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SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced that four focus group meetings will be held across California this spring to gather public input on updating the existing History–Social Science Framework. He is also seeking nominations of educators to become part of the focus groups.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for the public to tell us what they think about our curriculum frameworks that provide guidance to teachers, administrators, and parents on how a standards-based curriculum is implemented in the classroom," said O’Connell. "The updated Framework will be an important tool to ensure that teachers have the support they need to teach our world-class standards, and support student achievement in history–social science."

Frameworks are updated periodically as required by California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Education, Section 9511(c), to ensure that they reflect the most current and confirmed research on education in the subject area. The focus group meetings will be open to the public, and comments made at each meeting will be forwarded to the Curriculum Development and Instructional Materials Commission and the State Board of Education for consideration. The focus group meetings will be held at the following locations:

The California Department of Education is also soliciting nominations for members of the focus groups. Each focus group will include between 10 and 15 invitees, who will be selected to ensure balanced representation of regions, types of schools, and grade levels experience. County and district superintendents and charter school administrators are invited to nominate educators for service on one of the above focus group meetings. Educators are defined by the California Education Code Section 44013(a), a certificated person holding a valid California teaching credential or a valid California services credential, is employed by a local education agency or by a special education local planning area, and is not employed as an independent contractor or consultant.

For a complete text of the existing History–Social Science Framework, more information about the focus groups, and a form for those interested in participating as a focus group member, please visit Curriculum Frameworks.