Thomas Vontz

Thomas S. Vontz is founding director of Kansas State University’s (KSU) Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program, Center for Social Studies Education (CSSE) and is a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. He teaches graduate courses in education and political science. KSU’s MAT program has served students from 35 states and is among the top programs of its kind according to US News and World Report. Since its inception in 2007, the CSSE has provided workshops, institutes, program administration, resources, and graduate courses to hundreds of K-12 teachers. Prior to his faculty appointment at KSU, Vontz served as a faculty member at Rockhurst University (2001-2005) and Indiana University (2000).

He was selected as a James Madison Fellow in its inaugural class (1992) and taught US History, Civics, and Foreign Relations at Lincoln Southeast High School (1992-1995). He has served as Chair, Council of Faculty Senate Presidents (2011-2012), President of the Kansas State University Faculty Senate (2011-2012), Associate Director of Civics Mosaic (2005-2011) and President of the Kansas Council for the Social Studies (2007-2008). Vontz’s scholarly work has focused on teaching about political ideas in K-12 schools. He became affiliated with the Center for the Study of Federalism through his work with Stephen Schechter. Vontz and Schechter collaborated to connect K-12 teachers with the ideas of leading historians, political scientists, jurists, law professors, and educationists. He is author or co-author of several journal articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, curriculum materials, and external grants.

In 2010 he co-authored a comparative civics textbook, Exploring Political Ideas (with Stephen Schechter and Margaret Branson), and served as Executive Associate Editor of Cengage’s American Governance (2016), a scholarly encyclopedia that explores the polycentric nature of American governance. Since 1995, he has provided leadership and expertise to dozens of international, national, professional, state, university, college, and department committees, organizations, and projects. Vontz has coordinated and organized more than fifty multi-day conferences, workshops, institutes, or exchanges in several countries and states. He has worked directly with students, teachers, administrators and/or embassy officials in Bangladesh, Bosnia, Cambodia, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Pakistan, and Russia. He has received more than 80 external grants and contracts totaling more than $4 million to support his work with K-12 teachers.

Vontz’s publications include:

Stephen L. Schechter and Thomas S. Vontz 2023. Teaching Federalism Digest: Political Noise, CRT, and School Governance: A Federalism Perspective. Easton, PA: Center for the Study of Federalism.

Clark, J.S., & Vontz, T.S 2021. “Remote PBL in Social Studies to Strengthen Public Voice, Broaden Civic Engagement, and Foster Civic Agency.” The Journal 3 (Summer): 6-10.

Larson, Lotta and Thomas S. Vontz. 2018. “An Alternative Pathway to Elementary Teaching.” Educational Considerations 44 (1): 1-6.

Vontz, Thomas S. and J. Spencer Clark with Stephen L. Schechter. 2018. “Populism, Democracy, and the Education of Citizens.” In Democracy’s Discontent and Civic Learning: Multiple Perspectives, ed. Charles S. White. Greenwich, CT: Information Age.

Vontz, Thomas S. and Pauline Weaver. 2017. “Civics Education.” In The Improvement of the Administration of Justice, ed. Peter M. Koelling, 1075-1085. Washington, DC: ABA Book Division.

Schechter, Stephen L., Thomas S. Vontz, Thomas A. Birkland, Mark A. Graber, and John J. Patrick, eds. 2016. American Governance. 5 Vols. New York: Cengage.

Schechter, Stephen L. and Thomas S. Vontz with contributions by Margaret Stimmann Branson 2010. Exploring Political Ideas: Concepts that Shape Our World. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.

Clark, J. Spencer, Thomas S. Vontz, and Kristoffer Barikmo. 2008. “Teaching about Civil Disobedience: Clarifying a Recurring Theme in Secondary Social Studies.” The Social Studies (March/April): 51-56.

Vontz, Thomas S., ed. 2007. “Democracy and Education.” Theory and Research in Social Education 35 (Winter): 1-144.

Vontz, Thomas S. 2007. “Guest Editor’s Introduction: Themed Issue (Civic Education).” Theory and Research in Social Education 35 (Winter): 1-3.

Vontz, Thomas S. (Russian Translation). 2006. “Creating and Maintaining a Positive Learning Environment.” In The Active School, eds.,

Stephen L. Schechter, Anna Zelenstova, and Kevin Spensley, 17-21. Moscow: Civitas Russia.

Vontz Thomas S. and Robert S. Leming. 2005-2006. “Designing and Implementing Effective Professional Development in Civic Education.” International Journal of Social Education 20 (Fall/Winter): 67-85.

Vontz, Thomas S., and Robert S. Leming. 2004. “Promoting Civic Learning in the Preparation of Social Studies Teachers: Criteria and Principles for Selecting Exemplary Methods and Materials.” In Civic Learning in Teacher Education. Volume Three, eds. Greg Hamot, John J. Patrick and Robert S. Leming, 75-98. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education.

Vontz, Thomas S. and Robert S. Leming. 2003. “Using Supreme Court Cases to Foster Civic Learning.” In Civic Learning in Teacher Education. Volume Two, eds. John J. Patrick, Robert S. Leming, and Greg Hamot, 75-98. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education.

Vontz, Thomas S. and Sarah E. Drake. 2003. ERIC Digest: Teaching about Due Process of Law. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education, December.

Patrick, John J., Thomas S. Vontz, and Kim K. Metcalf. 2002-2003. “Learning Democracy through Project Citizen in Lithuania, Latvia, and Indiana.” International Journal of Social Education 17 (Fall/Winter): 49-68.

Patrick, John J., Thomas S. Vontz, and William A. Nixon. 2002. “Issue-Centered Education for Democracy through Project Citizen.” In Education for Democracy: Contexts, Curricula, and Assessments, ed. Walter C. Parker, 93-112. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, Inc.

Patrick, John J. and Thomas S. Vontz. 2001. “Components of Education for Democratic Citizenship in the Preparation of Social Studies Teachers.” In Principles and Practices of Democracy in the Education of Social Studies Teachers: Ideas and Examples for Teacher Educators, eds.  John J. Patrick and Robert S. Leming, 39-63. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education.

Drake, Sarah E. and Thomas S. Vontz. 2001. ERIC Digest: Teaching about the Supreme Court. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education, August.

Vontz, Thomas S. and Sarah E. Drake. 2001. ERIC Digest: Teaching about the U.S. Congress. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education, March.

Drake, Sarah E. and Thomas S. Vontz. 2000. ERIC Digest: Teaching about the Presidency. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education, November.

Vontz, Thomas S. and William A. Nixon. 2000. ERIC Digest: Teaching about Presidential Elections. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education, August.

Vontz, Thomas S., Kim K. Metcalf, and John J. Patrick. 2000. Project Citizen and the Civic Development of Adolescent Students in Indiana, Latvia, and Lithuania. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education.

Vontz, Thomas S. and William A. Nixon. 1999. ERIC Digest: Issue-Centered Civic Education in Middle Schools. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education, May.

Leming, Robert and Thomas S. Vontz. 1998. “Implementing New Civic Education Programs in Indiana and Eastern Europe.” International Journal of Social Education 13 (1): 134-144.