WILLIAMSBURG — William & Mary announced it has received a three-year, $2.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to train teachers in conjunction with the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
The award, granted to W&M’s Strategic Cultural Partnerships, is the largest to a Virginia institution of higher learning under the American History and Civics Education National Activities — Seminars for America’s Semi-quincentennial program, the university said.
According to W&M News, the initiative, “We the Teachers: Preparing the Next Generation Through History & Civics,” will strengthen K–12 history and civics education by equipping teachers with deep content knowledge, evidence-based pedagogy, and classroom-ready tools that connect America’s founding principles to civic life. The grant also provides nearly $100,000 for paid applied-learning opportunities for W&M students in roles such as learning design, digital content development, communications, and event management.
“This grant underscores William & Mary’s commitment to innovative scholarship in service to the nation,” Provost Peggy Agouris told W&M News. “‘We the Teachers’ is a model of how leading research universities can advance civic learning by combining deep historical knowledge with cutting-edge pedagogy to empower educators.”
At the heart of “We the Teachers” is the Congress of Educators, an annual four-day seminar bringing together 100 teacher delegates from all 50 states each year — 300 in total over the life of the grant. The inaugural congress will take place in July 2026 across the Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, the university said.
Ann Marie Stock, presidential liaison for Strategic Cultural Partnerships, told W&M News the award affirms years of work.
“We’re thrilled and grateful for this national investment in teachers,” she said. “Together with partners across the Historic Triangle and nationwide, ‘We the Teachers’ will strengthen civic learning by turning founding ideals into classroom-ready practice. There’s no better place for this work than the Alma Mater of the Nation: William & Mary.”
Mark Hofer, senior director in Strategic Cultural Partnerships and co-principal investigator for the project, added that “the momentum afforded to our 2026 efforts by this grant cannot be overstated. We will deliver deep content, evidence-based pedagogy, and a suite of tools for teachers across the nation.”
The program will also expand access to free, on-demand micro-courses and professional development opportunities nationwide, with digital badges and state-aligned certificates, according to William & Mary. A train-the-trainer strategy will enable delegates to launch local professional learning communities in their home regions, multiplying the project’s reach.
“‘We the Teachers’ will create classrooms where students analyze, debate, and engage as informed citizens for the next 250 years,” Hofer said in the university’s release.
