In order to sustain the health and vibrancy of our
democracy youth must learn about, and be ready to take part in, the U.S.
democratic and governance process. This is especially true in an increasingly
partisan and politically fractured country. At the heart of the social studies
is preparing all youth to emerge as informed and active citizens to undertake
our nation’s highest and most mightiest office, that of “Office of Citizen”.
Through a strong and meaningful social studies curriculum students learn about
our state, nation, and world’s rich diversity, its history, and the many
obligations and responsibilities that come with citizenship. Students analyze primary
sources in order to grapple with complexity, use evidence to substantiate
conclusions, and learn to take informed actions to improve our communities and
world. The social studies provides
students with experiences investigate, contextualizing, and thinking through information
sources of data, and these skills are paramount in an age of fake news, native
advertising, and mounting propaganda. At the forefront of the social studies is
empowering youth with curricular experiences that advance the art of
deliberation, conversation, and statesmanship when interacting with the views
of diverse citizens holding likeminded and dissimilar views.
Knowing that today’s increasingly partisan,
multicultural, and technological age demands engaged and informed citizens ready
and capable of sustaining our nation’s democracy, I was most disappointed that
the state legislature and our governor decided in the recently passed budget
bill to eliminate all required state elementary and middle school social
studies exams. After all, only 70% of Cuyahoga County voters cast ballots in
the 2016 president election (a letter grade of a D), while only 46% of 18-29
year olds showed up (F letter grade). Mandated state assessments in science,
math, and language arts went unscathed and unaffected in this bill. Research
indicates our current system of testing results in some subjects that “win” and
others that “lose”. Subjects not tested often suffer from decreased
instructional time, resources, priority, and staffing (Ravitch, 2010). Lawmakers
did include in the same budget bill a very weak provision for schools to teach
and assess social studies in grades four and six. However, there is no minimum
instruction time specified, nor is there a state mechanism in place to ensure
this is happening, as the law forbids schools from reporting any social studies
assessment data to the Ohio Department of Education.
Unfortunately, our state’s decision to exclude and
defund these elementary and middle grades social studies assessments are but
one more example of a national trend of states disinvesting in history and civic
education. Claus von Zastrow and
Helen Janc, in a 2004 study, interviewed 956 elementary principals from four
different states and found that almost half of all principals disclosed time
devoted to social studies had moderately or greatly decreased due to it not
being a tested subject, while the time spent on tested subjects had increased. In
Ohio, local researchers found that time spent teaching social studies increased
when state-mandated testing were re-introduced introduced (Doppen,
Misco, & Patterson, 2008).
The frustration I share with hundreds of Ohio
teachers is that social studies, again, has been disproportionally affected and
marginalized when compared with other core subjects in the state. Like many families
I believe Pk-12 students and educators are over tested in Ohio, which is a
product of misguided school district, state, and federal policy. Reforms are
needed at all levels to ensure students receive strong and robust learning
experiences in all content areas. Instead
of wasting millions of tax payer dollars on shoddy state tests in a few cherry
picked subjects, meaningful investments should be made that yield greater
results for student leaning; such as recruiting, preparing, and supporting high
quality teachers, breaking down barriers that lay in their way, and restoring
our trust in educators so they have the freedom and flexibility to plan and
deliver high quality instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners. Instead
of state lawmakers selecting winners and losers, and throwing band aids on a
broken assessment system, Ohio should be at the forefront leading our nation to
construct homegrown competency and performance-based assessments that model a
meaningful and holistic assessment system that prepares all students for
college, career, and civic life.
References
Doppen, F., Misco, T., & Patterson, N. (2008). The
state of k-12 social studies instruction in Ohio. Social Studies Research and
Practice, 3(3), 1-25.
Ravitch, D. (2010). The death and life of the great
American school system: How testing and choice are undermining education. New
York, NY: Basic Books.
von Zastrow, C. and Janc, H. (2004). Academic
atrophy: The condition of the liberal arts in America’s Public Schools. Council
for Basic Education. Retrieved from http://static.ncss.org/files/legislative/AcademicAtrophy.pdf
