80% of secondary social studies teachers and administrators believe that their districts or schools should place more emphasis on social studies education, but a mere 8% report it is a top priority at their schools, according to new data in "A Second-Class Subject? Why Social Studies Gets Short Shrift." The eye-opening study was commissioned by Thinking Nation, a national 501(c)(3) committed to cultivating thoughtful citizens through the promotion of historical thinking in social studies, in collaboration with EdWeek Research Center. The study's release is timed perfectly with the kick-off of Civic Learning Week, slated for March 11-15, 2024
The study's release is timed perfectly with the kick-off of Civic Learning Week, slated for March 11-15, 2024
The National Council for Social Studies (NCSS), the premier professional association dedicated to social studies education, will host a webinar highlighting these findings on March 11, 2024, at noon ET. The webinar's featured co-speakers and hosts are the NCSS Executive Director Dr. Lawrence M. Paska and Thinking Nation Executive Director Zachary Cote. Dr. Bill Daggett, founder and executive chair of the Successful Practices Network, a national nonprofit committed to advancing effective practices in education and supporting schools in their efforts to enhance student achievement, will join the webinar as a guest speaker
Bill Daggett, founder and executive chair of the Successful Practices Network, a national nonprofit committed to advancing effective practices in education and supporting schools in their efforts to enhance student achievement, will join the webinar as a guest speaker
"The link between a strong social studies education and a healthy civic life is undeniable," said Cote. "I'm grateful to engage with such thoughtful leaders as we determine the state of social studies education and how we can collectively strengthen it – all the better to do as we kick off Civic Learning Week!"
"NCSS is proud to partner with Thinking Nation to share our latest research that should be both necessary and unsurprising: that social studies learning matters, and more teachers and students want increased opportunities for it," said Paska. "Our collective research is perfectly timed for presentation during Civic Learning Week to highlight the vital role that civic and social studies learning play in our nation's schools."
"In education today, it is critical that we recognize that content is shifting from being the objective to becoming an enabling objective," said Daggett. "This mindset will ensure that we are preparing students for their future and not our past. The skills developed in high quality civic and social studies programs are the key enabling objectives for what ALL students need to have to thrive in a rapidly changing workplace and society."
During the webinar Cote and Paska will share key findings from the study, along with other NCSS-supported research on K-12 student and educator experiences in social studies classrooms. Daggett will share insights into the current stage of education and the need to reimagine and redesign our systems and approach. This program intends to bring awareness of key solutions to strengthening social studies education to a diverse set of stakeholders in education.
Civic Learning Week is hosted annually by iCivics, a nonprofit that works to ensure every student in America receives a quality and engaging civic education and graduates from high school well prepared and enthusiastic for citizenship. This dedicated week shines a spotlight on the vital role of civic education in sustaining and strengthening constitutional democracy in the United States.
In the lead up to Civic Learning Week, Thinking Nation has released five podcast interviews with different thought leaders in civics and social studies education. Previous episodes of the "Thinking Historically About" podcast feature Sarah Jencks (Every Museum a Civic Museum) and Elizabeth Grant (National Liberty Museum), Jessica Ellison (National Council for History Education), Andrea Foggy-Paxton (Education Leaders of Color) , and Janet Tran (Ronald Reagan Institute). The final podcast prior to Civic Learning Week will air on March 8, 2024, and feature Shawn Healy, senior director, policy and advocacy at iCivics
The final podcast prior to Civic Learning Week will air on March 8, 2024, and feature Shawn Healy, senior director, policy and advocacy at iCivics
For more information or to register for the webinar, please visit the National Council for Social Studies.
About Thinking Nation Thinking Nation is a national 501c3 specializing in innovative social studies curriculum, assessments, and professional development. Our mission is to cultivate thinking citizens and confront the problems we see in civic society, with a curriculum that empowers students to read closely, think deeply, and write persuasively. We believe that education is our greatest equalizer, and that every student, regardless of zip code or socio-economic background, deserves access to learning practices that reflect the diversity of identities, histories, contributions, and experiences to support enriched educational opportunity, equity, and success for all. Thinking Nation currently serves 20,000 students in 12 states. For more information about Thinking Nation or to become a part of this transformative initiative, please visit thinkingnation.org
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Media ContactsLaura Wessells and Martha HollerShinePR for Thinking Nation[email protected]
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Thinking Nation, a national 501c3 committed to cultivating thoughtful citizens through the promotion of historical thinking in social studies, today...
Thinking Nation today announced Executive Director Zachary Cote will join esteemed thought leaders and practitioners for a private roundtable...

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