A state by state profile of requirements and course offerings compiled by the Council of State Social Studies Specialists and the Social Science Education Consortium, listing curriculum changes and requirements for teachers and students, shows that there are very different practices and situations among the 50 states and the District and Columbia, making generalizing difficult. An analysis is included: "The Status of Social Studies in the United States in the mid-1980s," by Irving Morrisset. Generalizable findings are that: (1) the "flavor" of social studies throughout the country is highly prescriptive; (2) major changes in requirements and recommendations for teachers in training, teacher certification, and inservice assessment have taken place since 1976; (3) most states have increased graduation requirements, many in the context of statewide testing and specification of competencies for specific courses; (4) in most states various courses are required, in addition to several history courses, either at state or local levels, and requirements for such courses have been increased; (5) the duties and influence of state social studies specialists vary greatly from state to state; and (6) recent trends in social studies with respect to requirements for teachers, students, and curricula predominantly are toward tighter requirements or recommendations and are seen overwhelmingly by state social studies specialists as being favorable to social studies in their own state and in the nation as a whole. Tables and an abbreviated survey instrument are provided. (AEM)