Supporting Service-Learning Through Policy

Experienced service-learning advocates and practitioners know the conditions that help ensure a successful service-learning program: engaged and well-prepared teachers, empowered and motivated students, planning time and resources, strong community connections, and meaningful approaches to reflection. All these conditions are essential. But, how do we ensure such an infrastructure is sustained over time? How do we ensure they are not overwhelmed by organizational resistance to change -- or stifled by rising pressures to produce easily reported gains on traditional measures of school and student success?