We have missed part of the equation for effective education. STEM became STEAM, but we forgot social studies and the importance of the skills and content it teaches. Ensuring a Better Future: Why Social Studies Matters explores the sacrifice of both many students' inherent skills/interests and an effectively informed and effective citizenry through prioritized Social Studies education in public schools. This book seeks to accelerate the pendulum swing away from strict STEAM education that the author and Jared feel is starting. It names and explores the issues of equitable funding and curriculum focus delinquency, the historical story about the swing away from social studies education, and how to energize our country in support of Social Studies education.