Watching a high school graduation these days is often a very colorful event. As the proud graduates file into gym or the auditorium, their graduation gowns are festooned with cords, signifying their scholastic and service achievements.

As we prepare to descend on DC for the NCSS conference, take a look at this latest statement concerning one of our key note speakers, Sec. of Education Arne Duncan. He is coming out as a strong supporter of history, geography and civics as a part of the core curriculum. Let's hold him to that as NCLB gets put under the microscope.

Dear Members of the Non-Public School Community--- If you plan to be in Washington on December 1 to get ready for the NCSS Conference, I strongly encourage you to get involved with the Legislative Day happenings. Specific details can be found on the NCSS website, or you can contact Kristen Pekarek at Kristen@ncss.org. I hope to see you in Washington in early December! Sincerely, Brian

Hi Everyone-- I have begun the process of contacting my representatives in Washington, and also Senators Harkin and Enzi about the possibility of meeting with them while in Washington for Legislative Day. My key breakthrough of the day was the ability to schedule a meeting with Representative John Kline's Educational assistant on December 1.

From the Wall Street Journal We lag in science, but students' historical illiteracy hurts our politics and our businesses. By NORM AUGUSTINE [ former under secretary of the Army, and the retired chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin.

There is nothing more terrifying or exhilarating than facing a class on the first day of school. It doesn’t matter what grade, what subject or what school – the heart begins to pound at all the possibilities for the coming year. Stepping up to the white board as an educator for the first time is a leap of faith, a jump into the unknown.   --> read more »

While I was at dinner at the NCGE conference in Portland in August, Jeff Moniz, one of the participants at the table made a general inquiry, asking if anyone knew how to get in touch with the president of NCSS, as he needed help. I leaned forward and said, "You've got her.

The first national evaluation of National History Day (NHD) finds that students who participate in the program perform better on high-stakes tests, are better writers, more confident and capable researchers, and have a more mature perspective on current events and civic engagement than their peers. Participants also show a greater ability to collaborate with peers, manage their time and persevere – all skills employers say are lacking in today's workforce.   --> read more »

On July 29 at a policy briefing on Capitol Hill, National Council for the Social Studies joined ASCD and other education organizations in presenting "Consensus Recommendations for a Well-Rounded Education." The recommendations are a response to the continuing prioritization of reading and math over other subjects in the No Child Left Behind Act and in the Obama administration’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) blueprint and FY11 budget request.   --> read more »