Each spring we select 60 teachers from a pool of applicants to come to Washington for six days of educational activities that strengthen and expand instruction about the U.S. Supreme Court.
Teachers participate in sessions led by Supreme Court experts, journalists, and lawyers, as well as Street Law's Lee Arbetman and Cathy Ruffing. The Institute covers six current (or recent cases) and prepares teachers to use innovative methods to teach about both current and historical cases. This exciting opportunity culminates with a visit to the Court to hear decisions handed down and a reception at the Court.
Since it began in 1995, the Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers has served more than 1,200 teachers, who have in turn reached over 300,000 students. The Institute is funded by and delivered in partnership with the Supreme Court Historical Society.
The tentative dates for the two 2019 Summer Institutes are June 13-18 and June 20-25.
- 30 teachers from across the country will be accepted for each Institute (60 total)
- Admission is based on a competitive application process
Applicant Eligibility:
- Applicants must teach or supervise secondary social studies or law-related education.
- Applicants must commit to attend all sessions and train other secondary school teachers.
- Teachers who have already attended one of Street Law's Supreme Court Institutes or Supreme Court Seminars are ineligible for this program. Teachers who attended other Street Law workshops or seminars (those not focused solely on the Supreme Court) are eligible.
- Applicants from ethnic and racial minorities, people teaching in urban schools or on Native American reservations, and people new to the teaching profession are encouraged to apply.
The 2019 application will be posted in October.