Social Studies

Quick Links

Missouri Holocaust and Education Committee Agendas

U.S. Senate Youth Program Update

The application deadline for the United States Senate Youth Program deadline is Wednesday, September 28, 2022.

For questions, comments and assistance, please contact Stuart Smith at 573-751-4898 or Stuart.Smith@dese.mo.gov

Assessment Development Recruitment

As a part of the assessment development cycle, DESE Assessment invites Missouri educators to participate in the process to help provide expertise. Missouri is always looking for educators to participate in these meetings. If you wish to be considered for participation for any future development meetings, please complete the online submission form at https://dese.mo.gov/form/assessment-meetings-interest. Once finished, you will receive an email to the personal email address provided to confirm your submission.

Colloquia

Colloquia Resources

Economics

Economics Contests

National Economics Challenge

Economics Professional Development

Teacher Professional Development from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

Teacher Resources and Professional Development from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Item Specifications

Item Specifications

In 2014 Missouri legislators passed House Bill 1490, mandating the development of the Missouri Learning Expectations. In April of 2016, these Missouri Learning Expectations were adopted by the State Board of Education. Groups of Missouri educators from across the state collaborated to create the documents necessary to support the implementation of these expectations.

One of the documents developed is the item specification document, which includes all Missouri grade level/course expectations arranged by domains/strands. It defines what could be measured on a variety of assessments. The document serves as the foundation of the assessment development process.

Although teachers may use this document to provide clarity to the expectations, these specifications are intended for summative, benchmark, and large‐scale assessment purposes.

Components of the item specifications include:

  • Expectation Unwrapped breaks down a list of clearly delineated content and skills the students are expected to know and be able to do upon mastery of the Expectation.
  • Depth of Knowledge (DOK) Ceiling indicates the highest level of cognitive complexity that would typically be assessed on a large scale assessment. The DOK ceiling is not intended to limit the complexity one might reach in classroom instruction.
  • Item Format indicates the types of items used in large scale assessment. For each expectation, the item format specifies the type best suited for that particular expectation.
  • Content Limits/Assessment Boundaries are parameters that item writers should consider when developing a large scale assessment. For example, some expectations should not be assessed on a large scale assessment but are better suited for local assessment.
  • Sample stems are examples that address the specific elements of each expectation and address varying DOK levels. The sample stems provided in this document are in no way intended to limit the depth and breadth of possible item stems. The expectation should be assessed in a variety of ways.
  • Text Types suggests a broad list of text types for both literary and informational expectations. This list is not intended to be all inclusive: other text types may be used in the classroom setting. The expectations were written in grade level bands; for this reason, the progression of the expectations relies upon increasing levels of quantitative and qualitative text complexities. (English Language Arts Only)
  • Calculator Designation indicates whether a calculator will be available for test questions written to a particular expectations on the large-scale assessment. (Mathematics Only)
  • Stimulus Materials defines types of stimulus materials that can be used in the item stems. (Science and Social Studies Only)
  • Possible Evidence indicates observable methods in which a student can show understanding of the expectations. (Science Only)

Social Studies Item Specifications

Missouri Learning Standards

Current Standards

The standards, approved on April 19, 2016 are for implementation beginning in the 2016-2017 academic year. They will be assessed in Government and HS American History (optional) EOC assessments in a census field test in 2018-2019 and then in operational form beginning in 2019-2020.

Social Studies - K-5: K-5 PDF | K-5 Word
Social Studies - 6-12: 6-12 PDF | 6-12 Word
Social Studies - K-12: K-12 Excel (Updated 02.15.19) 

Crosswalks

*Updated 5.30.18
K-5 | MS American History | MS World Geography | MS World History | HS American Government. | HS American History | HS World History 

Teacher View

These are the new Missouri Learning Standards K-12 Expectations for Social Studies, but the alternative layout includes details and resources classroom teachers may find helpful. 

Additional Resources

Other Resources

Other Resources

Personal Finance

Personal Finance

In 2016 the State Board of Education authorized the organization of a workgroup to evaluate, and possibly make recommendations to modify or revise Personal Finance learning standards.  These standards have not changed since 2006 when the State Board of Education revised graduation requirements for Missouri’s students to include one-half credit of Personal Finance.

The workgroup, comprised of Missouri educators and community leaders from across the state, began work in December 2016. After more than nine months of work, three public hearings, feedback from educators, higher education representatives and business community members and revisions based on that input, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education presented the standards for approval.

On September 19, 2017, the State Board of Education approved the new standards.  Districts should begin preparing local curriculum based on the new standards for implementation in the 2018-2019 school year. Development of a new online assessment tool aligned to the new standards will begin immediately for implementation in the 2019-2020 school year.

Resources for Personal Finance Curriculum Development    

  1. Personal Finance Course Level Expectations: approved September 2017
  2. Personal Finance Crosswalk: 2016 Standards/2017 Standards/Coding
  3. Personal Finance Course Level Expectation Excel 2017
  4. Personal Finance Competencies: 2006
  5. Resources through the St. Louis Federal Reserve
    1. Go to- www.econlowdown.org
    2. Log in as a teacher
    3. Go to the resource gallery
    4. Select resource types and click on Syllabus
    5. Select Sample Personal Finance Syllabus with 2017 Missouri Standards to preview
    6. Create a classroom
    7. Add the syllabus to the classroom and assign desired items.
  6. Resources through the Kansas City Federal Reserve

        https://www.kansascityfed.org/education

Personal Finance Assessment:

  • As part of their curriculum, students in Missouri must earn a 1/2 credit in the area of Personal Finance.
  • Students who are receiving personal finance credit from embedded coursework: The online assessment is REQUIRED. The pass rate is the district’s decision.
  • Students attempting to “test out” and receive personal finance credit toward graduation: The online assessment is REQUIRED. Students must attain a score of 90% or higher to receive personal finance credit.
  • Students who are enrolled in a stand-alone personal finance course: The online assessment is OPTIONAL. Participation, however, permits the district to evaluate student achievement with an assessment fully aligned to state standards.
  • A student may take the Personal Finance Assessment ONE time per testing window.
  • The Personal Finance Assessment is provided at no cost to districts
Professional Development

Professional Development Opportunities

Missouri Council for History Education

Build your own Professional Development: Sponsored by Missouri Council for History Education. The Missouri Humanities Council has partnered with MOCHE to sponsor a Visiting Scholars Program.  They will line up a team of experts (subject and curriculum development) to meet with your faculty and either talk about improving history education overall and/or how to improve teaching about specific topic areas your faculty suggests. They will bring in university researchers, authors, and seasoned teachers to help your faculty start the year with ideas to energize their classrooms; all at no cost to your district. Interested school districts’ in-service coordinator should contact Flannery Burke, Visiting Scholars Coordinator to set a date. fburke@slu.edu

US Holocaust Memorial Museum: History Unfolded

US Holocaust Memorial Museum: History Unfolded is a new project at the museum asking “citizen historians” to help research the way the Holocaust was reported in local US newspapers from 1933 to 1945. For more information on this project:ushmm.org/history-unfolded. 

Veterans National Education Program

This on-line resource includes free resources tied to modern history, culture, geography and current events. For more information http://v-nep.org/global-awareness-map/ 

Professional Development Series Resources

K-5:

6-12:

USSYP Scholarship Information
USSYP Blue Page Logo


The United States Senate Youth Program was created in 1962 by United States Senate Resolution and is financed by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. The scholarship program is designed to encourage elected high school student leaders across the nation to “deepen their interest in and understanding of their country's political processes.”

This year, two Missouri high school students will be selected to participate in the USSYP for 2023.  Each of our Missouri winners will participate in a Washington D.C. week and will also receive a $10,000 scholarship award. The week of intense study provides delegates with an introduction into the work and functions of the U.S. Senate in particular and of the federal government in general.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 59th Annual Washington Week was successfully held online for 2021. The 60th Annual Washington Week was held March 6–9, 2022.

Per the USSYP webpage, “The 61st annual United States Senate Youth Program Washington Week is being planned for March 4–11, 2023. The program may be held online pending public health guidance and status of large group access to the government venues traditionally visited. If held in person, all delegates will be required to be fully vaccinated and boosted to attend.”

Learn more about the national program and scholarship at https://ussenateyouth.org/

For a brief Missouri-specific overview of past student participation, you may review two 2022 Missouri Student Washington Week essays here.  Additionally, 2022 Missouri Delegate pictures with their elected Senators can be found here.

Candidates must be nominated by their high school principal. Schools may use any fair, appropriate procedure to select one candidate per high school.  Following are the requirements for eligibility set by the Hearst Foundation:

  • The nominee must be a junior or senior who has not served previously as one of Missouri’s program delegates.
  • The nominee must serve in an elected capacity in one of the following offices which represents a constituency:
    • (a) Student body president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer
    • (b) Class president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer
    • (c) Student council representative
    • (d) Student representative to a district, regional, or state-level civic or educational organization
    • (e) Student representative elected or appointed (appointed by a panel, commission or board) to a local, district, regional or state-level civic, service and/or educational organization approved by the state selection administrator, where the student holds a high-level position of representation to a constituency in a year-round capacity providing service to others
    • PLEASE NOTE:  Participation or holding an officer position in academic clubs and/or educational competition programs/conferences or organizations designed primarily for the student’s personal development and enrichment do not qualify a student for USSYP, although many students who qualify for USSYP do participate in these activities. The positions listed below DO NOT qualify the student for the program:
      • Attendance or officer position at Boys/Girls Nation or State summer conference
      • Member of the National Honor Society (serving as an elected officer for the organization for the entire school year is acceptable)
      • Member or leader of the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, JROTC, or a sports team
      • A founder or chairperson of a self-created group
      • A participant, captain, or officer in Mock Trial, Debate Team, Model U.N. or other academic club, mock legislature, conference, or competition where the primary engagement is for the individual educational enrichment or benefit.
    • For more information, see the USSYP website (“How to Qualify”): https://ussenateyouth.org/selection_process_qualify/
  • The nominee must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
  • The nominee must be currently enrolled in a Missouri public or private secondary school located in the state in which either one of his or her parents or guardians legally resides.

Completed applications for Missouri students are due no later than 11:59 pm on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.

Note: Candidates will need to download/save the form or document before completing.

Feel welcome to contact Stuart Smith, Assistant Director of Curriculum, at stuart.smith@dese.mo.gov or 573-751-8468.