From Iowa Department of Education
Application due December 11; team to rewrite social studies standards for public review
DES MOINES – Iowans are invited to apply to serve on a state team that will rewrite Iowa’s social studies standards for public review and possible adoption statewide, Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise announced today.
The team will draft new social studies standards during the 2015-16 school year.
“Statewide academic standards are important because they reflect the knowledge and skills that all students need to graduate from high school prepared for college and career training,” Wise said. “Iowa has set clear and consistent state standards for mathematics, English-language arts, science and 21st century skills that will be revisited on an ongoing basis. Our social studies standards, however, have a lot of room for growth and improvement. This is why a rewrite of these standards is a good next step.”
For example, about a third of middle school and high school teachers who responded to a recent survey on social studies said they were dissatisfied with Iowa’s social studies standards. Of the written comments submitted with survey responses, 17 percent reflected a need for clearer, more specific social studies standards. Continue reading