About Us

About Us

Mission Statement: The Indiana Department of Education, Division of Service Learning has a mission to support service-learning programs in schools that help students from kindergarten through Grade 12 meet community needs, while improving their academic skills and learning the habits of good citizenship. Learn and Serve Indiana grants are used to create new programs or replicate existing programs, as well as to provide training and development to staff, faculty, students, and volunteers.

History of Learn and Serve Indiana
Corporation for National and Community Service
Learn and Serve America

Service-Learning has a close cousin in the STW/career prep and disabilities worlds, but has had some ups and downs among those in education reform--not finding a great deal of respect or acceptance over the years. We have turned the corner with a quote from the Secretary of Education. On June 20, the U.S. Department of Education produced a press release to announce the show, Service-Learning: Creating Community and Developing Citizens, as part of the "Education News Parents Can Use" television series. The press release featured a supportive quote from Margaret Spellings that is making waves across the service-learning field.

"'Through service-learning, students have unique opportunities to learn the value of teamwork and build critical thinking skills while completing service projects in areas such as education, public safety and the environment,' said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. 'Studies have shown that students who participate in such programs demonstrate increased civic and social responsibility and improved academic achievement.'"