Quote of the Day – Regarding students’ knowledge of US History

“Students don’t know the content.”

Peggy G. Carr, Associate Commissioner Assessments Division, National Center for Education Statistics

Comment made on April 23, 2020 during webinar presentation of results from the 2018 National Assessment of Educational Progress in US History, Civics and Geography

Added notes: Across the nation, only 15% of US eighth graders were scored proficient or above in the new NAEP history assessment. That’s DOWN from 18% in 2014 and no better than way back in 1994! Got that? Essentially no improvement in nearly a quarter of a century!

Also, Kentuckians shouldn’t expect this to get any better soon in our state given that the new Kentucky social studies standards totally omit a huge amount of critical content like not mentioning Abraham Lincoln even once despite his huge presence in US History and the fact he was born in the Bluegrass State! Standards that largely ignore content won’t help teach content.