An announcement from Liz Maurer at the National Women’s History Museum about their new report from an analysis of K-12 curriculum standards for each state in the U.S. We might not be surprised by the overall finding that women are most often portrayed in the curriculum standards in a domestic role.
Analysis from the National Women’s History Museum’s survey of K-12 social studies curriculum standards across the U.S.
I am pleased to announce that National Women’s History Museum’s recently released its new report, Where are the Women? A Report on the Status of Women in the United States Social Studies Curriculum. Where are the Women? examines the status of women’s history in state-level social studies standards. It is the most up-to-date evaluation of women’s history integration in US public, K-12 education.
Download the report here. https://www.womenshistory.org/social-studies-standards
The report discusses the ways that that women’s history is characterized in US K-12 social studies standards and, by extension, in textbooks and public school classrooms. Interesting findings include:
- Names of 178 individual women named in state standards
- Most and least studied women’s history topics
- Women’s history marginalization in standards
The report includes the women’s history standards for each state. Readers can see for themselves how women’s unique history is presented state-by-state. Teachers and museum educators will have complete standards for each state to use in creating lessons and programs. Women’s history scholars will see the expected knowledge base for incoming freshmen. Education and curriculum researchers will have access to the data set for their own work.
Please reach out with any questions or comments.
All the best,
Liz Maurer
Elizabeth Maurer
Director of Program
National Women’s History Museum
205 S. Whiting St. Suite 254
Alexandria, VA 22304
Phone: 571-800-6556
Kentucky Association of Teachers of History 