With the 2022–2023 school year officially in full swing, the Civics Alliance is beginning a new, nationwide campaign for social studies standards reform.
Social Studies Standards: Reform Campaign
The Civics Alliance is beginning its new campaign for social studies standards reform. The Civics Alliance affiliates, and other interested individuals, will have their first monthly Zoom session on Monday, September 19, at 2 pm Eastern Time. Please email randall@nas.org if you would like to join these monthly Zoom meetings.
The Civics Alliance, building on the information provided in its State Information Packets, has now collected information on the social studies standards revision process in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Our current information for when the states will begin their revision process is as follows:
2022/Current: Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky (partial), Minnesota, Mississippi, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia
2023: Alaska, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Ohio, Oregon, Wyoming
2024: Alabama, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Wisconsin
2025: Kentucky, Texas
2026: Maryland, North Dakota, South Carolina
2027: Hawaii, Kansas
2029: Louisiana
2031: Illinois
No Revision Currently Scheduled: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri (but could change), New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington
Waiting Confirmation: Colorado (2022), District of Columbia (current process), North Carolina (2021)
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.
The current priority is states whose social studies standards reform process is ongoing or about to begin: Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia.
Call for New Civics Alliance State Affiliates
The Civics Alliance is building a network of state affiliates—groups dedicated to removing action civics in their state, whom we will list on our website. If you would like to form such an organization, or suggest an existing organization, please get in touch with David Randall (randall@nas.org).
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 members may now use the Civics Bill Tracker to track all proposed federal and state legislation related to civics.
Public Action
We encourage Civics Alliance members to inform the public and policymakers about the stakes and consequences of action civics bills.
David Randall is Executive Director of the Civics Alliance and Director of Research at the National Association of Scholars.
Image: Jessica Lewis, Public Domain
