Legislative Committee members should often send short 'guest' editorials to local newspapers in the area for the purpose of educating citizens about the need to strengthen our social studies curriculum. Here's a typical one that could also provide readers with links to documents on the FASSS-FCSS Advocacy Website.
Florida’s Sad State of Civic Education – part II
Florida is meticulous about collecting data. We know with scientific accuracy the number of students in each school who understand the desired algebraic concepts for their grade. Thanks to a very intrusive survey amongst 70,000 teens each year, we know the percent of 14 year olds who have been offered illegal drugs, what number of them smoke and how many took a swig of beer in the last month and even week. We could pave our highways with the math and reading statistics we keep on our children. We will soon know with scientific accuracy the percent that correctly can differentiate between a comma and a semi-colon and those who can correctly use a plural possessive apostrophe. We have no idea how many can identify basic tenets of our form of government or understand the underlying principles of our economic system. What little we DO know isn’t very pretty. Some years ago the James Madison Institute in Tallahassee commissioned a study amongst seniors at the University of Florida and Florida State to compare their knowledge of U.S. History and Government with that of their peers across the nation. Students at 50 other prestigious colleges across America failed a simple test designed for assessing high school students’ knowledge on these subjects. Not surprisingly, students at our two state flagship universities did even worse. Amazingly, elite bureaucrats in the Florida Department of Education and legislature have been sabotaging efforts by civic educators to correct the problem. What’s at stake here? Only the future of the state and nation! Franklin cautioned that Americans could maintain the Republic only through an informed citizenry. There is a ton of evidence that Florida’s leaders have failed their civic responsibilities. It’s time to change this travesty. if you'd like more information, go to http://fasss-fcss-legislative-news.blogspot.com/ . If you wish to help, call Jack Bovee at 369-1397.
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Social Studies legislative news - Click on any Blog 'document' below to make it 'full screen'
What's the latest?
- American History EOC Data by District & School
- Civics EOC Test Reporting Categories
- Civics Test Item Fact Sheet
- Civics EOC Test Item Specifications
- Civics Assessment Update - Oct. 2012
- 2013-2014 Assessment Dates
- 2012-2013 Assessment Dates
- Jaywalking: Is It Real & Does it Matter?
- Update #2 - Sandra Day O'Connor Civics Education Act, original language
A Few Key Documents
- Complete Listing of Key Documents
- Russian Expert Predicts Breakup of the U.S.
- Mexicans Say U.S. SW Belongs to Mexico!
- Gerald Celente Predicts Riots and Third World Status for U.S.
- Gerald Celente Predicts Collapse of U.S. Will be Soon
- Achieve Inc. Information on D.O.E.'s plan to work with other states as part of The American Diploma Project and develop new statewide assessments.
- Florida's Required Instruction Statute
- FASSS Request to D.O.E. on Testing - 1988
- CCSSO List of States with Social Studies Assessments (Only FL & NC have none south of Mason-Dixon!)
- Florida's Elite Universities Required Proficiency in Social Studies in the 1950s
Historic Documents
- "It's Jeb's Fault!"
- 2004 Appeal to Jeb Bush -- No Response
- 2001 Appeal to Commissioner Crist on FCAT and Instructional Materials
- Rep. Bev Kilmer's Rationale Why Social Studies Can't Be Assessed on FCAT
- History of the Social Studies Student Progression Battle
- FASSS 1988 Request to D.O.E. on Testing
- 1956 Trends Article on FSU - UF "Social Studies Exam Score" entrance requirement
Blog Archive
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2008
(22)
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May
(12)
- Legislative Goals 2007-2008 -- ONGOING now
- Patriot's Day Guest Editorial
- Justice O’Connor Again Misses the Big Picture on C...
- Lack of National Leadership 2006
- The Campaign that Wasn't Put Into Play - Part III
- The Campaign that Wasn't Put Into Play - Part II
- The Campaign that Wasn't Put Into Play - Part I
- Appeal on Student Progression and 'Fast Track' Omi...
- Florida Senate Votes to Eliminate Our Civic Core -...
- Fighting for Florida's Civic Core Curriculum
- FCSS Lobbyist Job Description
- Legislative Committee Responsibilities
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May
(12)
Sample Letters on Florida Issues
Reports on Civics - Social Studies
- Colleges Fail in Civic Mission
- ISI Report Reveals Major College Weakness
- Stetson University Report of Elementary Social Studies Instuction: 2007
- Cal Thomas, 9/20/2007, 'Cheating College Students' - (ISI Report)
- Civic Mission of Schools Position on NCLB
- ISI 2007 Report: The Coming Crisis in Citizenship
- Poll Shows Need for More Civic Ed - FL Bar Assoc.
- 2002 National Geography - Young Adult Survey
National Advocacy for Social Studies
Training Powerpoints (contact J Bovee for 'originals' if you'd like to edit these)
Other Advocacy Links
Reports on History - Social Studies
- New ISI Report Reveals Major College Weakness
- Sen. Alexander on the Need for State Accountability
- History is History by 99-1 Vote
- Restore History, James Kilpatrick op-ed
- Big Trouble if You Don't Know History - George Will
- The hijacking of American History-John Leo
- What Ivy League Scholars Don't Know
Reports on Geography - Social Studies
FASSS-FCSS Advocacy Toolkit
Visitors
Why Get Involved?
Florida’s public schools have the responsibility for creating an informed and active citizenry. This goal requires our students receive a firm foundation in each of the four major areas represented in the Sunshine State Standards for Social Studies – history, government/civics, economics and geography. Sadly, it appears from several accounts that we may be failing to adequately prepare our students, thus ill-equipping our state and nation to meet this important goal.
As many recent surveys attest, we no longer can afford the luxury of assuming students are actually learning about the heritage of our nation or that they possess the essential economic, civic, geographic or historical competencies to equip them for their future responsibilities as citizens! Unfortunately for both our nation and state, we are totally ignorant of what knowledge, skills and civic dispositions our students actually do possess in Florida. This is a recipe for future disaster!
The Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors (FASSS) and the Florida Council for the Social Studies (FCSS) are committed to restoring our curriculum to its rightful place among the other core, basic subject area disciplines. In this valiant struggle, we need the help of all social studies educators and civic minded citizens! Join the legislative oversight committee by contacting the current chairperson at boveeja@collier.k12.fl.us . “Grassroots advocates” are needed in every county to contact legislators, work with affiliated groups and to speak out on the vital need for a revitalized civic mission in the public schools.
The FASSS-FCSS. legislative committee is making a difference both at the state and national levels. The committee was responsible for getting NCSS (and other national organizations) to argue for a reform of the 2006 N.A.E.P. assessment in Civics and U.S. History, and we took the lead in lobbying Congress for passage of S659 (111th Congress) which argues for comparative state scores in the 2010 N.A.E.P. assessment. We’re proud that we represent the first professional organization to call for disaggregated data in the form of state-by-state comparisons for all NAEP Civics, History and Geography assessments as far back as the 106th Congress. It was our phone calls to Senator Lamar Alexander’s educational assistant, Kristin Bannerman, that successfully resulted in persuading the former U.S. Secretary of Education to file such a bill. Our committee was also able to capture the attention of U.S. Representative Jim Davis (D-Tampa), and led him to take action by filing another bill that would withhold federal dollars from any state such as Florida that no longer required U.S History or Government for all of its high school graduates.
At the state level we continue our fight against determined state bureaucrats and legislators who oppose Social Studies being added to Florida’s Student Progression Law which effectively consigns our curriculum to an inferior status within public education. Despite mentioning Reading, Writing, Math and Science, current Florida law does not require districts to even consider a student’s performance in Social Studies as that child is being considered for promotion in grades K-5! As a result, recent surveys reveal that over 80% of Florida's elementary school instructors actually teach Social Studies less than two hours per week!
Our committee led the battle to restore the graduation requirements of American History, American Government, World History and Economics for ALL students in Florida in 2006! We are also leading the battle to make sure Social Studies is not similarly left out of the implementation of end-of-course exams at the middle and high school level.
We need your help with these and other legislative initiatives! Join F.C.S.S. and become a member of the legislative ‘grassroots’ committee. If you don’t have the time for this, consider making an extra financial contribution to F.C.S.S. for this purpose! Contact our Executive Director, Dr. Theron Trimble, at socst1@embarkmail.com for details.
For a list of our legislative goals for this year, click on LEGISLATIVE GOALS. For an overview of last year’s legislative session, click on: Overview of 2009 Session.
For further information regarding Florida’s Legislature, go to “Online Sunshine.”
Remember, anyone can file a legislative advocacy report! Download the template here. (hyperlink to file) Just email Jason Caros or Jack Bovee with your desire to get involved!
Stay informed on developments on our curriculum area. Sign up to receive “Legislative Updates” similar to the sample here.
As many recent surveys attest, we no longer can afford the luxury of assuming students are actually learning about the heritage of our nation or that they possess the essential economic, civic, geographic or historical competencies to equip them for their future responsibilities as citizens! Unfortunately for both our nation and state, we are totally ignorant of what knowledge, skills and civic dispositions our students actually do possess in Florida. This is a recipe for future disaster!
The Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors (FASSS) and the Florida Council for the Social Studies (FCSS) are committed to restoring our curriculum to its rightful place among the other core, basic subject area disciplines. In this valiant struggle, we need the help of all social studies educators and civic minded citizens! Join the legislative oversight committee by contacting the current chairperson at boveeja@collier.k12.fl.us . “Grassroots advocates” are needed in every county to contact legislators, work with affiliated groups and to speak out on the vital need for a revitalized civic mission in the public schools.
The FASSS-FCSS. legislative committee is making a difference both at the state and national levels. The committee was responsible for getting NCSS (and other national organizations) to argue for a reform of the 2006 N.A.E.P. assessment in Civics and U.S. History, and we took the lead in lobbying Congress for passage of S659 (111th Congress) which argues for comparative state scores in the 2010 N.A.E.P. assessment. We’re proud that we represent the first professional organization to call for disaggregated data in the form of state-by-state comparisons for all NAEP Civics, History and Geography assessments as far back as the 106th Congress. It was our phone calls to Senator Lamar Alexander’s educational assistant, Kristin Bannerman, that successfully resulted in persuading the former U.S. Secretary of Education to file such a bill. Our committee was also able to capture the attention of U.S. Representative Jim Davis (D-Tampa), and led him to take action by filing another bill that would withhold federal dollars from any state such as Florida that no longer required U.S History or Government for all of its high school graduates.
At the state level we continue our fight against determined state bureaucrats and legislators who oppose Social Studies being added to Florida’s Student Progression Law which effectively consigns our curriculum to an inferior status within public education. Despite mentioning Reading, Writing, Math and Science, current Florida law does not require districts to even consider a student’s performance in Social Studies as that child is being considered for promotion in grades K-5! As a result, recent surveys reveal that over 80% of Florida's elementary school instructors actually teach Social Studies less than two hours per week!
Our committee led the battle to restore the graduation requirements of American History, American Government, World History and Economics for ALL students in Florida in 2006! We are also leading the battle to make sure Social Studies is not similarly left out of the implementation of end-of-course exams at the middle and high school level.
We need your help with these and other legislative initiatives! Join F.C.S.S. and become a member of the legislative ‘grassroots’ committee. If you don’t have the time for this, consider making an extra financial contribution to F.C.S.S. for this purpose! Contact our Executive Director, Dr. Theron Trimble, at socst1@embarkmail.com for details.
For a list of our legislative goals for this year, click on LEGISLATIVE GOALS. For an overview of last year’s legislative session, click on: Overview of 2009 Session.
For further information regarding Florida’s Legislature, go to “Online Sunshine.”
Remember, anyone can file a legislative advocacy report! Download the template here. (hyperlink to file) Just email Jason Caros or Jack Bovee with your desire to get involved!
Stay informed on developments on our curriculum area. Sign up to receive “Legislative Updates” similar to the sample here.