Key points:
By now, we've all heard about the learning gaps in math and reading scores in recent years. Unfortunately, the statistics are even worse on other issues. In 2022, only 22% of students scored “proficient” or higher on a national civic assessment. And one in three scored below basic understanding of the topic.
Restoring the City on a Hill: U.S. History and Civics in American Schools is a new book that details the decline in history and civics knowledge among students and offers a blueprint for how states and local school districts can foster understanding and curiosity about our nation's history.
I had a conversation with Chris Sinacola, co-editor of Restoring the city on a hill to break down some solutions. Chris emphasizes the importance of a strong foundation in both subjects for long-term student success. The book calls for a bottom-up approach and delves into recommendations for state and community leaders to reform American history and civic standards.
Among the book's recommendations:
- Require students to pass the U.S. citizenship test as a criterion for graduating from high school.
- Develop a curriculum that incorporates reading of U.S. history in all grades, with a focus on primary source documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Federalist Papers.
- Increase investment in professional development programs for educators.
- Establish an open and inclusive process for parent and community input into the curriculum through panels, surveys, and regional meetings.
Chris is director of communications and media relations at Pioneer Institute. He has more than 35 years of experience in journalism and freelance writing and was a reporter and editor for Worcester's Telegram & Gazette from 1987 to 2015. He is the author of Images of America: Sutton (2004) and Images of America: Millbury (2013). ). He has also served as editor of Pioneer Institute magazine. The fight for the best public charter schools in the country (2018); A Vision of Hope: Catholic Schooling in Massachusetts (2021); Practical Achievement: Massachusetts National Model Vocational Technical Schools (2022); and now Restoring the City on a Hill: U.S. History and Civics Education in America's Schools (2023).
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