Note to editors: This program was originally scheduled for Feb. 18 but due to the snow emergency in the Washington area, it was postponed until Tuesday, March 18.

Educating parents and teachers on ways to develop student's citizenship skills, promote strong character development and understand the value of volunteerism and service will be the focus of the U.S. Department of Education's monthly TV show and webcast presented Tuesday night on various cable outlets and at downlink sites across the country.

This month's "Education News Parents Can Use" program runs from 8-9 p.m. EST and will be carried on the Web at www.connectlive.com/events/ednews/. A full listing of viewing options is available at http://registerevent.ed.gov/.

"One goal of American education has always been to create active, involved citizens. Now, more than ever, our students need to learn how to participate responsibly in our free society and to serve their communities," said U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige. "Parents will find this program useful in learning ways of promoting citizenship, service and character among their children."

Among the topics to be covered.

• What is a good citizen? What values and character traits help define good citizenship?
• What can we do in schools, the home and the community to teach and reinforce civic virtues, our democratic traditions and a sense of civic pride?
• What is the latest research on character education programs and how can character be effectively taught in schools?
• How can the community offer opportunities for moral and democratic action by young citizens?
• How is serving others part of being a "person of character"?
• Where can I find more information on school, community and faith-based organizations dedicated to advancing the president's goals of volunteerism and service to country?
• What can I do in the home and community to help my children develop strong character and become good citizens?

Guests include Charles Quigley, executive director and founder of the Center for Civic Education; Darcia Narvaez, associate professor of psychology at Notre Dame; Patrick McEvoy, principal of Maplewood-Richmond Heights Senior High School in St. Louis; and Nicole Tiggs, student council president at Maplewood-Richmond Heights Senior High.

Also, Sara Leven, service learning coordinator at Nicolas Senn High School in Chicago; Sam Chaltain, coordinator of the First Amendment Schools initiative at the First Amendment Center; Robert Gibbs, a senior law partner and chapter president of the 100 Black Men organization of Jackson, Miss., and Amy Cohen, director of Learn and Serve America at the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The show will also feature a conversation between Secretary Paige and D.C. civic leader and former Washington Redskin Darrell Green about citizenship, service and his recent appointment as the chair of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

"Education News Parents Can Use" features one-on-one interviews, "how-to" demonstrations, and brief conversations with parents, educators, community, business and religious leaders, and education experts. As always, viewers can call in their questions to a phone number that will be posted on the screen.

The show is broadcast on the third Tuesday of every month during the school year. Besides local cable systems, the program is live on the Dish Network, and it's rebroadcast nationally on the Discovery Network's TLC (The Learning Channel), the Channel One Network, and some Public Broadcasting Service stations.

Details about the series are available at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OIIA/television/index.html.

Future broadcasts will address teacher quality (April 15), special education (May 20), and educational technology (June 17).

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