Statement by the American Federation of Teachers
on the Release of the 2001 NAEP History Assessment Results

The rise in student scores on the NAEP history test should encourage teachers, parents and administrators who--through the use of standards-based reform--have been making extraordinary efforts to improve student achievement.

Since 1994, when the test was last administered, our nation's schools have set higher standards, reduced class size and offered extra help for struggling students. One of the purposes of these reforms was to narrow the achievement gap. The NAEP results, which show a smaller white-black gap among fourth-graders and a smaller white-Hispanic gap among 12th-graders, suggest that our schools are making some progress in this area.

Despite the progress, however, more needs to be done to close the achievement gap and ensure that all students are meeting high standards in social studies. The 2001 edition of Making Standards Matter, an annual report from AFT, found that just seven states had developed social studies standards that were clear, specific and grounded in content. This falls far short of the numbers for English (25 states), math (44 states), and science (39 states). Teaching young people about history, geography, economics and government not only will give them an essential part of a comprehensive education, but also will help them become well-informed citizens. If we want future generations to appreciate American democracy and make it work, we need to ensure that social studies is part of the core curriculum in schools today.

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