News and Advocacy

The revision of the Texas social studies standards is generating hot debate and strong opinions, and this is no surprise. Because the subjects that compose social studies touch upon cultural, societal and political topics, social studies generates the most controversy when decisions are made regarding what is taught to students.   read more »

In December 2009, Ted McConnell, executive director of Civic Mission of Schools Campaign (CMS), offered the support and resources of CMS to NCSS for a special purpose. Together, we would convene leaders of national organizations in civics, economics, geography, and history to discuss working together to establish Common Core State Standards in Social Studies.   read more »

The Maryland Social Studies Task Force has released a report on social studies education in Maryland. Acknowledging the challenges faced by social studies over the past decade, including the unintended marginalization of social studies disciplines caused by NCLB, the social studies task force made nine recommendations in its report that are “intended to reverse social studies? decline.” Key recommendations include establishing standards governing instructional time; administering a statewide social studies assessment in elementary and middle school; increasing social studies course requirements for prospective teachers; and launching a campaign to gain public support for more and better social studies instruction.

• The Task Force Report on Social Studies Education in Maryland: The Challenge and the Imperative (pdf download)
• Related: NCSS Position Statement Social Studies in the Era of No Child Left Behind

Over the weekend NCSS President-Elect Steven Goldberg was reached for comment and taped on a Channel One News segment regarding the Texas Board of Education revisions to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for social studies.   read more »

John Moore, Associate Professor in the School of Teacher Education at Western Kentucky University has been elected vice president of National Council for the Social Studies. Dr. Moore will begin his term July 1, 2010 and is in line to serve as president of NCSS in 2012.   read more »

Last week, in a last minute effort NCSS contacted its state affiliate, associated group, community and listservs with an urgent request to submit feedback at http://www.corestandards.org/ regarding National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers? draft of the ?Common Core State Standards for English Laguage Arts (ELA) and Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science   read more »

The Atlanta Journal Constitution published an Op-Ed in the April 7 issue on NCLB and the importance of social studies in the classroom.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/put-history-back-in-444328.html

Education Brief, Washington Post
March, 18. 2010

Historians speak out against proposed Texas textbook changes
By Michael Birnbaum

Historians on Tuesday criticized proposed revisions to the Texas social studies curriculum, saying that many of the changes are historically inaccurate and that they would affect textbooks and classrooms far beyond the state’s borders.   read more »

The APA National Standards Working Group has posted the revised National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula (Draft, 2010) for review and comment.   read more »

Historian Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of the United States and keynote speaker at the 2008 NCSS Annual Conference, died this week at the age of 87. Following are obituaries from several sources.   read more »

• “Howard Zinn, Historian, Dies at 87”, New York Times