When my colleagues on a board overseeing the Nation's Report Card previewed the U.S. history and civics scores released publicly Wednesday, we found the results staggering. A mere 13% of eighth graders scored at the proficient level in history and only 22% hit the mark in civics.
While I'm heartbroken by the news – it bodes badly for our democracy and well-being as a nation – I am not surprised. The truth is you get out of something what you put into it, and we've sidelined social studies instruction in this country for far too long.
In a survey accompanying the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the NAEP, fewer students reported taking classes focused on U.S. history. Additionally, more students reported sagging confidence in their civics knowledge and skills as compared to 2018. In my experience as a teacher, students are typically experts at evaluating how well they have – or have not – mastered a subject.
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Policy places greater emphasis on reading and math than history and civics
This data is directly tied to policy decisions that place an ever-increasing focus on reading and math, the subjects primarily tested under federal accountability rules. Mastery of reading and math are unquestionably important for student success, both now and in the future. But we can elevate these subjects without stripping the school day of content that prepares students for citizenship – a key role of public schools.
This is a problem everyone across the nation should be concerned about. While proficiency is the goal, too few kids are even working at what the Nation’s Report Card defines as the Basic level on the history and civics assessments. Forty percent of eighth graders failed to hit that mark in history, and about a third performed below Basic in civics. That means they likely would have trouble understanding the historical context of the Gettysburg Address and naming one way Congress fulfills its constitutional responsibilities.
The eighth graders who took these tests last year are finishing ninth grade in the coming weeks. We have a lot of ground and just three years to make up before they graduate, head to college or the workforce, and are asked to fully participate in civic life.
Students read a lot in my class and even practice their math skills, for example when we analyze polling and look at percentages in our elections unit. But this isn't just about boosting student achievement in tested subjects. There is magic that happens in a strong social studies classroom, a magic that kids badly need to experience now. With a growing awareness about problems related to chronic absenteeism and concerns around a lack of student engagement, education leaders and policymakers need to bring joy and a purpose to learning to schools. When taught well, history and civics are subjects that foster excitement and inspiration while honing essential life skills.
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My teachers conveyed history with passion and insight
When I was a kid, growing up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, I studied world history with a teacher who still inspires me today. Mr. Pickle drew us into lively debates, for example asking us to put ourselves in Harry Truman's shoes and weigh his decision to use the atomic bomb. This debate was relevant given my hometown’s role as a key Manhattan Project site, and by tackling a challenging topic, Mr. Pickle helped students exercise the “civic muscles” of discourse and debate.
Mr. Senter, another social studies teacher, worked with his students after Sept. 11, 2001 to secure metal beams from the World Trade Center to distribute to state capitals across the country to remind our leaders to "never forget." These teachers made students excited to apply what they learned to the world around them, in turn equipping them for a lifetime of active citizenship.
In my classroom, I seek to bring the same passion I saw from my teachers while helping students develop their ability to communicate and collaborate. For example, my students spend a week studying the federal budget and working together on proposals to build solutions that are both fiscally and politically attainable for challenges like addressing threats to the long-term viability of core entitlement programs.
I often see friendships blossom during these types of activities, even when students hold very different perspectives and beliefs. We could use more of that in our legislative bodies.
I hope this latest Nation's Report Card serves as a wake-up call. Too often, with news like this, there's a knee-jerk reaction to just do something. But we need to be more thoughtful than that. In my own state, students have to answer 10 questions from the U.S. citizenship exam before they can graduate. The district selects the questions, often choosing the easiest among them, and the students don't actually have to get the answers right. They just have to take the test. We can – and we must – do better than that.
I start every school year by sharing with my students James Madison's challenge that "a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives." In a democratic society, such knowledge must include a firm understanding of our nation's history and civic institutions, something our students can attain only if we will give them the time and the opportunity.
Patrick Kelly teaches AP U.S. Government and History at Blythewood High School outside Columbia, S.C. and is a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees the Nation's Report Card.
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