The Education f or

Democracy Campaign

Making Real the Promises of Democracy

Education for Democracy Institute is a non-profit,

tax-exempt educational, research, and publishing
organization dedicated to supporting the development
of a more literate and democratic society.
The Education for Democracy Institute is sponsoring
the Education for Democracy Campaign which is
dedicated to making real the promises of democracy,
especially for children and families living in poverty
in our country and around the world.
Education for Democracy Institute
P.O. Box 25
Harvard, MA 01451
www.efd.global
info@efd.global
contact@efd.global
1-844-540-8620 (toll free)

Table of Contents

Increasing Domestic and Global Poverty . . . . . . 2

The Common Core State Standards . . . . . . . . 10

Overcoming The Effects of Poverty . . . . . . . . . 3

A Completely Digital Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . 11

Ten Transformative Social

and Democratic Competencies . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Universal Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1. Literacy for Democracy eLibrary . . . . . . . . . . 5

2. Literacy for Democracy Digital Curricula . . . . . 6

4. EFD Professional Development

Charter Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Language and Literacy Competencies . . . . . . . . 7

EFD School Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Literacy for Democracy Authors . . . . . . . . . . . 8

5. EFD International Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Goals and Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Making Real the Promises of Democracy . . . . . 17

3. Education for Democracy Schools . . . . . . . . 12

 Library of Congress/LC-DIG-ppmsca-19926

Increasing Domestic and

Global Poverty
The Education for Democracy Campaign seeks to address some of the
major problems created by high levels of poverty in the United States
and around the world.

Four score and seven years ago

our fathers brought forth, upon
this continent, a new nation,
conceived in liberty, and
dedicated to the proposition
that all men are created equal.
President Abraham Lincoln
Gettysburg Address (1863)

Global Poverty: 45% of the children in the world live below the
worldwide poverty level ($2.50 per day).
U.S. Poverty: 23% of the children in the United States population live
below the federal poverty level ($23,600 for a family of four); 51% of
children in urban areas live in families with incomes below the poverty
level; and 62% of black and Hispanic children live below that level.
Discrimination: 77% of African American adolescents have experienced
discrimination in the last three months.
Violence: 60% of children in the United States have been exposed
to violence and bullying.
Social Alienation: 55% of youth (1829) did not vote in the 2012
presidential election.
Illiteracy: 80% of children of color read and write below the
proficiency level.
At the time of the Gettysburg Address, the proposition that all men are
created equal was contradicted by slavery and the inhumane treatment
of African Americans. Today, this proposition is threatened by increasing
economic inequality and poverty within our country and around the world.

The E d uca t i o n fo r D e mo cr acy Cam paign

The Education for Democracy Campaign (EFD Campaign) seeks

to help children and their families overcome the effects of poverty
by undertaking five major projects:
1. Literacy for Democracy eLibrary: Provides free access to digital books
and activities that teach literacy skills and core social and democratic
competencies at the same time for children and families everywhere.
2. Literacy for Democracy Digital Curricula: Provides free access to digital
language and literacy instructional materials that integrate the teaching of
core social and democratic competencies for teachers and schools everywhere.
3. Education for Democracy Schools: Adopt the Literacy for Democracy
Curricula and integrate the teaching and learning of core social and
democratic competencies throughout the school.
4. Education for Democracy Professional Development Charter Schools:
Provide demonstration models and future teacher training sites for the
Literacy and Democracy Curricula and the Education for Democracy
School Design.
5. Education for Democracy International Schools: Provide research,
development, and demonstration sites around the world for developing
the Literacy for Democracy Curricula in a wide range of global languages.
In his March on Washington speech, the Rev. Martin Luther King
challenged our country to make real the promises of democracyin
particular the proposition that all men are created equal. The EFD
Campaign is dedicated to providing an education that seeks to make real
the promises of democracy for all students and their families, and especially
for those living in poor and violent neighborhoods.

Library of Congress/LC-DIG-00651714

Overcoming The Effects of Poverty

Five score years ago, a great

American, in whose symbolic
shadow we stand today,
signed the Emancipation
of Proclamation decree.
This momentous decree came as
a great beacon of light to millions
of Negro slaves...We have...
come to this hallowed spot to...
to make real the promises
of democracy.
Reverend Martin Luther King
March on Washington (1963)

w w w . e f d . g l o b a l 3

Ten Transformative Social and

Democratic Competencies
Over the past twenty years, the Literacy for Democracy authors have
copyright to come

focused on ten transformative social and democratic competencies that

can help children and their families overcome the effects of poverty.

If we want to reach real peace

in this world, we should start
educating children.
Mahatma Gandhi

1. Attachment Skills
2. Self-Determination Skills
3. Perspective-Taking Skills
4. Love and Freedom Values
5. Identity Awareness
6. Emotional Awareness
7. Social Problem-Solving Skills
8. Goal-Attainment Skills
9. Social Awareness
10. Democratic Voice
In the Education for Democracy Campaign, our goal is to integrate the
teaching and learning of these competencies into a literacy website for
children and families, a variety of free digital curricula, pilot schools across
the United States, professional development schools in twelve major districts,
and international schools around the world.

The E d uca t i o n fo r D e mo cr acy Cam paign

1. Literacy for Democracy eLibrary

The first project of the Education for Democracy Campaign is to develop
Free Online Access:
Public Domain Digital Books and Other Resources: The LFD eLibrary
will be built upon providing free access to public domain digital books
and other media that can be used to promote student literacy and
the learning of the Literacy for Democracy social and democratic
competencies.

Supporting Student Literacy: The LFD eLibrary site will enable students
to determine their reading levels, find digital books and readings at
their level, and receive feedback on their reading comprehension and
perspective taking skills.

Digital Activities and Games: These readings will be accompanied by

digital activities and games that foster motivation and learning. For
example, in the In the Shoes of the Character digital activity, students
can step into the shoes of the characters and try to express the characters
point of view about events in the story.

copyright to come

and launch the Literacy for Democracy eLibrary.

Education is the most powerful

weapon which you can use
to change the world.
Nelson Mandela

Literacy and Democracy Dashboard: TThe LFD Dashboard will enable

students to track both their reading comprehension and their character
perspective-taking skills.

Low Subscription Fee Access:

Digital Trade Books and Leveled Books: In addition to free access
to public domain digital materials, the LFD eLibrary will also provide
access to copyrighted digital materials for a low annual subscription
fee. This will include access to all the books used in the LFD
Digital Curricula.

w w w . e f d . g l o b a l 5

2. Literacy for Democracy

Digital Curricula
The second project of the Education for Democracy Campaign is to
Professor Catherine Snow
Patricia Albjerg Professor of Education,
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Voices Author

Ideally, every student would

have the chance every day
to encounter questions so
compelling that they are
willing to think deeply
about them, discuss them,
search for answers, and

develop a wide range of digital social development, language, and

literacy curricula that can provide flexible ways of integrating the
teaching of the core social and democratic competencies into schools.
Begins With Voice
LFD: Independent (pre-K6): a stand-alone, literature-based character
education, social-emotional learning, and civic education digital curriculum
that can be used in a variety of school and community settings

LFD: Supplemental (pre-K6): a supplemental curriculum that includes

read-aloud, whole-group reading, small-group reading, and writing modules
that integrate the teaching of social and democratic competencies

LFD: Comprehensive (pre-K6): a comprehensive curriculum that includes

all the components (modules) of a comprehensive language, reading and writing
curriculum that integrates the teaching of social and democratic competencies

LFD: Literature and Speeches (pre-K to 12): a collection of literature and speeches
that can be integrated into ELA and social studies classes at all grade levels

write out responses. Such

questions become the source
of learning to read deeply
and thoughtfully.
Catherine Snow

The E d uca t i o n fo r D e mo cr acy Cam paign

Free Digital Curricula: The LFD Digital Curricula will be accessible for free
to teachers and schools anywhere. There will be a low annual subscription
fee for access to the copyrighted digital reading materials. Printed books and
curricula will also be available for a low cost.
Builds On 20 Years of Experience: The LFD Digital Curricula builds on twenty
years of developing and implementing the various Voices curricula that are
now in over 2,000 schools nationwide. See www.zaner-bloser.com.

Language and Literacy

Competencies
LFD integrates the teaching of the core social and democratic
competencies into critical language and literacy competencies:
Authentic Voice: the ability to use ones voice to express ones thoughts
and feelings about important personal and social issues. This includes the
following core oral language competencies:
Oral discourse skills

Oral language genres and vocabulary

Academic language and vocabulary

Deep Comprehension: the ability to critically evaluate what one is listening

to, reading, and observing. This includes the following core reading
competencies:
Close listening and reading

Deep reasoning skills (analyze, synthesize, evaluate, apply, and transfer)

Discussion and debate

Critical Writing: the ability to use writing to analyze the world and advocate
ways to improve it. This includes the following core writing competencies:
Writing genres and processes

Deep reasoning skills

Critical writing skills

To prepare students for

citizenship in a deliberative
democracy, schools should
aim to develop the capacities
of students to understand
different perspectives,
communicate their
understandings to other
people, and engage in the
give and take of moral
argument with a view toward making mutually
justifiable decisions.
Amy Gutmann and Dennis Thompson
From Why Deliberative Democracy?

Integration of Social and Democratic Competencies: Integrating the teaching

of the LFD core social and democratic competencies with the teaching
of these critical language and literacy competencies provides students
with important purposes and motivation for learning these language
and literacy competencies.
w w w . e f d . g l o b a l 7

 Library of Congress/LC-DIG-00976u

Literacy for Democracy Authors

VOICES Senior Authors

VOICES Consulting Authors

Catherine Snow, PhD,

is the Patricia Albjerg
Professor of Education
at the Harvard Graduate
School of Education.

Maria Carlo, PhD,

is currently Associate
Professor of Teaching
and Learning in the
School of Education at
the University of Miami.

Robert L. Selman, PhD,

is the Roy Edward
Larsen Professor
of Education and
Human Development
at the Harvard Graduate
School of Education and
Professor of Psychology
at the Harvard Medical
School.

Ernest Morrell, PhD,

is Professor of Arts and
Humanities and Director
of the Institute for
Urban and Minority
Education at
Teachers College,
Columbia University.

Patrick C. Walker, PhD,

is the founder of Voices
and the Executive
Director of Education
for Democracy
Campaign, a nonprofit
educational research,
development, and publishing organization.

Cynthia Tyson, PhD,

is a Professor in the
School of Teaching and
Learning at the Ohio
State University.

Whereas banking education

anesthetizes and inhibits
creative power, problemposing education involves
a constant unveiling
of reality. The former attempts
to maintain the submersion
of consciousness; the latter
strives for the emergence
of consciousness and critical
intervention in reality.
Paulo Freire (1993)

The E d uca t i o n fo r D e mo cr acy Cam paign

By mastering these integrated social development, language, and

literacy competencies, students will be able to use their voices to express
themselves, to critically evaluate texts, to use writing to advocate for social
change, and to contribute to creating a more fair and democratic society.

Literacy for Democracy Goals

Expected Outcomes

Authentic Voice

Deep Comprehension

Critical Writing

Democratic Character

Improved listening and speaking skills

Increased classroom discussion and debate
Increased reading scores
Increased critical understanding of texts
Increased writing scores
Increased critical writing skills
 ecreased bullying and violence
D
Increased democratic participation

Library of Congress/LC-DIG-2006686215

Goals and Outcomes

Wilma Mankiller

Prior to my election, young

Cherokee girls would never
have thought that they might
grow up and become chief.
The secret of our success is
that we never, never give up.

Social and Democratic

Competencies

Literacy for Democracy Goals

Critical Language and

Literacy Competencies

Wilma Mankiller
Former Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Sweet Briar College (1993)

Authentic Voice
Deep Comprehension
Critical Writing
Democratic Character

w w w . e f d . g l o b a l 9

The innovation of the

Common Core is to
explicitly connect knowledge
of the principal and rules on
which American democracy

The Common Core State Standards

Educators have identified eight major shifts required by the Common Core
State Standards. LFD embraces these shifts in the following ways:
Reading Text Closely: LFD provides for close listening of read-aloud texts
followed by close reading of challenging texts.

Text-Based Evidence: LFD close listening and reading comprehension questions require students to cite text-based evidence to support their positions.

is based with the development

Writing from Sources: Students write explanatory and argumentative short

and long essays that cite the books and research they are reading.

of the practical skills in

reading, writing, speaking

Academic Vocabulary: LFD provides intensive instruction in oral language,

academic, listening, and reading vocabulary.

and listening, as well as in

math, that students need

to be discerning, empowered
citizens.
Ross Wieeiner
From The Common Cores Unsung Benefit

Increasing Text Complexity: LFD provides read-aloud and whole-group

shared reading texts that are at or above grade level as well as texts at all
reading levels for each of the themes.
Building Disciplinary Knowledge: Students study the same universal themes
with more sophisticated central questions each year and thereby build a
body of knowledge related to each of the themes.

Balance of Texts: LFD provides texts (more than 50% nonfiction) for use as
read-alouds as well as for whole-class and small-group instruction.

Balance of Writing: LFD provides for writing in response to texts as well as

systematic instruction in narrative, explanatory, and argumentative writing.

The design of LFD builds on twenty years of development, research, and efficacy
studies. See www.efd.global/efficacy.
10

The E d uca t i o n fo r D e m o cr acy Cam paign

A Completely Digital Curriculum

Teacher Sites: Teachers will have a LFD Teacher Site that will provide access
to all the LFD Digital Curricula and the LFD eLibrary.
Integrated and Customized Curriculum Planning: Teachers will be able to customize lesson plans and will be able to send lessons to the LFD Student Sites.
Blended Learning: All the LFD Digital Curricula will provide support for
teacher-directed whole- and small-group instruction as well as independent
learning activities for students.
Student Progress Monitoring and Data Management: Assessments can be done
online or entered manually, providing teachers with the ability to track and
monitor students on literacy and social skill measures.
Student Sites: Students will have their own computers on which they will
have their LFD Student Sites which will provide access to instructional
materials assigned by the teacher and to the LFD eLibrary reading materials.

Universal Access
No Income Barriers: The LFD eLibrary and the LFD Digital Curricula are being
made available for free to teachers and students everywhere.
No Language Barriers: LFD will provide intensive support to students learning English as a second language including specially adapted, leveled books
for making the reading materials more accessible.
No Ability Barriers: LFD is being designed according to Universal Design for
Learning (UDL) principles to assure that all students can access and use LFD
regardless of learning abilities.

I swore never to be silent

whenever and wherever
human beings endure
suffering and humiliation.
We must always take
sides. Neutrality helps
the oppressor, never the
victim. Silence encourages
the tormentor, never the
tormented.
Elie Wiesel

w w w. e f d . g l o b a l 1 1

 Library of Congress/LC-DIG-00976u

3. Education for Democracy

Schools

When the school introduces

and trains each child of society
into membership within
such a little community,
saturating him with the
spirit of service, and providing him with the instruments
of effective self-direction, we
shall have the deepest and best
guaranty of a larger society
which is worthy, lovely, and
harmonious.
John Dewey
From The Child and the Curriculum

12

The E d uca t i o n fo r D e m o cr acy Cam paign

The third project of the Education for Democracy Campaign is to support

the development of Education for Democracy Schools in high poverty and
high violence neighborhoods across the country.
EFD Pilot School Implementation Options: In order to reach the most in-need
students and schools, we are seeking to raise funds to pilot LFD in selected
hub districts. Implementation options include:
20152016 Pilots: Implement Voices Literature and Writing, Voices
Leveled Library, Voices 3C eLessons, and/or Voices Literature and Character
Education in pre-K5 or pre-K8 schools.

20162017 Pilots: Implement LFD: Independent or LFD: Supplemental

in pre-K6; implement LFD: Literature and Speeches in 612.

20172018 Pilots: Implement LFD: Comprehensive in pre-K6.

Target Twelve Hub Districts: We have tentatively identified the following

hub districts to approach to see if they would be interested in piloting LFD:
Boston, NYC, DC, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Memphis, Denver, Houston,
Phoenix, LA, and San Francisco. In addition to piloting LFD in these districts,
we plan to use them as a hub from which to reach out to surrounding
districts across the country.
Randomized Control Trials: We plan to contract with the American Institutes
of Research (AIR) to conduct a randomized control trial of the supplemental
version of LFD in 20172018 in the hub districts and of the comprehensive
version in 20182019.

4. EFD Professional Development

Charter Schools
The fourth project of the Education for Democracy Campaign is to
establish EFD Professional Development Charter Schools in high-poverty
and high-violence neighborhoods in the participating hub districts. As
professional development schools (similar to teaching hospitals), these
schools will have four major purposes:
1. Train Future Educational Leaders: These schools will train future educators
(teachers, counselors, social workers, and principals) on how to teach, model,
and improve LFD and EFD School Design.
2. Provide Demonstration Sites: These schools will provide demonstration
sites where interested teachers and administrators can observe and discuss
the implementation of LFD and the EFD School Design.
3. Foster Collaborative Research: These schools will foster collaborative
research with universities, nonprofits, community organizations, and
corporations focused on addressing the needs of students living in
high-poverty and high-violence neighborhoods.

Racism is still with us. But

it is up to us to prepare our
children for what they have
to meet, and, and hopefully
overcome.
Rosa Parks

4. Provide Professional Development: These schools will provide professional

development support to teachers and schools (public, charter, private) who
decide to implement LFD or the EFD School Design.
Charter Schools that Support the Public Schools: As charter schools, these
schools will have the flexibility and autonomy to hire master teachers and
to fully implement LFD and the EFD School Design. In contrast to some
charter schools, these schools are being established to provide support
to public schools and districts as well as other charter and private schools.
w w w. e f d . g l o b a l 1 3

 Library of Congress/LC-DIG-00976u

EFD School Design

Integrating the teaching of transformative social and democratic
competencies with critical language and literacy competencies is one
major way to help students to overcome the social obstacles in their lives.

Each time a man stands up

for an ideal, or acts to improve
the lot of others, or strikes
out against injustice, he sends
forth a tiny ripple of hope,
and crossing each other from
a million different centers
of energy and daring, those
ripples build a current which
can sweep down the mightiest
walls of oppression and
resistance.
Senator Robert F. Kennedy

14

The E d uca t i o n fo r D e m o cr acy Cam paign

A second major way is to integrate LFD into a school design that provides
for dramatically more instructional time and better instructional quality
than schools in higher-income neighborhoods.
1. Comprehensive health and wellness services:
Nutritious meals and exercise throughout the day
Access to comprehensive health, social work, and counseling services
2. Transformative social and democratic competencies:
Integration of core social and democratic competencies into all subject areas
Integration into classroom management and school culture
3. Critical language, literacy, and social Studies:
Implementation of LFD for the teaching of language, reading, and writing
Integration of LFD social and democratic competencies into social studies,
visual arts, and performing arts
4. 21st Century Math and Science:
Application of scientific method, problem solving skills, digital technologies
to solve real-world social and natural problems
Use of math and science skills to explore LFD Central Questions
5. Mastery of social and academic competenciess:
Use of LFD six-step pedagogy to empower students in all subject areas
Use of student mastery of social and academic competencies to determine
progression through each subject area

6. Personalized and blended learning:

All classes to be limited to eighteen students and a student/teacher
ratio of 9:
Two- and three-year looping of teachers for reading
All subject areas to use blended learning in the classroom and at home
7. Dramatic increase in learning time (31% increase):
Includes Pre-k for three and four year olds
Increases school day by one hour (7.5 hours total); provides extended day
before and after school with tutoring and extra-curricular activities
Increases school year by twenty daysrequired summer school
8. Universal access for special education students:
Provides all reading texts in a digital format making possible digital
dictionary resources and oral reading of all words and texts, including oral,
artistic, and written modes for responding
Teaching of core social and emotional competencies directly address the
needs of special education students
9. Comprehensive support for English Language Learners:
Provides in-depth support for native language development, including
Spanish and Chinese language instruction for native speakers
Provides in-depth support for ELL instruction as part of the LFD Digital
Curricula
10. Extensive support for family and community members:
Includes family reading, family meetings, home visits, and family health
insurance and employment support
All students involved in community service throughout the year

...the day will come when

we...shall see the fulfillment
of that passage from the
Book of Mathew in the
New Testament, That the
last shall be first and the
first shall be last.
And on that day, our nation
shall fulfill its creed and
that fulfillment shall enrich
us all.
Address to the Commonwealth Club of California
(1984)

w w w. e f d . g l o b a l 1 5

 Library of Congress/LC-DIG-00976u

5. EFD International Schools

The fifth project of the Education for Democracy Campaign is to develop
the Literacy for Democracy Digital Curricula in multiple languages and
to establish Education for Democracy schools in high-poverty cities and

The education and

empowerment of women
throughout the world cannot
fail to result in a more caring,
tolerant, just and peaceful life
for all.
Aung San Suu Kyi

neighborhoods around the world.

LFD Digital Curricula in Multiple Languages
Use the social, language, and literacy competency structure of the English
language version of LFD to develop similar curricula in other languages
using native literature and texts.

Our first priorities will be to develop Chinese and Spanish language

LFD Digital Curricula.

We will also adapt the English language LFD Digital Curricula for use
in teaching English as a second language in the United States and around
the world.

EFD International Schools

Pilot the English language version of LFD adapted for use by students
learning English as a second language in Beijing and Mexico City.

Pilot the Spanish language version of LFD in Mexico City and the
Chinese language version in Beijing

16

The E d uca t i o n fo r D e m o cr acy Cam paign

The EFD Campaign seeks to support students and families who live
in high-poverty and high-violence neighborhoods around the world by
providing them with transformative educational curricula and schools.
This campaign is focused on five key projects:
1. Provide free access to the LFD eLibrary
2. Provide free access to the LFD Digital Curricula
3. Establish EFD pilot schools in twelve hub districts in the United States
4. Establish EFD professional development charter schools in these districts
5. Develop LFD in multiple languages and pilot around the world
National and Local Advisory Boards: We are in the process of establishing
a national advisory board for the EFD Campaign as well as local advisory
boards in each of the twelve hub districts. We welcome your recommendations for advisors.
Fundraising, Donations, and Investments: We are seeking foundation,
government, and private donor funding to support these five projects.
The Education for Democracy Campaign is a tax-exempt, nonprofit
educational organization, and all contributions of any size are welcome.
The publishing of the LFD Digital Curricula will be undertaken by EFD
Media, Inc., a for-profit corporation, which is seeking to raise venture capital
to support the publication of these curricula.
Individual and Organizational Members: We are reaching out to individuals
and organizations to become members of the Education for Democracy
Campaign. Please contact us at efdcampaign@efd.global if you are interested
in learning more about the Education for Democracy Campaign.

Library of Congress/LC-DIG-00976u

Making Real the Promises

of Democracy

So let us wage a glorious

struggle against illliteracy,
poverty, and terrorism, let us
pick up our books and our
pens, they are the most
powerful weapons
Malala Yousafzai

w w w. e f d . g l o b a l 1 7

The Education f or
Democracy Campaign

Education for Democracy Campaign

P.O. Box 25
Harvard, MA 01451
www.efd.global
info@efd.global
contact@efd.global

Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts

to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against

injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope...

Senator Robert F. Kennedy

Click here to return to

the Education for Democracy Institute Website.