The National Council for the Social Studies sent letters to both Presidential candidates shortly before the November election. Although the letters clearly addressed the desire for continued support of many Congressional appropriations related to Social Studies, the letters neglected to mention the long standing attempt over the last four Congresses to give our curriculum equity on the National Assessment for Educational Progress tests which hold the states accountable for how well they compare to one another and to a national standard. NCSS has refused, despite repeated urging by FCSS, to make public to its members a request for support for these measures for many years. This letter to Senator McCain was identical to that sent to Senator Obama and represents still yet another lost opportunity to address the inequity of our curriculum at the national level on NAEP.
_________________________
October 8, 2008
Senator John McCain
John McCain 2008
P.O. Box 16118
Arlington, VA 22215
Dear Senator McCain:
As you and Senator Obama compete for the highest office in the land and share your views and plans for US policies home and abroad over the next four years, the importance of a strong and accountable public education system cannot be understated. As you know, training and retaining a quality teaching workforce, addressing the dropout crisis that plagues public high schools, giving young people crucial 21st Century Skills that facilitate success in the workplace and college, addressing the persistent achievement gap and a maintaining a strong higher education system are crucial to an effective citizenry and healthy economy.
On behalf of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and its more than 25,000 members, we would like to share our views and priorities on a number of issues that will be considered by the next Administration. As you and your prospective Secretary of Education work with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to consider policies that affect K-12 schools and classrooms, we ask you to consider these views.
NCSS defines social studies as "the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence." The mission of the Council is to provide leadership, service and support for all social studies educators. During this presidential election year, we are reminded how important it is that citizens know their civic responsibilities. It is important that federal investments validate the role of social studies in exposing young people to civic engagement, economics and financial literacy, global awareness, historical reasoning and other subjects that yield increasingly crucial 21st Century skills.
As you know, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is a law that has had an enormous impact on public education throughout the nation and has brought vital focus to the need to define school wide academic success as success for every child. NCSS wholeheartedly endorses this goal, but believes the law can be both strengthened and improved. NCSS is concerned that social studies is getting short shrift in the classroom as teachers and administrators focus almost exclusively on achievement test results in math and reading. If American students are to succeed in the global market place of the 21st Century, it is the teaching of social studies, science and other core disciplines that will serve as the means to stimulate interest in academics and prepare students for their roles as citizens.
The Center on Education Policy (CEP) released a report in 2007 that asserts that since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, 44% of districts surveyed have reduced time for social studies. That percentage leapt to 51% in districts with “failing schools.” Denying students the opportunity to build social studies vocabulary and background knowledge lowers reading comprehension and ironically increases the achievement gap. This is clearly an unintended consequence of NCLB and one that deserves the attention of policy makers.
Powerful social studies teaching begins with a clear understanding of the subject’s unique purposes and goals. Social studies is a discipline that facilitates the teaching of a number of subjects and arms young people with the knowledge and skills they need to be effective and responsible citizens. An emphasis on reading knowledge alone ignores the value of important content and analysis. Rigorous and relevant social studies curriculum can—and does—teach reading skills while imparting important knowledge and skills. The same is true in mathematics. Economics, financial literacy, geography and other disciplines have mathematics lessons and content imbedded in their teaching. NCSS firmly believes that by incorporating a social studies curriculum into the school day, the reading and math skills of the students will actually be enhanced.
Finally, as social studies educators strive to give young people the skills and knowledge they need to become effective citizens, it is crucial they have access to quality professional development to meet the demands of the ever-changing classroom. There are a number of federal programs that assist districts, administrators and principals in their efforts to support their classroom teachers. We ask you to adequately fund these initiatives, including the Teaching American History grant program, National History Day, Civic Education, Excellence in Economic Education, Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants and NCLB Improving Teacher Quality State Grants. Adequate federal funding for existing programs and innovative new ideas can and do help tens of thousands of students and teachers to gain important skills and experiences, ultimately producing responsible citizens.
No matter who takes up residence in the White House in January, he and his staff will face challenges, and we look forward to working with the team as it faces appropriations battles, considers the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act and addresses important issues that affect classrooms, teachers, administrators, parents and students.
Thank you for your attention to these views. As the campaign continues, if we can provide you with any additional information, please contact NCSS Executive Director Susan Griffin at 301.581.1800 or sgriffin@ncss.org.
Sincerely,
Susan Griffin Michael Yell
Executive Director President
Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Legislative Committee Submits Letters of Concern to Chancellor Haithcock and FL Education Commissioner Dr. Eric Smith
On October 3, 2008, a delegation of Florida Social Studies educators and FCSS/FASSS Lobbyist Bob Bedford met with both the Commissioner and Chancellor of Florida public schools. Letters of concern with supporting documentation were left with both officials. Although both officials expressed some dismay that the organizations were not entirely happy with the newly revised state social studies Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, they were very supportive of other requests contained within the letter. Later that day, FASSS president Jason Caros, emailed a thank you letter to both persons. (See other postings for this and his report of the meeting.) Promises of support for the announced goals contained within this letter were made, especially with regard to implementation of an accountability program for social studies within the state of Florida.
____________________________________
Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors
Florida Council for the Social Studies
October 3, 2008
Dr. Frances Haithcock
Chancellor, Florida D.O.E.
Turlington Building, Suite 514 325 West Gaines Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Dear Dr. Haithcock,
Florida educators are anticipating the curriculum changes that will soon result from the State Board of Education adoption of the Next Generation Standards for Social Studies. Since at least 1986 social studies teachers have gone on record with the Department to urge state accountability for our discipline area. Knowing the success of any such accountability program depends upon the quality of the state’s curriculum standards, we have also long urged the revision of Florida’s social studies curriculum standards. We applaud the Department for undertaking this initiative. Draft standards have been produced with the input of representative stakeholders and experts in the field. The standards apparently will soon be approved by the State Board of Education and then be permanently released to educators and the public.
We would be remiss, however, if we did not inform you at this that we have concerns both as the developmental process and the current status of these draft standards. We are unanimous in our belief that in order to have produced exemplary standards, the revision process should have been given the time that it deserved. Unfortunately, this has not been the case.
There were problems from the onset of the curriculum revision process. Too few classroom teachers with elementary experience were part of the initial meetings. There were many months of inactivity for members of the committee as leadership changes and funding issues delayed its work. The draft standards were released at the worst possible time – literally at the end of last school year – when teachers had little time to review them and offer constructive comments. Finally – based upon the limited time that was available to writers this past summer – the writing teams were unable to correct some of the gaps and weaknesses which still remain. As a result, although the standards are exemplary in many respects and in some ways superior to the previous standards, we feel additional time and resources should be devoted to this initiative.
Page two October 3, 2008
Perhaps not surprisingly, we found our colleagues in the area of science and language arts voicing similar concerns over the same process when they developed their curriculum standards. We therefore urge that the process of developing and refining the Next Generation social studies standards be continued and that additional resources be provided for their development.
We additionally urge that the Department take steps to move forward with plans to develop end of course high school assessments that will include social studies. We recommend in particular that the Commissioner commit to the development of an exemplary assessment in American History at the high school level. At no time in Florida’s history have we been able to accurately determine to what extent districts live up to the civic and historical mission of our schools. Many national reports and our own state’s rapid demographic changes increasingly make such an assessment vital to the preservation of the Republic. The draft standards for American History at the high school level would facilitate the construction of such an assessment even as work on these standards might continue to be refined at other grade levels.
It is our hope and expectation that the vacancy left by Mr. Levon Terrell be immediately filled by a full time experienced and qualified specialist for Social Studies within the Department. We also wish to once again urge that social studies be added to the state’s Student Progression Law for the elementary grades and to FCAT as soon as this is practically possible. We urge that increased attention be devoted to the importance of non-fiction reading on all Departmental curriculum packets and on FCAT. The revisions to the Third Grade Assessment Portfolio, for example, are insufficient in meeting the vital need for our students to acquire the necessary background knowledge so essential for improved reading comprehension. Nor do these selections model exemplary social studies readings. We welcome your support for the elementary teacher survey being currently conducted by the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship. This survey seeks to ascertain the status of social studies teaching in grades K-5 and to evaluate the impact of testing in our area. Finally, we welcome your presence at the upcoming Florida Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference being held October 24-25 in St. Petersburg in order to establish and maintain an excellent link of communication between yourself and Florida’s social studies teachers.
We look forward to your thoughts on the above ideas and in discussing with you ways that Florida students may be better prepared to lead productive lives as responsible citizens in a truly interdependent world.
Sincerely,
Jason Caros
President, Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors
Vice President Elect, Florida Council for the Social Studies
____________________________________
Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors
Florida Council for the Social Studies
October 3, 2008
Dr. Frances Haithcock
Chancellor, Florida D.O.E.
Turlington Building, Suite 514 325 West Gaines Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Dear Dr. Haithcock,
Florida educators are anticipating the curriculum changes that will soon result from the State Board of Education adoption of the Next Generation Standards for Social Studies. Since at least 1986 social studies teachers have gone on record with the Department to urge state accountability for our discipline area. Knowing the success of any such accountability program depends upon the quality of the state’s curriculum standards, we have also long urged the revision of Florida’s social studies curriculum standards. We applaud the Department for undertaking this initiative. Draft standards have been produced with the input of representative stakeholders and experts in the field. The standards apparently will soon be approved by the State Board of Education and then be permanently released to educators and the public.
We would be remiss, however, if we did not inform you at this that we have concerns both as the developmental process and the current status of these draft standards. We are unanimous in our belief that in order to have produced exemplary standards, the revision process should have been given the time that it deserved. Unfortunately, this has not been the case.
There were problems from the onset of the curriculum revision process. Too few classroom teachers with elementary experience were part of the initial meetings. There were many months of inactivity for members of the committee as leadership changes and funding issues delayed its work. The draft standards were released at the worst possible time – literally at the end of last school year – when teachers had little time to review them and offer constructive comments. Finally – based upon the limited time that was available to writers this past summer – the writing teams were unable to correct some of the gaps and weaknesses which still remain. As a result, although the standards are exemplary in many respects and in some ways superior to the previous standards, we feel additional time and resources should be devoted to this initiative.
Page two October 3, 2008
Perhaps not surprisingly, we found our colleagues in the area of science and language arts voicing similar concerns over the same process when they developed their curriculum standards. We therefore urge that the process of developing and refining the Next Generation social studies standards be continued and that additional resources be provided for their development.
We additionally urge that the Department take steps to move forward with plans to develop end of course high school assessments that will include social studies. We recommend in particular that the Commissioner commit to the development of an exemplary assessment in American History at the high school level. At no time in Florida’s history have we been able to accurately determine to what extent districts live up to the civic and historical mission of our schools. Many national reports and our own state’s rapid demographic changes increasingly make such an assessment vital to the preservation of the Republic. The draft standards for American History at the high school level would facilitate the construction of such an assessment even as work on these standards might continue to be refined at other grade levels.
It is our hope and expectation that the vacancy left by Mr. Levon Terrell be immediately filled by a full time experienced and qualified specialist for Social Studies within the Department. We also wish to once again urge that social studies be added to the state’s Student Progression Law for the elementary grades and to FCAT as soon as this is practically possible. We urge that increased attention be devoted to the importance of non-fiction reading on all Departmental curriculum packets and on FCAT. The revisions to the Third Grade Assessment Portfolio, for example, are insufficient in meeting the vital need for our students to acquire the necessary background knowledge so essential for improved reading comprehension. Nor do these selections model exemplary social studies readings. We welcome your support for the elementary teacher survey being currently conducted by the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship. This survey seeks to ascertain the status of social studies teaching in grades K-5 and to evaluate the impact of testing in our area. Finally, we welcome your presence at the upcoming Florida Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference being held October 24-25 in St. Petersburg in order to establish and maintain an excellent link of communication between yourself and Florida’s social studies teachers.
We look forward to your thoughts on the above ideas and in discussing with you ways that Florida students may be better prepared to lead productive lives as responsible citizens in a truly interdependent world.
Sincerely,
Jason Caros
President, Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors
Vice President Elect, Florida Council for the Social Studies
Legislative Committee Meets with Commissioner Smith!
October 13, 2008
Dr. Eric Smith
Commissioner, Florida D.O.E.
Turlington Building, Suite 1514 325 West Gaines Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Dear Dr. Smith,
Please allow me to express personal thanks to you on behalf of Florida’s social studies teachers for taking the time to recently meet and discuss with us ways to ensure the best education possible for our students. We are encouraged to hear that the Department plans to send an appropriate person to our upcoming state conference later this month and that you will move to fill the now vacant position of Social Studies Specialist within the Department. We also applaud your desire for the Department to move forward with plans for several end-of-course social studies assessments at the high school level. With regard to this, we additionally encourage you to formally submit to the consortium of states that are working to develop such assessments Florida’s desire that these become an urgent priority. They are especially needed in light of the fact that Florida and many other states have never been able to determine to what extent school districts fulfill their vitally important civic mission. Additionally, we welcome your desire to see increased use of non-fiction readings in the social sciences be developed and used by the Department for Reading purposes or for FCAT preparation and assessment. We agree that it is vital that children be equipped with the necessary background knowledge that comes from their exposure to the social studies curriculum and which so often leads to increased reading achievement.
The subject of the Next Generation social studies standards will soon be taken up by our Board at our upcoming annual meeting. We look forward to discussing this with our members and promise to continue to work with you on the implementation of quality standards for Florida’s children.
Sincerely,
Jason Caros
President, Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors
Vice-President Elect, Florida Council for the Social Studies
Dr. Eric Smith
Commissioner, Florida D.O.E.
Turlington Building, Suite 1514 325 West Gaines Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Dear Dr. Smith,
Please allow me to express personal thanks to you on behalf of Florida’s social studies teachers for taking the time to recently meet and discuss with us ways to ensure the best education possible for our students. We are encouraged to hear that the Department plans to send an appropriate person to our upcoming state conference later this month and that you will move to fill the now vacant position of Social Studies Specialist within the Department. We also applaud your desire for the Department to move forward with plans for several end-of-course social studies assessments at the high school level. With regard to this, we additionally encourage you to formally submit to the consortium of states that are working to develop such assessments Florida’s desire that these become an urgent priority. They are especially needed in light of the fact that Florida and many other states have never been able to determine to what extent school districts fulfill their vitally important civic mission. Additionally, we welcome your desire to see increased use of non-fiction readings in the social sciences be developed and used by the Department for Reading purposes or for FCAT preparation and assessment. We agree that it is vital that children be equipped with the necessary background knowledge that comes from their exposure to the social studies curriculum and which so often leads to increased reading achievement.
The subject of the Next Generation social studies standards will soon be taken up by our Board at our upcoming annual meeting. We look forward to discussing this with our members and promise to continue to work with you on the implementation of quality standards for Florida’s children.
Sincerely,
Jason Caros
President, Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors
Vice-President Elect, Florida Council for the Social Studies
Legislative Committee Meets with Chancellor Haithcock!
October 3, 2008
Dr. Frances Haithcock
Chancellor, Florida D.O.E.
Turlington Building, Suite 514 325 West Gaines Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Dear Dr. Haithcock,
Please allow me to express personal thanks to you on behalf of Florida’s social studies teachers for taking the time to recently meet and discuss with us ways to ensure the best education possible for our students. We are encouraged to hear that the Department plans to send an appropriate person to our upcoming state conference later this month and that you will move to fill the now vacant position of Social Studies Specialist within the Department. We also applaud your desire for the Department to move forward with plans for several end-of-course social studies assessments at the high school level. With regard to this, we additionally encourage you to formally submit to the consortium of states that are working to develop such assessments Florida’s desire that these become an urgent priority. They are especially needed in light of the fact that Florida and many other states have never been able to determine to what extent school districts fulfill their vitally important civic mission. Additionally, we welcome your desire to see increased use of non-fiction readings in the social sciences be developed and used by the Department for Reading purposes or for FCAT preparation and assessment. We agree that it is vital that children be equipped with the necessary background knowledge that comes from their exposure to the social studies curriculum and which so often leads to increased reading achievement.
The subject of the Next Generation social studies standards will soon be taken up by our Board at our upcoming annual meeting. We look forward to discussing this with our members and promise to continue to work with you on the implementation of quality standards for Florida’s children.
Sincerely,
Jason Caros
President, Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors
Vice President Elect, Florida Council for the Social Studies
Dr. Frances Haithcock
Chancellor, Florida D.O.E.
Turlington Building, Suite 514 325 West Gaines Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Dear Dr. Haithcock,
Please allow me to express personal thanks to you on behalf of Florida’s social studies teachers for taking the time to recently meet and discuss with us ways to ensure the best education possible for our students. We are encouraged to hear that the Department plans to send an appropriate person to our upcoming state conference later this month and that you will move to fill the now vacant position of Social Studies Specialist within the Department. We also applaud your desire for the Department to move forward with plans for several end-of-course social studies assessments at the high school level. With regard to this, we additionally encourage you to formally submit to the consortium of states that are working to develop such assessments Florida’s desire that these become an urgent priority. They are especially needed in light of the fact that Florida and many other states have never been able to determine to what extent school districts fulfill their vitally important civic mission. Additionally, we welcome your desire to see increased use of non-fiction readings in the social sciences be developed and used by the Department for Reading purposes or for FCAT preparation and assessment. We agree that it is vital that children be equipped with the necessary background knowledge that comes from their exposure to the social studies curriculum and which so often leads to increased reading achievement.
The subject of the Next Generation social studies standards will soon be taken up by our Board at our upcoming annual meeting. We look forward to discussing this with our members and promise to continue to work with you on the implementation of quality standards for Florida’s children.
Sincerely,
Jason Caros
President, Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors
Vice President Elect, Florida Council for the Social Studies
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