Advocacy
Joint Statement in Opposition to Book Censorship in the Tucson Unified School District
January 30, 2012
The undersigned organizations are committed to protecting free speech and intellectual freedom. We write to express our deep concern about the removal of books used in the Mexican-American Studies Program in the Tucson Unified School District. --> read more »
Legislative Action Alert: January 20, 2012
For NCSS Members whose Congressional representatives are members of the House Education & the Workforce Committee: --> read more »
A Window of Opportunity
Over the next few weeks, states around our nation can join Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Tennessee in submitting waivers to the requirements of the federal education law No Child Left Behind (NCLB). --> read more »
Consensus Recommendations for a Well-Rounded Education
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 »
Maryland Social Studies Task Force Report
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
NGA and CCSSO Draft of the “Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science"
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 »
