High school academic departments remain under-examined yet powerful entities in American high schools. High status department leaders create and sustain narratives around teaching and learning, disciplinary-specific best practices, and the overall efficacy and effectiveness of any number of school improvement policies and initiatives promoted by…

This study explored the current state of secondary social studies in Western New York (WNY) through the lens of social studies orientations, specifically the traditional, disciplinary, and progressive strands (Fallace, 2010), and their alignment with the "K-12 Social Studies Framework," approved by NYS's Department of Education in 2014,…

The 2019-20 Fordham Sponsorship Annual Report provides insight into our sponsorship work during the year and the performance of our sponsored schools. In a typical year, performance includes state academic test outcomes, financial measures and operations and governance measures. Due to the cancellation of state testing last spring, you'll see that…

These two qualitative descriptive case studies investigated supports and barriers to integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as an instructional methodology in language arts and social studies departments at an urban and a suburban high school in Wisconsin. Integrated Comprehensive Systems (ICS) implementation was determined through the…

A recent trend in developed countries' school curricula has been the transition from disciplinary to generic forms of knowledge, resulting in an emphasis on interdisciplinary organisation and more active forms of learning. Subject specialists are increasingly expected to demonstrate how their subject interconnects and equips pupils with key life…

The purpose of this study was to describe Markdale High School's change from separate college preparatory and general level classes to heterogeneously-grouped classes in English, mathematics, science, and social studies, with particular emphasis on the principal's leadership style, change process, and teacher concerns (Hall & Hord, 2006)…

Ten innovative high school social studies departments in Indiana were investigated to determine their characteristics, such as what innovations have been adopted, educational background of teachers, and organizational climate of the departments. (ND)

Current agendas of the California State Department of Education, the California State Board of Education, and the California State Legislature are examined. Some part of each agenda has potential for impact on the social studies area of instruction. (RM)

John C. Pittenger is not satisfied with his bureaucratic job as Pennsylvania's education secretary. He also teaches a social studies class, coaches a college squash team, and tries to inject some life and humanity into the state's public schools. (Editor)

Asserts that history faculty should contribute to the training of secondary social studies teachers. Focuses on the program at California State University (Long Beach), one of the few universities to place single subject credentialing programs within the academic discipline as opposed to within the school of education. (CMK)

Describes the new place for geography in the various university departments in New Zealand that have been reconfigured by university-wide restructuring. Discusses the implications of the restructuring on university geography in New Zealand focusing on the problems in relation to the administrative changes, such as the flow of students in the…

This review, by the editors of "Education U.S.A.," surveys school systems across the country and lists outstanding programs relating to black studies in schools. Contents include: black studies--pros and cons; black studies and the schools--where do they stand?; black studies and the states--what have they done?; and, case studies of the fifteen…

Maintains that, despite great strides in geographic education, many social studies methods professors still are using outdated geographic materials, methods, and techniques. Describes an intensive four-day conference bringing together social studies methods and geography professors. (CFR)

Comparison between the results of a 1977 and a 1982 census of secondary school course offerings in Illinois indicated that in high schools the proportion of enrollment in all social studies combined decreased from 1977 to 1982 but the proportion of enrollment in the traditional courses remained relatively stable. Census data were collected from…