NCSS was recently contacted by the National Geographic Society regarding the Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act, HR 1228.  This is a bill that NCSS has promoted on Capitol Hill and for which NCSS has helped secure many co-sponsors. The act would ensure federal support for geography comparable to the eight other core academic subjects identified by the No Child Left Behind Act.   --> read more »

The Education Report, a weekly publication of WPLLC, provides an executive summary
of public policy issues affecting American education. After selecting the attachment, you may navigate the report based on the areas of interest below:

1. Budget and Appropriations
2. In Brief
3. New Publications
4. In the News
5. About WPLLC

The Association of Educational Publishers (also known as EdPress) has named "From Banished to Brother Outsider, Miss Navajo to An Inconvenient Truth: Documentary Films as Perspective-Laden Narratives" best article in the learned category published in an educational periodical.   --> read more »

An editorial appearing in The Christian Science Monitor speaks to our NCSS mission eloquently. "Do Graduates Understand Citizenship?" posits this title question while reminding readers of the fragile nature of our democracy. Read this article by Diane Cameron. click here.

The NCSS Standards Revision Task Force is continuing it's work on updating the NCSS Curriculum Standards for Social Studies and needs your input. Please see http://communities.ncss.org/standardsrevision for an update on the work of the task force, drafts of updates, and to provide feedback and comments to the task force.

NCSS President Gayle Thieman and Past President Peggy Altoff articulate the devastating impact of NCLB on social studies teaching in an article published in the District Administration March 2008 issue.   --> read more »

Be a Social Studies Advocate

Join the NCSS Advocacy Conversation. Join our Social Studies Advocacy Group on the NCSS Connected Site! http://connected.socialstudies.org/SOCIALSTUDIES/SOCIALSTUDIES/Directory...

What can you do now?

Visit your U.S. House of Representative and State Senators during their district or state “home work periods “and reinforce the NCSS ESEA reauthorization message, view detailed information on NCSS key advocacy points and tips on scheduling your appointments below, and illustrate with your own personal examples.

In Summary, NCSS ESEA reauthorization recommendations are:

-Current ESEA law be revised to explicitly state in its basic program requirements that each of the core disciplines: English/Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies (civics, economics, geography and history) are key to a well-rounded education.

-ESEA recognize that proficiency in each of these subjects is needed for US students to be prepared for college, career, and citizenship in the complex and globally interdependent world.

-The narrowing of the curriculum and the civic achievement gap be addressed by including provisions for social studies assessment and professional development in the reauthorization of ESEA that require states to outline plans to address social studies as key to the K-12 curriculum, as well as plans to invest some portion of their professional development funds in social studies educators.

-New accountability rubrics in the law are as inclusive of the “multiple measures” approach considered in draft legislation in 2007 and move toward the use of growth models.

-Any revision or consolidation of the structure of ESEA Title II programs (i.e. Teaching American History Grants, Academies for American History and Civics, National History Day, Close-Up Fellowships, Excellence in Economic Education, etc.) results in an increase in resources for front-line social studies teachers.

-At least $2.00 per student, or $100 million per year invested in civic education, as an important first step in restoring the civic mission of our schools.

-The structure and plans of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) be modified such that social studies be a component of the two-year testing cycle that reading and mathematics are

-NAEP history, civics, geography, and economics, be conducted, one each year, such that each discipline area would be tested every four years with a sample size large enough to yield disaggregated data.

• For the full NCSS Letter of Recommendations to the Senate please visit:* http://www.ncssleaders.org/pub/Main/WebHome/NCSS_ESEA_Recommendations_to...

Use the follow resources to help set up your at home Congressional Visits!

• Steps to follow when setting up an at home visit:* http://www.ncssleaders.org/Main/A

• Example of a meeting request letter:* http://www.ncssleaders.org/Main/MeetingRequest-SampleLetter

• Example of at home meeting talking points:* http://www.ncssleaders.org/Main/CongressionalVisitTalkingPoints-Example

Useful Links:

• To determine who your Representative is, enter your zipcode at the prompts provided at:* http://www.house.gov

• A listing of all Representatives can be found at:* http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml

• To determine who your Sentors are, follow the database prompts available at:* http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

District and State Work Period Calendars:

• To determine current year “District Work Periods” when your Representative will be available at the District Office see the calendar at: http://www.house.gov/house/House_Calendar.shtml.

• To determine current year “State Work Periods” when your Senator will be at the home state office see the calendar at: http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/one_item_and_teasers/2010_s...

Useful NCSS Advocacy Resources

NCSS Advocacy Toolkit

Our toolkit will help you advocate for social studies education in your school, your community, and your nation.
Advocacy Toolkit

NCSS Advocacy Checklist

If you can check 4 or more items on this list, then you get an A+ as an advocate for social studies education! Advocacy Checklist

Join the NCSS Advocacy Conversation. Join our Social Studies Advocacy Group on the NCSS Connected Site! http://connected.socialstudies.org/SOCIALSTUDIES/SOCIALSTUDIES/Directory...

Advocacy Links:

• ED's ESEA Reauthorization Blueprint: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/blueprint/index.html
• Common Core Standards Initiative: http://www.corestandards.org/
• Council of Chief State School Officers: http://www.ccsso.org/
• National Governors Association: http://www.nga.org
• Information on ARRA programs: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/implementation.html
• ED’s FY 2011 Budget Request: http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget11/index.html
• House Education and Labor Committee: http://edlabor.house.gov/
• Senate HELP Committee: http://help.senate.gov/
• House Appropriations Committee: http://appropriations.house.gov/
• Senate Appropriations Committee: http://appropriations.senate.gov/

Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools

National Council for the Social Studies is pleased to be part of the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools--a coalition of 40 organizations committed to improving the quality and quantity of civic learning in American schools. The Campaign's goal is to increase and improve civic learning in grades K-12 by working for policies that implement the recommendations of the Civic Mission of Schools report.

Civic Mission of Schools Website

Legislative Updates and News

Today’s Social Studies…Creating Effective Citizens.

That’s what we do, and our task is essential to maintaining an effective democracy. However, not everyone understands this. When this message is understood, students will benefit, schools will have greater support, and social studies teachers and other educators will find their job more rewarding.   --> read more »

National Council for the Social Studies supports and advocates social studies education with the goal of creating effective citizens in an interdependent world.

Legislative Updates