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<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><img width="113" height="114" style="width:1.177in;height:1.1875in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D99F78.C0F6EC40" alt="A picture containing logo
Description automatically generated"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps;letter-spacing:1.5pt">Office of Governor Brad Little<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps;letter-spacing:1.5pt">Office of Superintendent Debbie Critchfield<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps;letter-spacing:1.5pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps;letter-spacing:1.5pt">NEWS RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">June 15, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Little, Critchfield roll out “The Story of America” history curriculum for Idaho schools<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little and Superintendent Debbie Critchfield announced today the availability the fair, factual American history resource for Idaho schools
called “The Story of America.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://thestoryofamerica.us/"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“The Story of America”</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> is an American history curriculum
for middle school and high school students that tells the factual story of our nation’s history while reinforcing writing and critical thinking skills.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“This curriculum presents a picture of America that aligns with our Idaho values of embracing patriotism and a sense of pride about the success of our great country,
and it teaches American history in a fair and factual way,” <b>Governor Little</b> said.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“Not only does this curriculum support a students’ knowledge of America, but it offers<span style="color:black"> literacy skills like writing, analyzing, evaluating and
presenting as part of these lessons,”<b> Superintendent Critchfield </b>said. “These skills will help prepare our students to be strong American citizens, capable of self-government at the local, state, and national level.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Governor Little and Superintendent Critchfield cited declining history and civics scores for students across the country as part of the reason to ramp up efforts to increase
students’ understanding of American history. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“The Story of America”
<span style="color:black">curriculum was created by leading experts in the field of American history and will be available to all school districts in Idaho to use for teaching in 8<sup>th</sup> grade and beyond. It is designed to supplement curricula already
in use by Idaho educators. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The curriculum has been vetted and tested by the Idaho State Department of Education (SDE), which will facilitate its use in Idaho schools.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">School districts across Idaho are encouraged to take advantage of the resource for their students and teachers and contact SDE for more information.
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