Custom Curriculum Development

Start Date: June 2022                              

Client: Center for Civic Education

Industry: Education Non-Profit

Website: www.civiced.org

Introduction

Realized Curriculum Solutions partnered with the Center for Civic Education, based in California, in 2022 to develop and deliver professional development workshops for social studies teachers, curriculum development specialists, and non-profit leaders in civics education on evidence-based practices to develop, adapt, and implement curriculum solutions that are culturally relevant and accessible for students of color, neurodivergent learners, and multilingual learners for over 1 million upper elementary school, middle school, and high school students throughout the United States of America.

The Story of the Center for Civic Education

The Center for Civic Education was founded in 1965 to "[promote] an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy," (Center for Civic Education, 2025). The Center for Civic Education has developed supplemental civics curriculum solutions to teach students about how the United States of America's governmental systems work, the history of government in the U.S., and how to elementary, middle, and high school students can become civically engaged. Additionally, the Center for Civic Education provides professional development workshops for social studies teachers throughout the U.S. via webinars, in-person workshops, and in-person conferences.

The Opportunity the Center for Civic Education Faced

The Center for Civic Education received federal grants to develop curriculum solutions to increase the academic outcomes, in the area of American government and history, for students of color, neurodivergent learners, and multilingual learners. The Center for Civic Education required the support of expert educational consultants in the areas of culturally relevant pedagogy, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multilingual education, and social-emotional learning to lead professional development workshops for social studies teachers, curriculum development specialists, and non-profit leaders in civics education on evidence-based practices to develop, adapt, and implement curriculum solutions to increase the academic outcomes of diverse populations of students in civic knowledge. 

Why The Center for Civic Education Chose Realized Curriculum Solutions

The Center for Civic Education chose Realized Curriculum Solutions because our founder and CEO, Leroy, had more than 10 years of experience as a special education teacher and instructional coach who led professional development workshops in the areas of culturally relevant pedagogy and UDL with a focus on curriculum development and instructional practices. Leroy was well-known for his curriculum development solutions within the District of Columbia Public Schools in the areas of social-emotional academic development, culturally responsive teaching, and using the principles within the UDL framework to increase the academic outcomes of students of color, neurodivergent learners, and multilingual learners at a National Blue Ribbon School, Oyster Adams Bilingual School, for multiple years. They knew Realized Curriculum Solutions both values the authentic experiences of diverse student populations and possessed a staff who can model evidence-based practices to increase those students' academic outcomes in civic knowledge. 

The Results

The Center for Civic Education secured the Civics Education Research Lab (CERL), at Georgetown University, to study the academic impact of the adapted versions of the We The People supplemental civics curriculum Realized Curriculum Solutions supported social studies teachers and curriculum development specialists adapting through the James Madison Legacy Project Expansion (JMLPE). At the completion of this research study, the faculty and staff at CERL found "the pilot study indicated that the WTP curriculum intervention resulted in large knowledge increases, especially for students of color] and [students with disabilities]," (Owen, D. 2024).

Take a moment to review the positive impact Realized Curriculum Solutions secured for students of color, neurodivergent learners, and multilingual learners for the Center for Civic Education.