America’s eighth-graders are failing tests in U.S. history, a national study says.
Only 18% of eighth-graders rated proficient or above in U.S. history, just 27% rated proficient or above in geography and 23% in civics, according to the Nation’s Report Card 2014, a federal survey of more than 29,000 eighth-graders published Wednesday.
“The lack of knowledge on the part of America’s students is unacceptable, and the lack of growth must be addressed. As a country, we must do better,” said Terry Mazany, chairman of the National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees the survey.
Here’s a breakdown of how eighth-graders performed across the three subjects:
Here are a couple of sample questions from the U.S. history section, the area of the test where eighth-graders are least proficient.
Eighth-graders who scored in the basic category were likely to answer the following sample question correctly:
For centuries, a young man who wanted to learn a craft was apprenticed to a master craftsman who taught him the necessary skills. Why did the apprenticeship system begin to decline in the first half of the 1800’s?
- A. The apprenticeship system was considered unsuitable for the increased number of women working outside the home.
- B. The growth of the factory system led to a decreased need for skilled labor.
- C. Many young men chose to become farmers instead of craftsmen.
- D. Craftsmen began to use unskilled immigrant labor in their shops.
(Answer and explanation here.)
Here’s one that’s a little harder. Eighth-graders who scored in the advanced category were likely to answer the following sample question correctly:
The Supreme Court’s 1803 decision in Marbury v. Madison established the Court’s power to:
- A. impeach a President
- B. decide whether a federal law is constitutional
- C. resolve conflicts between states
- D. resolve conflicts between the President and Congress
(Answer and explanation here.)
See the full report—including other sample questions—here.
