Important developments in Iowa! Otherwise, still the slow summer season. Here are bits of news for late August. Next Resolute probably after Labor Day. We will be hard at work for education policy reform … in a little while …
Iowa Draft Revision for Social Studies Standards
Iowans should comment before September 25, and/or attend public meetings between August 28 and September 29, on the draft revised Iowa social studies standards. At a glance—and we will have a public comment out as soon as possible—Iowa’s draft revision improves on the previous social studies standards, but is not a sufficient response to the Iowa state law. Iowa needs an independent commission to make new standards, and not rely on establishment bureaucrats in its Education Department. Joy Pullman wrote a good article in March for The Federalist, “Big DEI Booster Revamping K-12 History Curriculum In Republican-Run Iowa.” What Iowa’s Education Department has produced is much as that article predicted.
Iowans also should apply to serve on the final review committee for the state’s social studies standards, with commitment to meet in Des Moines on October 14 and October 30.
The Iowa Education Department does not appear interested in making more than minimal changes in response to Iowa’s state law requiring thoroughgoing changes to the social studies standards. It is not fulfilling legislative intent. But Iowans should try as hard as possible to use the existing system to make the social studies standards better.
Iowans also should alert their elected representatives that Iowa’s Education Department is not responding properly to its elected representatives desire for education reform.
Jack Kamrath: Obituary Notice
John “Jack” Robert Kamrath, passed away on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at the age of 84. Jack did a great deal to improve American K-12 students’ education through his dedicated leadership of the American Heritage Education Foundation (AHEF), a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the research, teaching, and understanding of America’s founding and philosophical heritage to promote constructive citizenship and Freedom, Unity, Progress, and Responsibility among teachers, students, and citizens. Jack was, and AHEF is, also a great friend and supporter of the National Association of Scholars and the Civics Alliance. People who wish to honor Jack may make a donation in his memory to AHEF at www.americanheritage.org or by mail to: AHEF, 3100 Weslayan St., Suite 375, Houston, TX 77027.
New Resources
- Manual of Patriotism. People interested in working on this and getting it into classrooms should contact David Herz (David@Herz.Law).
- FAIR: An Analysis of The California Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. Details how Critical Social Justice ideology has systematically compromised educational standards.
Testimony
Would you like to be on a list of people prepared to give testimony in favor of a state bill to reform civics education? If so, please get in touch with me: randall@nas.org. We need people ready to testify in all 50 states—ideally, with some personal tie to the education system, but testimony from any citizen would be good.
Civics Alliance Now Has Eleven State Affiliates
The Civics Alliance is building a network of state affiliates—groups dedicated to removing action civics in their states, whom we will list on our website. We now have eleven affiliates, in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Texas. If you would like to form such an organization, or suggest an existing organization, please get in touch with David Randall (randall@nas.org).
Monthly American Birthright Zoom Meeting
The Civics Alliance will have its monthly Zoom session devoted to social studies standards reform on Monday, September 15, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Please email randall@nas.org if you would like to join these monthly Zoom meetings.
Social Studies Standards Revision Schedule
2025/Current: Arizona, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
2026: Colorado, Maryland, North Dakota, South Carolina
2027: Hawaii, Kansas
2029: Louisiana
2030: Minnesota
2031: Illinois
No Revision Currently Scheduled: California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington.
Please email David Randall (randall@nas.org) if you are interested in further information about your state’s social studies revision process, and what you can do to participate.
Continuing Priorities: Federal Legislation
At the federal level, the Civics Secures Democracy Act threatens to impose action civics nationwide.
The Civics Bill Tracker
Civics Alliance supporters may now use the Civics Bill Tracker to track all proposed federal and state legislation related to civics.
Public Action
We encourage Civics Alliance supporters to inform the public and policymakers about the stakes and consequences of action civics bills.
David Randall is the Executive Director of the Civics Alliance and Director of Research at the National Association of Scholars
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash
