The Civics Alliance mourns the murder of Charles James Kirk. We will endeavor to honor his memory in our work.
Iowa Draft Revision for Social Studies Standards
Iowa bureaucrats have tried to hijack and weaken legislation calling for social studies reform. Joy Pullman wrote a good article in March in The Federalist that explains what happened. “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. The Civics Alliance has posted a public comment, calling for a redo of the revision process to secure social studies standards that secure legislative intent. We now have social studies reform legislation, but we need to figure out how to make sure it takes effect.
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. Iowans also should apply to serve on the final review committee for the state’s social studies standards, with a 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.
Florida Draft History of Communism Standards
The Florida Department of Education has issued its draft History of Communism Standards. They’re quite good! There’s some of the Civics Alliance approach informing what they produced—yours truly served on the Workgroup—but it’s an independent effort that will be a model for the nation.
New Resources
- James G. Martin Center: An End to Excellence: How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Undermine Our Medical Schools
- James G. Martin Center: From Purpose to Politics: The Decline of Three Liberal Arts Institutions
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 Tuesday, October 14, 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.
