For a PDF version of the full document,

please click the button below.

If you wish to participate and provide input, feedback, and your contribution, access the links below for more information.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 13, 2023

VSSLC, VASCD, AHA, VCSS, NCSS, & VGA Provide Revision Recommendations to the 2023 Draft History and Social Science Standards of Learning for Virginia

The Virginia Social Studies Leaders Consortium (VSSLC), Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (VASCD), American Historical Association (AHA), Virginia Council for the Social Studies (VCSS), National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), and Virginia Geographic Alliance (VGA) have collaborated to review and conduct a strikethrough and commented version of the 2023 Draft History and Social Science Standards accepted for first review by the Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) on February 2, 2023. 

In addition to the attached document, we re-submit our collaborative draft standards and response to the January standards.

• December Collaborative Draft Standards
• Response to January Draft Standards

These two documents, combined with the strikethrough and commented version part of this release, are the collective contribution of the aforementioned organizations in drafting and revising the History and Social Science Standards of Learning for Virginia. Our expectation is that the History and Social Science team from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) lead the process to revise the standards before submitting them to the Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) for final review.

We are pleased that on March 9, 2023, Governor Youngkin stated on CNN the following:

• The standards include ALL the recommendations of the African American History Education Commission. [These recommendations must also be included in the forthcoming Curriculum Framework.]
• The standards include ALL the recommendations from the Anti-Semitism Commission.
• The standards include a discussion of the causes and effects of Indian Removal policies.
• The standards include a study of the laws that established race-based enslavement.

In the attached version, we’ve collaboratively reviewed and made recommendations to assist VDOE, as well as members of VBOE, to edit and revise in preparation for final review in April. Here is what you will find:

• We used the strikethrough tool to indicate what to remove. 
• In red text, you will find the rationale for such removals as well as suggested additions or clarifications. 
• At the end of each grade level and content area, there is a table of notes and comments that offer further feedback for revision and consideration.
• Where possible, our team preserved the structure and content of the standards. In some instances, direct suggestions were offered as a form of professional guidance to support and preserve the integrity of the content and/or discipline.

In addition to the strikethroughs and comments throughout the document, we are including an overview of what we consider 7 non-negotiables.

1. RESTORATION OF THE ESTABLISHED PROCESS: The clear violation of the established process for standards revision by former State Superintendent Balow was never repaired during her tenure at the Virginia Department of Education. Her resignation calls into question the entire January draft developed in isolation without adequate input from subject-matter experts across Virginia. The only way to restore this breach of public trust is to return to the established process directed by the History and Social Science office at the Virginia Department of Education with the leadership of Christonya Brown, Dr. Christine Harris, Brandi McCracken, and Andrea Emerson. 
2. CONTENT: The January draft standards include 132 additional standards (approximately 10 standards per grade level) compared to the 2015 SOLs, with no additional instructional time. This is not realistic, and it will have a devastating impact on History and Social Science instruction across the Commonwealth. In order to achieve a more reasonable balance of “content knowledge and the application of content knowledge” as mandated in Virginia code, we assert that the number of standards and substandards should not be increased from the original August draft standards that were developed according to the established process. In certain instances, our team suggested modifying standards and substandards to clarify that students should be introduced to content without needing to memorize, assess, or describe long lists of events, individuals, and topics. Elsewhere, strikethroughs have been suggested for the following reasons: (1) to achieve a more reasonable balance of “content knowledge and the application of content knowledge” as mandated in Virginia Code § 22.1-253.13:1, (2) to remove developmentally-inappropriate content, and (3) to remove biased, subjective, and/or historically inaccurate sections that will undermine the credibility of the Standards of Learning (SOLs) as a professional document. Although this adjustment needs to be made throughout the January draft, the areas in need of the greatest attention are 2nd Grade, Virginia Studies, World Geography, and VA/US History.          
3. BIAS AND SUBJECTIVITY: The Introduction and Guiding Principles of the January draft standards are biased and infused with subjective statements. This violates one of the most essential principles of History and Social Science instruction by endorsing a particular point of view by teaching students “what to think” rather than “how to think.” It is imperative that History and Social Science standards model the same objectivity that we strive for in the classroom, including the document’s introduction and guiding principles. We recommend either removing this section in its entirety or using the Preface from either the August Draft or the December Collaborative Standards. 
4. COURSE SEQUENCING: The January draft standards propose a specific course sequence that will cause major disruptions for courses in grades 5-9. If adopted, this mandate would move some middle school courses to the elementary level, and some high school courses to middle school. This shift has the potential to create additional staffing issues as some teachers will have to change teaching assignments, grade levels, schools, and perhaps certifications. The altered sequence of courses negatively affects students who are already in the middle of a particular course sequence. Education departments and publishing companies have created grade-appropriate materials to accompany the current SOL sequence. Making these changes without allowing time for the creation of high-quality, enriching, and age-appropriate supporting resources will disrupt student learning and negatively affect social studies education. Without sufficient evidence, research, and data that the re-sequencing of these courses improves student learning, we cannot support the order prescribed in the January draft standards. Therefore, the grade level designation for courses starting in Grade 4 should be removed to allow school divisions flexibility in sequencing.
5. INQUIRY AND SKILLS: In a 2021 report, the Fordham Institute awarded Virginia a B+ for both its previous history and civics standards of learning, placing the state among the top ten in the nation. We are wary of discarding some of the many good elements in Virginia’s framework in a rush to make hasty changes based on input from politically motivated organizations. The January draft standards delete the inquiry questions that are embedded within both the original August draft standards and the December Collaborative standards. This removal seems inexplicable given that inquiry is at the root of deeper learning and the actual “application of content knowledge” mandated in Virginia code. History and Social Science instruction must involve a balance of memorization of content knowledge and skill development and application, and must include an overall compelling question to drive the instruction and make it meaningful, relevant, and connected to .1 skills. We recommend that the questions for consideration from the December Collaborative Standards be added to each standard throughout the document. Additionally, content knowledge must be connected to disciplinary skills that are vertically articulated through a K-12 sequence in order to provide opportunities for the “application of content knowledge” as mandated in Virginia code. For the sake of consistency, as well as best-practice instruction, we believe that the .1 skills and the related skills progression chart from the original August draft standards must be restored.
6. TEACHER-CREATED MATERIALS: The January draft standards state that “curriculum selected by a local school board should provide a level of consistency and comprehension, so that ‘teacher-created curriculum’ is unnecessary.”  This statement undermines the hard work that educators do each day in order to unpack standards, infuse creativity into classroom materials, and ensure scaffolding to adequately meet the needs of students. Teachers create curriculum materials everyday as a normal and required part of their instruction. We recommend this statement be removed.         
7. CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS: Former State Superintendent Balow stated during the February 2 Virginia Board of Education meeting that the upcoming Curriculum Frameworks for the History and Social Science Standards will be based on the original August draft. This public commitment must be upheld and directed by the professionals in the History and Social Science office from VDOE.       

Note: The Standards for World History (Part I) are nearly identical to the California 7th Grade Standards, essentially signaling a copy and paste short-cut in drafting the January standards.  

###

About VSSLC

The Virginia Social Studies Leaders Consortium is an organization of social studies specialists, college educators, museum professionals, social studies education non-profit professionals, and representatives from the Virginia Department of Education. We represent all regions of Virginia. 

About VASCD

Virginia ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), an affiliate of ASCD, is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to advancing excellence in Virginia’s schools. We have 1,800 members in Virginia who are teachers, superintendents, teacher educators, school leaders, students, and central office administrators. We represent a variety of roles and share a single purpose - ensuring a world-class education for every Virginia student.

About AHA

The American Historical Association is the largest professional organization of historians in the world, including all fields across a wide variety of workplaces. The AHA is a trusted voice advocating for history education, the professional work of historians, and the critical role of historical thinking in public life.

About VCSS

The Virginia Council for the Social Studies engages and supports Virginia educators in advocating and strengthening social studies.The goals of the Virginia Council for the Social Studies are to foster professional growth, develop communication among stakeholders in the social studies community, and to promote the teaching of social studies in Virginia, the United States, and the international sphere. The Virginia Council for the Social Studies is an affiliate of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS).

About NCSS

Founded in 1921, National Council for the Social Studies is the largest professional association in the country devoted solely to social studies education. NCSS engages and supports educators in strengthening and advocating social studies. With members in all the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 35 countries, NCSS serves as an umbrella organization for elementary, secondary, and college teachers of history, civics, geography, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and law-related education. The NCSS membership represents K-12 classroom teachers, college and university faculty members, curriculum designers and specialists, social studies supervisors, and leaders in the various disciplines that constitute the social studies.

About VGA

The Virginia Geographic Alliance fosters and supports the enduring power of the geographic perspective in social, environmental and geospatial sciences as they develop in schools, universities, businesses, governments and communications media to advance geo-literacy. Acquiring geographic knowledge, skills and technologies enables people to become productive citizens and lifelong learners who: recognize the importance of place and local-to-global connections; understand changing human-environment interactions; and apply environmental and spatial perspectives in decision-making and problem-solving.

If you know someone who might like to be added to our Policy Priorities mailing list, forward this message and ask that they sign up HERE.