In 1993 Jacek founded the Center for Civic Education which is centered in Warsaw. The Center's primary goal is to train teachers in the civic education program and to make socially oriented thinking and civil participation the norm in the new Poland. In its first year of operation the program trained 50 teachers. By 1996 it was providing training to over 300 teachers per year. By the end of 1997 the Center had trained over 900 teachers from over 180 counties in Poland. To spread his idea, Jacek has launched four new chapters throughout Poland in Szczecin, Krakow, Opole, and Lodz. Beginning in 1998 Jacek plans to train over 500 teachers per year.
To finance his project Jacek convinced local governments that, by using his ideas, they will achieve great benefits for the school system at low cost. Most local government officials have been so excited by the idea that they agreed to finance their municipalities' participation, thus motivating them to make sure that teachers and students participate in the civic education program. These fees have made the Center for Civic Education sustainable, and it no longer has to depend on funds from outside sources like the European Union or the U.S. government.
In 1996 Jacek and the Center started a new program, called Local Governments Education Policy, to demonstrate to local governments how to improve the quality of their schools. This program brings together groups involved in the education system - teachers, local officials, students, parents, and school administrators. Students evaluate their schools and discuss changes with their teachers and parents. The Center then helps the local officials and students to organize a public debate on what changes and reforms within the schools would be most beneficial to the community. Some communities have, for example, decided that more foreign language classes are needed while others have decided that more practical skill oriented programs are needed. Whatever the decision, the desired outcome is always the same in Jacek's view. The debate over the future of the schools energizes the citizens and increases their involvement in the civil activities within their communities.
Jacek has assumed a very hands-off approach to his participation within each community's local discussion of its schools. He chooses to focus his energy on training elected officials to institute his program within their communities. He also provides them with ready-made materials to help them facilitate their local discussions. This approach allows Jacek to concentrate on spreading his idea to as many local communities as possible; he plans to reach over 300 counties by 1999, and by 2005 he hopes that over half of the counties in Poland will be participating in his program.