NCSS C3

Key Information 

The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) has multiple publications to aid the teaching of Social Studies. Here are brief descriptions:

  • College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History: This is a free document that aims to increase rigor in the classroom through its student expectations. This publication aligns to the Literacy in History/Social Studies standards in Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
  • National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: A Framework for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment: This is a copyrighted document that aids educators in curriculum development and alignment.
  • The National Standards for the Preparation of Social Studies Teachers: This publication provides expectations for the education of Social Studies teachers. 

For detailed descriptions of these publications, please visit NCSS’s website.

Adoption Pipeline

No adoptions anticipated in 2024-2025.

Relationships Among Documents 

Data relationships exist between the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework and the states below. Please note that these relationships do not necessarily imply official adoption.

  • Hawaii
  • Iowa
  • Michigan
  • New Jersey
  • Vermont
  • Washington

Please visit the state pages for more details.