They already do that in California.

Must only be in certain parts of it. We've lived in several different cities and not one school has even mentioned 'manadatory volunteering'.

I know of a few kids in Michigan that are required to do forced volunteer services.

I told my sister about Obama’s plans and she was all for it until I told her she would have to do it when she turns 55, then she said hell no.

Not so. It's already part of the state curriculum.

Service-Learning

Instructional strategy whereby students learn academic content standards by participating in organized service that addresses community needs and fosters civic responsibility.

CalServe K-12 Service-Learning Initiative

Background

Background information on the CalServe K-12 Service-Learning Initiative and the Corporation for National and Community Service, Learn and Serve America.

CalServe Initiative

CalServe Fact Sheet (DOC; 350KB; 1p.)

Corporation for National and Community Service

Learn and Serve America Fact Sheet (PDF; Outside Source)

Overview of Service-Learning

Information on the instructional method known as service-learning.

What is Service-Learning?

What is Community Service?

Resources

California Service-Learning Leader Schools Awards Program
The California Department of Education and State Farm Insurance are proud to sponsor the second annual CDE CalServe Initiative Service-Learning Leader Schools Awards Program.

Funding
Requests for applications and funding results for service-learning programs.

District Tools and Resources
Service-learning tools and resources for school districts including the 2000-06 Sustainability Survey Results, Service-Learning Task Force Report, research and evaluation, and state and national links.

District Models

CalServe Partnerships
Locate a CalServe Partnership in your region.
Grantee Information
Grants management forms and information for CalServe Partnership grantees.

Regional Networks

Regional Leads
Grantee Information
Grants management forms and information for CalServe Regional Lead grantees.

Listserv
Join the CalServe Listserv to share ideas and ask for advice about service-learning.

Contact CalServe

Questions: Counseling, Student Support, and Service-Learning Office | 916-323-2183

Download Free Readers

Through the CalServe Initiative, the California Department of Education has been supporting a Statewide Regional Service-Learning Network (Outside Source) and districtwide school-community partnerships that annually involve over 120,000 students and approximately 15,000 community volunteers in urban, rural and suburban communities throughout the state. It is CDE's vision that 50 percent of all districts will include service-learning as part of their regular instructional practice, engaging students in at least one service-learning experience at each grade span (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12).

Locate a CalServe Partnership in Your Region

Region 1 - Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties

Region 2 - Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity counties

Region 3 - Alpine, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties

Region 4 - Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, and Solano counties

Region 5 - Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties

Region 6 - Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne counties

Region 7 - Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, and Tulare counties

Region 8 - Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties

Region 9 - Imperial, Orange, and San Diego counties

Region 10 - Riverside, Inyo, Mono, and San Bernardino counties

Regions 11 & 12 - Los Angeles County and Los Angeles Unified School District

California, the last 11 years, for my (now) teens:

Elementary school: you do things for your school and get “extra credit” for it. Not mandatory, but no kid refuses as it’s done as a class. So becomes de facto part of your grade.

Middle School: recommended hours of community service in the immediate community (neighborhood and on campus). Things such as cleaning yards for neighbors who have their yards trashed as students walk to and from school. Awards given to those who serve. Irony Award anyone?

High School: 60 hours (minimum) REQUIRED for graduation. You cannot attend graduation, attend any graduation events, prom is predicated on nearing the 60 hours, and you don’t receive a diploma. This requirement is drilled into the students for the full four years and gets pretty insane for seniors who refuse. This is the best high school in the county where a 4.0 (in tough classes) ranks you 56/500 students making you ineligible for auto UC acceptance, 5% rank rule.

Trust me, it doesn’t encourage what they think. My kids are great and they, like most others, were encouraged to think like a weasel and see how they could get the hours the easiest and fastest way. I do not like how it turned my once charitable giving children into doing it only for the hours.

For those who think I should have put them in private, the private school system here (unless you have 13K per year per child at one good school) is even worse. :-( Homeschooling could not provide the specific education both my kids needed, though I do help homeschool my nephews and wish I could have done the same for mine.