Proposed Social Studies Standards for the Next Generation Now Available for Further Review
As a result of efforts among multiple and diverse groups of educators, the proposed Social Studies Standards for the Next Generation are now available for access and further review. These future-oriented standards, built from a vision crafted in 2013 and revised following input and feedback received from more than 2,000 people involved in focus groups and an open online survey conducted during the fall of 2014, respond to the demands of global competencies and 21st century learning. KDE wants to follow-up and have educators and others examine the latest version of the standards that include the changes and react to it.

Changes made as a result of the 2014 input and feedback period include:
• 52 grade level standards were revised.
• Storylines preceding each grade level page of standards were revised and enriched to better capture the vision and outcomes for each grade level.
• The following companion documents have been drafted:
– Standards Glossary - key terms found in the standards
– Literacy Connections Document - Common Core Literacy in History/Social Studies Standards for Grades 6-12
– Curriculum Consideration Document - support for developing curriculum at each grade level
– Sample High School Course Design Option - outline of course design

With the creation of flexible, forward-thinking standards, we have an opportunity to transform social studies education in our Commonwealth.

The revised timeline for the social studies standards process is as follows:
• Stakeholders will review and provide feedback on the standards through December 2015.
• The Social Studies content team will make revisions after the feedback is reviewed.
• The Kentucky Board of Education will consider the social studies standards for the second reading in April 2016.
• The legislative committee review process will take place in late spring and summer of 2016.
• During the 2016-17 school year, the Social Studies Standards for the Next Generation, once approved, will be implemented.
• In the 2016-17 school year, social studies for elementary and middle school students will not be assessed.
• The End-Of-Course U.S. History exam will continue to be administered in 2015-16 and 2016-17 during this transition.
• The new social studies assessments for appropriate grade levels will be administered during the 2017-18 school year.

To begin reviewing the new version of the proposed standards and the support documents, teachers can access them here. We are still designing the tool for providing the actual feedback on this new version and we will share how to access it soon. However, we wanted folks to be able to start looking at and thinking about the standards.

Questions on this matter can be directed to Associate Commissioner Amanda Ellis.