NCSS is pleased to share two vital resources to support your social studies advocacy and leadership: our 2020 House of Delegates (HOD) resolutions approved by the NCSS Board of Directors, and our new open call for 2021 resolutions.

Why are resolutions important? First, they represent your voice within NCSS and the social studies profession. They provide a chance to share the issues you care about to a wider national audience. In a larger sense, they represent the democratic process in action within our organization – a chance for all members to shape the direction and priorities of NCSS and social studies education nationwide. 

It is perhaps a big understatement to write that social studies is visible in the public eye right now – with focus on the role of social justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism in teaching and learning. The resolutions process is how you, our valued member, give voice to solutions and promote the core values of social studies learning and teaching to the world. We need your voice more than ever as we re-affirm the purposes of social studies education at a time when both the substance and outcomes of social studies learning and teaching are intensely discussed in proposed state and federal legislation, and in numerous op-ed pieces.

At our 64th HOD Assembly in December 2020 (our first HOD held fully online), members discussed and approved several resolutions which then were debated by our Board of Directors for final approval. Resolutions are at the heart of our advocacy and mission. They also guide the direction of our current positions, professional learning programs, and publications. Their impact is wide-reaching. Past resolutions resulted in new position statements and webinar sessions to inform on current issues and teaching resources. 

At this point, I must disclose two personal reasons why resolutions are important to me, and why I write about them every year: I was the HOD Resolutions Committee Chair (briefly) as a long-time NCSS member and volunteer, before joining the NCSS staff as Executive Director in 2016, and I am the current HOD Secretary as NCSS Executive Director. All who participate and serve in HOD have a deep commitment to help our resolutions process run smoothly and make a profound difference to our profession.
    

And our resolutions do make a profound difference! For reference, check out the issues of most importance to us in 2020:

• RESOLUTION #20-03-1: Supporting the Teaching of Black Histories
• RESOLUTION #20-03-2: Resolution to Educate about our National Monuments
• RESOLUTION #20-04-1: Support the Civic Engagement of Teachers
• RESOLUTION # 20-04-3: Making “Black Lives Matter” in Our Schools
• RESOLUTION #20-04-4: Reimagining our Society and Rewriting the Rules to Enable Opportunity and Justice for All
• RESOLUTION #20-04-5: In Support of Teaching about Options to Address Climate Change
• RESOLUTION #20-04-6: Upholding the Implementation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Condemning the Executive Branch for Limiting the Provisions of DACA in Contempt of the Ruling of the Supreme Court
• RESOLUTION #20-04-8: Resolution Against Antisemitic Violence
• RESOLUTION # 20-05-1: Recognition of NCSS President Stefanie Wager
• RESOLUTION # 20-05-2: Recognition of Beth Ratway

We thank our many volunteers across our entire leadership network for drafting, co-sponsoring, debating, and ultimately bringing these important ideas forward as an official record of our values in 2020, and during our Centennial Celebration as we reflect on a century of service to the social studies profession.

Now it’s time for our annual open call for 2021 resolutions. Our next House of Delegates Assembly will meet at our 101st Annual Conference in Minneapolis (November 19-21, 2021), so the timeline to develop new proposals begins now. 

NCSS resolutions are organized into five categories:

1. Those that address current or future NCSS business operations
2. Broad topics and issues in social studies education
3. Areas focused on history and social science inquiry
4. Current relevant social and political issues affecting social studies education
5. Courtesy and commendation of individuals and groups in our profession

Anyone – from individual NCSS members to our network of Affiliated Councils, Associated Groups, and Special Interest Communities – may submit a resolution for consideration. We recently updated our guidance on how to write resolutions – we call it “a crash course” which includes everything from the purpose of a resolution, to writing a successful resolution, to examining a model resolution. 

Please check out the resources below to get started in 2021 resolutions development:

• NCSS Resolutions: A Crash Course in Writing and Submitting Resolutions to the 2021 NCSS House of Delegates
• NCSS Resolutions 2021 Timeline

Please check out the resources below to learn more about our approved resolutions, dating back to 2013:

• 2020 Resolutions Approved by the NCSS Board of Directors
• Resolutions Database         

We look forward to a vigorous debate during the 65th HOD Assembly and bringing more social studies advocacy to the forefront this year. Thank you for your social studies leadership at such a critical moment in our growth