JACKSONVILLE — Representatives of the Southern Oregon Education Service District received a $2 million check Wednesday to jump-start a program aimed at improving educators’ abilities to teach American history.

The grant was announced by U.S. Rep. Greg Walden in front of the Jacksonville Museum of Southern Oregon History.

Walden called the funding, part of a Teaching American History grant under the No Child Left Behind Act, a timely event with Independence Day celebrations just days away.

"I can’t think of anything more important than teaching American history," he said. "I just think it’s very important that students today understand the sacrifices made in the past to build this country and give us the freedoms that we enjoy."

Flanked by Donna Foxley, regional representative for the U.S. secretary of education, Walden said although federal funding won’t solve the budget crises in Oregon schools, it could fill some of the more important gaps.

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The Teaching American History program supports three-year projects aimed at improving teachers’ knowledge and understanding of American history through intensive, continuing professional development.

Meighan Maloney, ESD project director for the program dubbed "Turning Points," said it will be designed to fit in with existing curriculum.

Development of the eight-part series of lessons will happen in two phases. An 18-month production phase will create a prototype of Web, print and video materials.

A second phase will involve four "test beds" in which education service agencies in Oregon, Iowa and California will test the materials and make revisions.

Participants will be pre-tested and post-tested to assure effectiveness of the materials. Following the three-year grant period, materials will be made available nationwide.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Programs, less than one-quarter of the country’s K-12 students are proficient in civics and American history.

The Teaching American History program will award 122 grants worth $118 million to school districts in 40 states nationwide and in Puerto Rico.

"Part of what’s come out of the No Child Left Behind Act is that they’re finding out that 60 percent of teachers teaching American History don’t have credits in American history," said Maloney.

"What we hope to do is offer high-quality products to enhance the curriculum that’s already being taught and make American history more than just dates and places."

On the Web: www.ed.gov/programs/teachinghistory/index.html.

Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at buffypollock@juno.com.