In March 2001, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and the First Amendment Center teamed up to launch First Amendment Schools: Educating for Freedom and Responsibility (FAS), a national initiative designed to help schools affirm First Amendment principles and put them into action throughout their communities.

In May 2002, FAS selected its inaugural eleven First Amendment Project Schools . These schools, representing a wide range of educational profiles, pledged to spend the next three years integrating First Amendment rights and civic responsibilities into the daily lives of their schools.

In the fall of 2003, FAS took steps to expand the network of First Amendment Schools by inviting schools across the nation to become First Amendment Affiliate Schools. The FAS Affiliate Program allows school communities to identify themselves with the FAS aims of educating for freedom and responsibility, and provides them with useful resources to help them in their daily work.

In the spring of 2004, FAS will select four new Project Schools , bringing the Project School program to full capacity with fifteen grants operating around the country simultaneously.

For more information about how your school can get involved in the First Amendment Schools project, click here !