History-Social Science Instruction

The Governing Board believes that the study of history and other social sciences is essential to prepare students to engage in responsible citizenship, comprehend complex global interrelationships, and understand the vital connections among the past, present, and future, as well as to establish a foundation for the appreciation of different ethnicities, the wise use of natural resources, and the responsible management of personal finance. The district's history-social science education program shall include, at appropriate grade levels, instruction in American and world history, geography, economics, political science, anthropology, psychology, and sociology. The Governing Board shall adopt academic standards for history-social science which meet or exceed state content standards and describe the knowledge and skills students are expected to possess at each grade level. The Superintendent or designee shall develop and submit to the Board for approval a comprehensive, sequential curriculum aligned with the district standards and consistent with the state's curriculum framework for history-social science. The curriculum shall be designed to develop students' core knowledge in history and social science and their skills in chronological and spatial thinking, research, and historical interpretation. History-social science instruction shall also include an explicit focus on developing students' literacy in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and other language skills. The Governing Board shall adopt standards-aligned instructional materials for history-social science in accordance with applicable law, Board policy, and administrative regulation. Additionally, teachers are encouraged to supplement the curriculum, in accordance with Board Policy 6161.11 - Supplementary Instructional Materials, by using biographies, original documents, diaries, letters, legends, speeches, other narrative artifacts, and literature from and about the period being studied. Personal testimony from persons who can provide first-hand accounts of significant historical events is encouraged and may be provided through oral histories, videos, or other multimedia formats. If oral history is used for instruction related to the role of Americans in World War II or the Vietnam War, such testimony shall exemplify the personal sacrifice and courage of the wide range of ordinary citizens who were called upon to participate in the war, provide views and comments concerning reasons for participating in the war, and provide commentary on the aftermath of the war in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. (Education Code 51221.3, 51221.4) The Superintendent or designee shall provide a standards-based professional development program designed to increase teachers' knowledge of adopted instructional materials and instructional strategies for teaching history-social science. The Superintendent or designee shall at least annually evaluate and report to the Governing Board regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the history-social science curriculum at each grade level, including, but not limited to, the extent to which the program is aligned with state standards, any applicable student assessment results.