October 1, 2007

LANSING – The State Board of Education unanimously approved today the state’s new Social Studies content expectations for grades K-12.

These are the first updates to Michigan ’s Social Studies standards since 1996. They reflect several years of study, review, revision, and public input.

“The Social Studies expectations are the culmination of several years of development and involvement of content and subject experts, educators, national review, and public input,” said State Board of Education President Kathleen N. Straus.

“We had valuable input from the public, both at our meetings and on-line,” she said. “We think we have one of the most outstanding Social Studies curriculums in the country.”

The Social Studies content expectations cover History, Civics and Government, Geography, and Economics, and are aligned with national standards.

Of special interest to State Board members was the importance of civics and government, and teaching children how to become better engaged in their local, state, and federal governments.

“Students not only need to know the ‘what’ about civics and government,” said State Board member Nancy Danhof, “they need to know ‘how, when, and where’ they can become actual participants in their government.”

Amendments were made to the proposed curriculum expectations to drive citizen participation in their government, as well as amendments to include personal finance education throughout the K-12 system; teach Michigan history beyond statehood in the fourth grade; and highlight the leadership roles of multi-cultural individuals in civic participation that affected positive change throughout the history of the United States .