Social Studies Update February 13, 2013

1. Social Studies UpdateFebruary 13, 2013

2. New State Assessments in Social Studies • With the passing of H.B. 555 in December, 2012, the state assessments in social studies, beginning in 2014-2015, will be in grades FOUR and SIX. • These will be grade level specific, not grade band tests, as the previous tests were.

3. Am. Sub. H.B. 165Adding Foundational Documents • Content regarding the original texts of the Declaration of Independence, the Northwest Ordinance, the Constitution of the United States and its amendments, with emphasis on the Bill of Rights, and the Ohio Constitution are added to Ohio social studies standards for grades 4-12.

4. American History • Additional content statements and associated model curriculum entries will be found listed under the “Historic Documents” topic, content statements 5 – 9.

5. American Government • Additional content statements and associated model curriculum entries will be found listed under the: • “Basic Principles of the U.S. Constitution” topic, content statements 6, 8 – 13; and • “Ohio’s State and Local Governments” topic, content statement 18.

6. Grade 8 There are no additional content statements. Additions were made to the model curriculum (i.e., content elaborations, instructional strategies, instructional resources, or connections) for content statements 5, 6, 7, 20 and 21. An edit was also made to expectation for learning for content statement 21.

7. Grade 4 • There are no additional content statements. Additions were made to the model curriculum (i.e., content elaborations, instructional strategies, instructional resources, or connections) for content statements 2, 4, 5, 9, 15, 19, 20 and 21. • The 1851 Ohio Constitutionwill be examined in original text.

8. Ohio Historical Society • http://www.ohiohistory.org/

9. Student Learning Objectives • Teachers in Category C (having no value added data and no data from the Approved Vendor List) are required to have at least TWO Student Learning Objectives (SLOs). • Most social studies teachers are Category C teachers. • The ODE recommends that Category C teachers have TWO to FOUR SLOs. The actual number will depend on the District Plan and the teacher’s schedule.

10. End of Course Exams in Social Studies • Students taking American history and American government courses will be subject to end-of-course examinations after July 1, 2013. • Each local school district board of education must adopt interim end-of-course examinations in American history and American government by July 1, 2013. • At least 20 percent of the end-of-course examination in American government shall address the topics on American history and American government in Ohio Revised Code.

11. End of Course Exams (continued) • No percentage is given for the American history end-of-course examination. • Districts in the SCESC collaborative worked together to create an end of course (EOC) exam prototype that may be used by affiliate districts. Additional test items for each content statement in American history and American government will be available as well to be used in the 2013-2014 school year. • ODE will make a state level EOC exam available for both subjects for the 2014-2015 school year.

12. Ohio Graduation Requirements for Social Studies • The graduation requirements for American history and American government have not changed. They continue to be one-half unit for each course. What has changed is that they are now listed separately from the social studies units required for graduation. Instead of being a subset of three social studies units, the American history and American government requirements are now listed separately and the social studies units required for graduation are now two units.