Shifting the Narrative
At the core of our work is the need to shift the traditional narrative about social studies education. These resources identify key shared knowledge to advance the field and systemic means to advance culturally responsive social studies.
Explore resources that showcase:
Field-level research on the importance and impact of social studies on student development
Tools and resources to communicate about the importance of social studies to a range of audiences
| Resource | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The Missing Infrastructure for Elementary (K–5) Social Studies Instruction: Findings from the 2022 American Instructional Resources Survey | RAND | This report presents findings from a literature review and surveys of teachers and principals to understand the state of infrastructure to support elementary social studies instruction. Infrastructure refers to the policies in place at the state, district, and school levels that, when combined, create an environment to support teachers' instructional practices and, therefore, student learning. The report finds that social studies infrastructure is significantly lacking compared to other core subject areas. |
| How Social Studies Improves Elementary Literacy | National Council for the Social Studies | A longitudinal study utilizing data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study and the National Center of Educational Statistics on how social studies plays a significant role in improving the reading ability of K12 students. |
| The Marginalization of Social Studies | Council of Chief State School Officers | A one page guide by CCSSO’s Social Studies Collaborative on how social studies better students for civic life and why the marginalization of social studies in the early grades is an issue of equity for all students. |
| The Causal Effects of Cultural Relevance: Evidence from an Ethnic Studies Curriculum | Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis | A working paper on the effectiveness of ethnic studies courses and culturally relevant pedagogies on student outcomes such as GPA, credits earned, dropout rates. |
| The State of K-12 Social Studies Education | American Institutes for Research | This report identifies key trends in social studies education and explores current gaps, needs, and opportunities for expansion in social studies education to improve conditions for students, educators, education leaders, and others invested in this field. The intent is to provide a shared understanding of what is happening in social studies education to encourage further discussions on and research in high-quality social studies practices. |
FIELD LEVEL RESEARCH
COMMUNICATING ABOUT SOCIAL STUDIES
| Resource | Origin | Purpose | Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications Resource Hub | Campaign for Our Shared Future | Campaign for Our Shared Future specializes in identifying ways to communicate about the importance of access, inclusion, and meaningful content in K-12 education. Their messaging toolkits span how to communicate in with school boards, family and friends, and in various community settings | Everyone |
| Messaging Guide and Digital Toolkit | Freedom to Learn | Detailed messaging guide and digital toolkit focused on advocating for well-resourced, equitable public schools. Provides specific examples of language and structure to use. | Everyone |
| Learn From History Guides for School System Leadership | Learn From History | Learn from History is building a coalition of supporting organizations focused on advocating for schools to teach thorough, accurate, and fact-based history education and teach students to reject racism and respect the equal value of every person. These toolkits provide school system leaders and board members with language and action items to advocate | Educators; District-Level Decision-Makers |
| The Causal Effects of Cultural Relevance: Evidence from an Ethnic Studies Curriculum | Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis | A working paper on the effectiveness of ethnic studies courses and culturally relevant pedagogies on student outcomes such as GPA, credits earned, dropout rates. |
Allied Organizations
