Service-Learning Resources

CalServe – 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.

Cesar Chavez Information and Resources
March 31 is designated as the Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning. Visit LA County Office of Education Service Learning Page for more information.

The History of Service-Learning
The meaning of "service" has been literally evolving for centuries. The word as... we now know it dates back to 16th-century England, when it was used to mean "an instance of beneficial or friendly action" and "conduct tending to the welfare or advantage of another." And by 1700, the definition had expanded to include the idea of secular duty through public or military service.

K-12 Service-Learning Project Planning Toolkit
This guide, published by The National S-L Clearinghouse will help you and your students to implement a well-organized service-learning project.

Learn and Serve America - Learn and Serve America supports and encourages service-learning throughout the United States, and enables over one million students to make meaningful contributions to their community while building their academic and civic skills. By engaging our nation’s young people in service-learning, Learn and Serve America instills an ethic of lifelong community service.

Linking Service-Learning and the California Standards
These important documents provide practical ideas and strategies for utilizing service-learning as an instructional strategy to meet the California Academic Content Standards in the areas of English-Language Arts, Mathematics, History-Social Science, Science, Health Education, Physical Education, and the Visual and Performing Arts.

The National Youth Leadership Council’s (NYLC's) Generator School Network is a community of service-learning practitioners aided by online resources.

Service-Learning and Dropout Prevention Powerpoint Presentations
These powerpoint presentations provide research, background information, and effective strategies for utilizing service-learning as a tool for reducing dropout rates in schools.

Service-Learning Guide for Parents
This document provides information about parents’ role in participating in and promoting service-learning as an effective way for teaching.

Youth Service America - Founded in 1986, YSA is an international nonprofit resource center that partners with thousands of organizations in more than 100 countries to expand the impact of the youth service movement with families, communities, schools, corporations, and governments.

Youth Service California - Youth Service California is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to helping California youth transform themselves and their communities though service.