. Stipends of $1,200-$3,300 help cover expenses for these one- to four-week programs. To see all the programs and apply, go here.

Street Law

This teacher professional development institute brings a select group of high school social studies teachers to Washington, D.C., for an immersive six days of educational activities related to teaching about the U.S. Supreme Court. The Institute is co-sponsored by the Supreme Court Historical Society. The application period for the 2021 Supreme Court Summer Institute is open. The deadline is March 15, 2021. Learn more here.

James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation

The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation offers $24,000 James Madison Graduate Fellowships to individuals desiring to become outstanding teachers of the American Constitution at the secondary school level. Fellowship applicants compete only against other applicants from the states of their legal residence. As funding permits, the Foundation plans to offer one fellowship per state per year. The 2021 application goes lives on Constitution Day. Go here to learn more.

U.S. Courts

Sign up for one of the federal courts’ free virtual summer institutes for teachers!

Join the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana for a Teacher’s Guide to the Federal Courts, a 2-day VIRTUAL workshop! The program will offer teachers an exclusive look at the workings of the federal courts with fresh ideas and content that you can take back to your classrooms. This event is designed for middle school and high school social studies teachers and is appropriate for both government and history courses. Go here to register and learn more.

The U.S. Courts and Judicial Learning Center in St. Louis, Mo., present Federal Courts 101. This free program will be entirely virtual and will contain fresh new content, activities, and speakers. You will earn professional development hours and walk away with resources, strategies, and activities to use with students when teaching about our nation’s legal system. This workshop is designed for social studies teachers of U.S. Government and U.S. History, middle school through high school. Go here to register and learn more.