South Dakota’s proposed social studies standards are endorsed by national group

PIERRE, S.D. (KOTA) - The National Association of Scholars and the Civics Alliance recently announced its support of South Dakota’s proposed K-12 social studies standards, calling them “excellent” and “among the best in the nation.”

The association commended the proposed standards for being coherent, rigorous, content-based, and patriotic in a letter to the South Dakota Department of Education.

“These standards provide clear expectations for students, teachers, and parents and lay the groundwork for a lifetime of learning and responsible citizenship,” said Dr. Joseph Graves, South Dakota’s Secretary of Education. “These standards are a welcome remedy for the concerning data on our younger generation’s mastery of important civic understandings, given the necessity of an informed citizenry for the success of our democracy and republican form of government.”

Graves also indicated that the proposed standards offer the opportunity for students to learn about and appreciate diverse cultures, including the Native American people who are an integral part of South Dakota’s history.

“These standards address some of the highest and lowest points in our shared history, opening the door for teachers and students to have meaningful, age-appropriate conversations,” Graves states.

Read the full letter on NAS’s blog.

The NAS is a nonprofit entity whose mission is to uphold the standards of a liberal arts education. It has formed a Civics Alliance to preserve and improve America’s civics education.