This guide helps district and school leaders evaluate whether their social studies content truly supports inquiry, relevance, and skill development. It outlines five non-negotiable expectations for instructional materials used in modern social studies classrooms.

Administrators can use this guide to assess curriculum quality, identify gaps, and ensure content aligns with instructional goals and student needs.

Key Benefits

With this guide, leaders can:

• Ensure content supports inquiry and critical thinking.
• Prioritize relevance to students’ lives and communities.
• Evaluate materials for accuracy and multiple perspectives.
• Support discussion, analysis, and evidence-based reasoning.
• Make more informed curriculum decisions.

Who Should Use This Guide

This resource is designed for:

• District curriculum leaders.
• Social studies supervisors and coordinators.
• School administrators overseeing instructional materials.