New Louisiana Social Studies Standards: Now Live on Progress Learning
As the new school year kicks off, Louisiana educators are gearing up for a brand-new set of standards: the 2022 Louisiana Student Standards for Social Studies, or LSSSS. At Progress Learning, we’re committed to staying ahead of these changes, and we’re thrilled to announce that these new standards are now fully integrated into our platform. This means teachers can now begin assigning lessons and creating assessments that are 100% aligned with LSSSS.
Let’s walk through what these new standards are, what has shifted, and how Progress Learning can support.
What Are the New Louisiana Social Studies Standards?
The Louisiana Student Standards for Social Studies were first proposed in January 2022 and were written with input from Louisianans across the state, including educators, administrators, parents, and students. The need for change was long overdue, as Louisiana’s social studies standards are supposed to undergo revisions every seven years but have not been updated since 2010-2011.
The new standards are intended to provide students with a broader and deeper knowledge of US and world history, a greater appreciation of civic principles, a solid understanding of economic principles, and improved proficiency in geography.
They are also designed to better encompass Louisiana’s heritage and American history. In the words of State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley, the standards “reflect the totality of the events that have made America an exceptional nation, including our accomplishments and flaws.” He has referred to these standards as a “Freedom Framework” with many courses placing a greater emphasis on the American story, founding principles, and ideals.
What Has Shifted?
The new social studies standards are shifting in 3 major ways. First, the standards are designed to provide a better balance between content knowledge and disciplinary skills so that students are capable of effectively engaging with social studies topics. Second, they introduce historical content in a more coherent and chronological order. Third, they are intended to better integrate the histories of individuals with varying perspectives and backgrounds.
Some of the grade-level content has also changed significantly. Third grade will shift to U.S. history, fourth and fifth grade will shift to world history, and sixth through eighth grade will shift back to U.S. history. Louisiana’s history will also play a more prominent role in world and U.S. history courses where relevant.
A Closer Look at the New LSSSS
Here’s a breakdown of the biggest shifts to the new social studies standards:
3rd Grade Social Studies – The American Story: People, Places, and Papers
A study of people, places, and papers in United States history that have shaped the American ideals of equality, liberty, and justice.
4th Grade Social Studies – The Ancient World
A study of ancient civilizations around the world, including the Near East, Northern Africa, India, Greece, Rome, China, and the Americas.
5th Grade Social Studies – The Medieval Period to Early Modern World
A study of Medieval Europe, Africa, Aztec and Incan civilizations, the Renaissance and Reformation, and the European conquest and colonization of the Americas.
6th Grade – The United States and Louisiana: Beginnings through Ratification
A study of the major events and movements in the United States from both a national and Louisiana perspective. Topics include British and French colonization, French and Spanish Colonial Louisiana, the American Revolution, and the U.S. Constitution.
7th Grade – The United States and Louisiana: The Early Republic through Reconstruction
A study of the major events and movements in the United States from both a national and Louisiana perspective. Topics include the Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, the Civil War, and the Reconstruction period.
8th Grade – The United States and Louisiana: Industrial Age through the Modern Era
A study of the Second Industrial Revolution to the modern era. Topics include World War I, the Great Depression, Huey P. Long, The Great Flood of 1927, World War II, the Cold War, and the Civil Rights movement.
United States History
A study of U.S. history from the Declaration of Independence to modern times.
Find a more detailed breakdown of all the standards here.
Find more information about implementation here.
Progress Learning is 100% Aligned to LSSSS
As always, we’re dedicated to ensuring that our teachers and students are working with their latest state standards. We are constantly keeping track of new standards for each state and updating our platform accordingly.
This past summer, our product team worked tirelessly to integrate all the new social studies standards into Progress Learning. Now, teachers can begin creating assessments and assignments and generating bell ringers and other instructional resources that are 100% aligned to the LSSSS.
If you’re looking for additional support with these new standards, reach out to us for a free demo! We want to ensure you have everything you need to adapt to these new standards with ease.
