History of LRE | LRE Resources | Directory of State LRE Programs

History of LRE

Law-related education (LRE) had its genesis in the 1960s as part of an effort for improvements in teaching about the founding documents of the United States, including the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. A basic premise of the movement was the need for students to study not only the documents themselves, but the legal cases and controversies that have given them meaning and relevance.

As LRE grew, so too did its scope. By 1978, when leaders of the LRE movement described the field in a report to the federal government, they defined it as "those organized learning experiences that provide students and educators with opportunities to develop the knowledge and understanding, skills, attitudes, and appreciations necessary to respond effectively to the law and legal issues in our complex and changing society."

Today, LRE embraces a rich and varied array of programs for all grade levels. These programs share a common goal of fostering the knowledge, skills, and values students need to function effectively in a society defined by its democratic institutions, pluralism, and the rule of law. LRE strives to develop the active citizens a democratic society requires: those who can understand, live in, and contribute positively to the civic communities to which they belong.

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LRE Resources

• Learn about the Essentials of Law-Related Education in this downloadable pamphlet (.pdf format).
• Read about "The Promise of Law Related Education as Delinquency Prevention" in this 2001 article by Caliber Associates.
• Read A Descriptive Review of Research in Law-Related Education from the Social Science Education Consortium. (On the Center for Education in Law and Democracy's website.)
• Subscribe to TeachLRE, a national LRE e-newsletter for classroom teachers

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Directory of State LRE Programs

In addition to the LRE programs sponsored by the national YFJ partners, there are hundreds of LRE projects sponsored at the state level. The online directory of state LRE programs offers short descriptions and contact information for these program offerings.

Please note: This directory will soon be replaced by the National Directory of Law-Related Programs. Check back soon for more information and how you can add your program/organization to the directory!

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