Social Studies Education

Nebraska’s social studies educators are committed to advocating for and providing a high-quality education that will enable all students to successfully understand and participate in the local, state, and national governing processes by using high quality instructional materials and methods most closely associated with:

•  Civic Education – Students should be made fully aware of the liberties, opportunities, and advantages we possess and the sacrifices and struggles of those through whose efforts these benefits were gained in such a way that the youth of our state can become competent, responsible, patriotic, and civil American citizens.
• Multicultural Education – Includes, but is not limited to, studies relative to the culture, history, and contributions of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. Special emphasis shall be placed on human relations and sensitivity toward all races.
• Inquiry – A process for supporting students to ask questions about our social world, use concepts and tools from the disciplines, that make up social studies, analyze and argue about what they have learned, and apply that knowledge to the challenges that face our world today.

As a core content, social studies fosters civic and political attitudes and behaviors that promote civil discourse, an engaged citizenry, and connectedness to local communities. Studies like the one released by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute in 2020 demonstrate that “increased instructional time in social studies is associated with improved reading ability” (Tyner & Kabourek, 2020). To that end, Nebraska social studies educators have a responsibility to ensure that our students graduate from high school “prepared for success in postsecondary education, career, and life pursuits” (AQuESTT).