Social Studies

News & Announcements

Share Your Feedback on Colorado’s Social Studies Standards

The Colorado Academic Standards (CAS) for social studies are scheduled for review later this year, and Coloradans are invited to share their input.

The State Board of Education reviews each content area’s standards every six years. During the 2026-27 school year, the board will begin its review of the current standards for social studies, with adoption expected by mid-2028. Feedback from educators, families, and community members will help inform decisions regarding the upcoming standards review.

Take a few minutes to share your thoughts by completing the online survey by Friday, November 13, 2026.

You can find more information about the standards revision process on CDE's Standards Review and Revision webpage.

America 250 / Colorado 150

The America 250 / Colorado 150 Commission is dedicated to honoring the diverse experiences of all who have called Colorado home, recognizing that our state’s history is intricately woven into the broader American story. As the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, Colorado will simultaneously commemorate its 150th anniversary of statehood, marking a historic and uniquely unified celebration.

Becoming Colorado Film Series

Colorado students can help celebrate America 250/Colorado 150 by tuning to a new series on Rocky Mountain PBS that highlights Colorado stories. The series is paired with a ready-to-use curriculum for primary, middle, and high school educators.

Becoming Colorado is a five-part educational documentary series designed for Colorado students produced as an official America 250/Colorado 150 Signature Initiative, led by the Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Education and History Colorado.

Becoming Colorado brings Colorado State University’s stories into classrooms and communities across the state by exploring the people, places and events that have shaped Colorado’s history and identity.

The series premieres on Rocky Mountain PBS at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 with Episodes 1, 2 and 3. It will then air weekly beginning Nov. 15:

Nov. 15: Episode 1
Nov. 22: Episode 2
Nov. 29: Episode 3
Dec. 6: Episode 4
Dec. 13: Episode 5

Becoming Colorado Instructional Materials

Twelve Colorado educators developed accompanying instructional materials for grades 4, 8, and high school that can be used alongside the films or as stand-alone lessons.

The Sand Creek Massacre Inquiry Kits

The Sand Creek Massacre Foundation is pleased to announce that Inquiry Kits (thematic sets of high-quality primary and secondary sources) about the massacre are now available for educators on their website.

Academic Standards

Preparing students for the 21st century cannot be accomplished without a strong and sustaining emphasis on the social studies. The social studies provide cornerstone skills that are the key to opening doors for a more diverse, competitive workforce and responsible citizenry.

Curriculum Support

Article IX, Section 16 of Colorado's constitution states, "Neither the general assembly nor the state board of education shall have power to prescribe textbooks to be used in the public schools." However, CDE can still serve as an advisor to help districts and schools adopt, adapt, develop, or use the materials of their choice.

Instructional Support

Instructional support is grounded in CDE's shared approach to Best, First Instruction as well as practices and strategies supported by professional organizations and scholars at the leading edge of social studies education.

High Impact Instructional Strategies in the Social Studies: This document outlines research based, high impact instructional strategies for the social studies.
Social Studies Lesson Planning for Learning and Reflection A sampling of lesson planning processes and ideas developed by teachers as part of the District Sample Curriculum Project.
High Impact Instructional Strategies for the Social Studies Classroom Modules: These modules represent a few high impact instructional strategies for the social studies classroom. While there are numerous teaching strategies for effective social studies instruction, the research on high-impact instruction in social studies (in terms of a positive impact on student learning) focuses primarily in two areas: historical thinking, and civic knowledge and skills for citizenship.

Community

There are many opportunities to connect and grow as a professional educator with the larger Social Studies education community.

Social Studies Information

The Gilder Lehrman National History Teacher of the Year Award The National History Teacher of the Year Award recognizes outstanding K–12 American history teachers across the country. The 2026 award & honors outstanding elementary or secondary school teachers. Nominate a teacher today!
Social Studies Instruction and Reading Comprehension: Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study A new study finds that social studies instruction in elementary school improves student's reading scores! Here are the 2 key points from the study:
- Increased instructional time in social studies—but not in ELA—is associated with improved reading ability.
- The students who benefit the most from additional social studies time are girls and those from lower-income and/or non-English-speaking homes.
Civics as a Graduation Requirement In 2004, the Colorado State Legislature passed a bill requiring all high school students to pass a course in civics. This is the only state graduation requirement. Specifically, the law states, "Satisfactory completion of a course on the civil government of the United States and the state of Colorado ... shall be a condition of high school graduation in the public schools of this state. Here is the full text of the law: CRS. 22-1-104.