Just 13% of U.S. eight grade students meet proficiency standards for U.S. history and civics, according to a Wednesday report from the Department of Education.
Data released by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) shows that the improvement on the topics seen in the 1990s has been almost entirely eliminated between 2018 and 2022. Rating on a 0-500 scale, testing found that eighth-graders scored an average of 258 in U.S. history, five points lower than in 2018.
The NCES defines proficiency in the topic as demonstrating an ability to "explain the significance of people, places, events, ideas, and documents in American history; understand and explain the opportunities, perspectives, and challenges associated with a diverse cultural population; and demonstrate knowledge of significant political ideas and institutions and cite evidence from historical sources to support conclusions."
"Self-government depends on each generation of students leaving school with a complete understanding of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship," NCES Commissioner Peggy Carr said in a statement. "But far too many of our students are struggling to understand and explain the importance of civic participation, how American government functions, and the historical significance of events."
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"These results are a national concern," she added.
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The decline in test scores comes amid a nationwide debate over education and the teaching of U.S. history in particular. Parental outrage at the overemphasis on race and racism in history classrooms led to the overthrow of many school boards across the country, with Virginia being a major hot spot.
Former President Trump reacted to the frustration with his own 1776 Commission, which aimed to establish a U.S. history curriculum focused on teaching students to be proud of their country's history.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has also worked to ban the teaching of critical race theory from Virginia public schools since gaining office in 2022.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has also signed legislation aimed at granting parents further transparency into what their students are learning in school.
