Advocacy for social studies has never been more critical. The marginalization of social studies is well documented. This is not news. Social studies educators across the country have been working to impact change, as has our organization. Recently, a bipartisan bill was introduced that would provide 1 billion dollars to support civic education. This is progress. What we need now is what NCSS Past-President Tina Heafner called a “Sputnik moment” for social studies. We need to recognize that “we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” As social studies educators, we are the ones closest to this marginalization and, therefore, the ones most uniquely poised to make change. 

At our Fall meeting, the NCSS Board of Directors engaged in three questions to guide our advocacy strategy:

1. What can NCSS do within our own governance structure to address a greater emphasis on advocacy?
2. What can NCSS do to impact layers of the system (districts, classrooms, curriculum, etc.) in terms of advocacy for social studies?
3. How can NCSS best provide national thought leadership and professional learning on advocacy in the social studies?

Just as we engaged in these strategic questions, we also posed similar questions about race, equity, and inclusion in the social studies:

1. What can NCSS do within our own governance structure to address issues of race, equity, and inclusion?
2. What can NCSS do to impact layers of the system (districts, classrooms, curriculum, etc.)?
3. How could NCSS address standards – and/or leverage its own three main standards (National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies, C3 Framework, and National Standards for the Preparation of Social Studies Teachers) - to better address issues of race, equity, and inclusion?
4. How can NCSS best provide national thought leadership and professional learning onrace, equity and inclusion in the social studies?

As we deepen our focus on advocacy, we face unprecedented times where the long-documented impact of marginalizing social studies in the K-12 curriculum, especially in early childhood and elementary grades, intersects with new concerns about the very nature of the content and focus in the social studies curriculum. We no longer just need to advocate for more K-12 (and elementary) social studies instruction; we also need to advocate for inquiry and content that prepares students for an active and engaged civic life and seeks to advance social justice, confront systemic racism, and provide an inclusive space where all voices are raised, celebrated, and shared.

To this end, over the past few months, we have joined with other education organizations in setting an advocacy agenda for social studies. Here are examples of what NCSS is advocating for – and what we need you to be informed on to take direct initiative with your local and Congressional leaders.

• Educating for American Democracy Act: This bill is the first proposed investment in civic education ($1 Billion!) to support teaching and learning about our constitutional democracy. Please contact your House member to ask that they co-sponsor the bill. The CivXNow Coalition, of which NCSS is a proud member, created a template script for your use in outreach. (We are not contacting U.S. Senators about the legislation at this time.)
• American Historical Association Statement on the Recent “White House Conference on American History” 
• Teaching About Slavery Using the 1619 Project and Other Resources
• Our Citizens Are Taught in School to Be Active, Engaged Citizens

NCSS’ Advocacy Task Force recently created an Advocacy Toolkit, which debuted at the 2020 NCSS Summer Leadership Institute and was recently approved by the NCSS Board of Directors for full public use. The toolkit will support all members, the general public, and organizations to create their own advocacy plan to address this marginalization and advance social justice through the social studies. Advocacy, and our new Advocacy Toolkit, will be the focus of significant NCSS professional learning content and messaging in the coming months. Look for more from me in my next President’s Message.

I want to close by sharing a resource created by our own NCSS Human Rights Education Community. They created a Get Out the Vote 2020 Toolkit, which can be accessed here.