In 1997 the Education Commission of the States (ECS) created the Compact for Learning and Citizenship (CLC), an organization of state and district superintendents working to improve student learning through civic involvement and the use of volunteers. This issue paper provides an overview of service-learning, discussing impact, alignment with improving education, civic responsibility, voluntary versus required service, guidelines for effective practice, systems and strategies of support, and resources to integrate service-learning into K-12 schools. Contains 10 references, 10 selected resources, and 6 Web sites. (BT)