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Utilizing data from the National Center for Education Statistics Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), a multilevel model (Hierarchical Linear Model) was developed to examine the association of teacher/classroom and state level indicators on reported elementary social studies instructional time. Findings indicated that state testing policy was a significant predictor of elementary teachers’ reported time spent on social studies instruction. Teachers’ perceptions of workplace autonomy and grade level were also associated with increased time on social studies. Conversely, teacher credentials, classroom socioeconomic contexts, and test design were not substantially associated with social studies instructional time. This study suggests that state policy mandates, grade-specific curricular organization, and teacher disposition have a substantial impact on the prioritization of social studies in US elementary schools.

In a preexperimental study of preservice practitioners’ professional dispositions, we examined the relationship between an innovative culturally responsive teaching model in a social studies methods course and teacher candidates’ culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy. Findings indicate preservice teachers exposed to an in-depth culturally responsive teaching epistemology were more confident in their abilities to employ culturally relevant teaching practices. Participants noted increased willingness to work in diverse communities. Preservice teachers were more efficacious in their abilities to teach multicultural social studies content. Our study suggests that a comprehensive culturally responsive, social studies methods course inspired efficacious attitudes toward teaching diverse learners and content.

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