Virginia Council for the Social Studies

2026 VCSS Conference

Hosted by the Virginia Council for the Social Studies

at the William & Mary School of Education

in Williamsburg, Virginia

October 9-10

Submit a Proposal for the 2026 Conference by May 15!

We invite educators, researchers, and practitioners to submit session proposals for the 2026 VCSS Conference. This year’s theme, History at 250: Lessons for the Next Generation, encourages us to reflect on the past while preparing students for the future.

We welcome proposals aligned to one of the following subthemes:

1: Reimagining Social Studies Education Across Time and Place

Focus: What we teach and whose stories we center

This theme examines how history is taught across the past, present, and future, pushing beyond traditional narratives to create a more inclusive and globally connected understanding of the world.

2: Transforming Practice Through Innovation and Purpose

Focus: How we teach and how learning experiences are designed

This theme highlights effective, forward-thinking instructional practices that support engagement, equity, and meaningful learning experiences.

3: Teaching Virginia’s Past, Present, and Civic Future

Focus: Virginia Social Studies education in context

This theme centers Virginia as both a local and national lens for social studies learning, emphasizing the state’s unique role in American history, government, economy, and culture.

Session Formats May Include:

Presentations

Poster Sessions

📅 Proposal Submission Deadline: May 15th

Our Mission & Vision

The Virginia Council for the Social Studies supports educators throughout the Commonwealth in the effective and complex instruction of social studies by:

Continuing the mission of the National Council for the Social Studies.
Fostering opportunities for professional growth.
Promoting the diverse study of social studies disciplines, including, but not limited to: history, humanities, government, economics, philosophy, sociology, psychology, civics, etc.
Engaging in advocacy work.
Partnering with museums & nonprofits.
Providing educators with a consortium of information & strategies for teaching.
Exploring cross-curricular connections & how social studies can be applied to more than just history.
Facilitating and engaging in civil dialogue.
Serving all of Virginia’s students through equitable and accurate social studies education.

The Williamsburg Bray School Webinar Series

A virtual workshop series in partnership with the Bray School Lab.

Watch one of the webinars below, fill out this form, and earn PD credit!

The goals of the Virginia Council for the Social Studies are to foster professional growth, develop communication among stakeholders in the social studies community, and promote the teaching of social studies in Virginia, the United States, and the international sphere. The Virginia Council of the Social Studies is an affiliate of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS).