What is FASSE?

FASSE was created in 1984 by National Council for Social Studies to support research and classroom application projects which improve social studies education and promote engaged, effective citizens. Today the FASSE board administers several award programs and the fund that supports them.

The Fund for the Advancement of Social Studies Education (FASSE) is seeking applicants for board membership. More Information here.

Leveraging FASSE to Inspire Ingenuity

Recognition and reward extend beyond the scope of plaudits and praise. Originality and inventiveness require resources and providing financial support for our members’ creativity is an inherently affirmative undertaking and a core component of our value proposition and so we will:

• Restate our commitment to FASSE by linking FASSE’s strategic priorities with those of NCSS and establishing the Fund as the umbrella under which we distribute all financial support as grants, awards, and scholarships.
• Revitalize the role of the FASSE Board by including Fund development, growth, and diversification as part of their custodian responsibilities.
• Recognize the Fund as a foundation for an internal circular knowledge economy, capitalizing on FASSE-related learning and resources to inform the development of our wider membership services and education program.
• Use the Fund as a means for underpinning and enhancing NCSS’ reputation, resources, and reach.
• Invest in specialist fund management, establishing and building a dedicated team of development and fundraising professionals.

FASSE Grant Recipients

The Christa McAuliffe Reach for the Stars Award

The Christa McAuliffe Reach for the Stars Award was established in 1986 to assist classroom teachers in developing and implementing innovative social studies teaching strategies, activities, and citizenship projects with their students. The grant serves to help social studies educators achieve a dream that under ordinary circumstances would not be fulfilled.

McAuliffe Award Application

• 2016—Andrea C. Brennan (NJ) and Kim Leegan (NJ): The Adopt a Country Project
• 2015—William Busbin (AL): Engaging the Community: Building an Oral History Program
• 2014—Shawn Daley (OR): Voices of Vanport
• 2014—Marc Turner (SC): A Walk to Remember: Student Peer Guides and Local Civil Rights History
• 2013—Mark Johnson (CHN): Hidden in the Documents: Reconstructing the Story of the Chinese History of Montana
• 2012—Jeffrey A. Hinton (NV): Voices of Vegas
• 2011—Kathryn Bauer (AZ) and Sheila Simpson (AZ): Historical Firsts! Civil War Science and Technology
• 2010—Brady Rochford (NC): “Sister Schools Telling Stories”
• 2009—Benjamin Weber (CA): Social Explorer--Granting Students Access to Interactive Demographic Data
• 2009—Greg Fisher (CA): CAMS Inventors—Inc.
• 2008—Jean M. Turney (MO): History on Location: The Civil War in St. Louis
• 2007—Brenda Klawonn (NE): Museum Moments: The Plainsman Podcasts
• 2006—Jason A. Schipper and Adam M. Jones (SC): Native American History in a Box
• 2005—Charlene Postell (TX): Hillcrest Historical Archive Project
• 2004—Theresa Adamczak and Debra Every (NC): A Discovery of Self Through the Exploration of Others
• 2004—Liz Morrison (MO): We Can Take It; Taking the Spirit of Corps to Students Across America
• 2003—Mary Byatt (NJ): Hitch Your Wagon to a Star: America in the Early 1800's
• 2002—Mark Brady (IL): Get on Board the Peterso School Freedom Train
• 2001—Kristy Brugar (MI): Following Lewis and Clark
• 1998—William Ziglar (PA): Pi Alpha Epsilon
• 1992—Alan Haskvitz (CA): Civics Materials in Spanish
• 1991—Ronald Vaughan Morris (IN): Social Studies Resource Boxes
• 1987—Margaret Hamilton (TX): Success Overtakes Survival

The FASSE Demonstration/Research Grant

• 1996 Pat Avery, University of Minnesota, and Linda Trevorrow,Minneapolis Public Schools: Linking Assessment, Pedagogy, and Standards for Powerful Social Studies Teaching and Learning
  This project used a training of trainers model and combined the power of authentic assessment and instruction with a multicultural perspective. Grant funds were used to train teachers and to develop K-12instruction/assessment units for each of the NCSS standards. The units will be published in printed form and on the web.

CUFA-FASSE Social Studies Social Justice Research Grant

• 2016 Toward an Anti-Racist teacher Self-Efficacy Scale

Other FASSE Grants

• 1996 Barbara Duddleston (IL): Integrating Fine Arts into the Social Studies Curriculum
• 1995 Gregory V. Gary (CA): Creating Authentic Experiences Using Computer Technology
• 1995 Mary Louise Lennon (TX): Interdisciplinary Units for All Students
• 1994 Nonie Peterson (MN): African-American Studies Honors Course
• 1994 Marsee Gay Perkinds (FL): World War II: Commemorating our Nation?s Past
• 1993 Alan Kay (VA): Education Live: The Total Classroom Experience
• 1993 Marsha L. Burch (CA): Civic Competence: A World View
• 1992 Dixie Johnson Grupe (MO): The World in 1492: Appreciating a Global Community
• 1992 Victoria Patterson (CA): Project MESH