On May 9, 2002 the National Center for Education Statistics released its assessment of what the nation's fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-graders know about American history. The report is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what American students know and can do in various academic subjects. The report shows that average history scores of 4th and 8th grade students have improved while the average scores of 12th grade students have not changed significantly since 1994 when the last test was made. More than a third of the 4th graders, nearly 40% of 8th graders, and more than half of high schools seniors did not demonstrate even a "Basic" understanding of the subject.

The assessment provides data on a nationally representative sample of nearly 30,000 students at over 1100 public and private schools. Student performance is reported in two different ways -- by scale scores and by percentages of students who attained the NAEP U.S. history achievement levels -- Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. The NAEP U.S. history scale runs from 0 to 500, with scores for all three grade levels placed on the same scale. The report shows that at grade 4, the percentage of students performing at or above the Basic level increased while there were no changes in the percentages of students performing at or above Proficient and at Advanced. At grade 8, there were increases in all performance levels; at grade 12, the percentages were static and not statistically different from 1994. The report showed that the average 4th and 8th grader is still at the Basic level while the average 12th grader is below the Basic level. According to Secretary of Education Roderick Paige, "This is unacceptable."

Data reveal interesting findings with respect to gender, race, and ethnicity. At grade 4, both male and female students had higher average scores than in 1994; at grade 8 only males showed a significant statistical gain and at grade 12 there was no significant difference between the performance of males and females. The study also showed a reduction in the racial/ethnic gap between students. At grade 4, both White and Black students had higher average scores; at all three grade levels, White students had higher average scores than their Black, Hispanic and American Indian peers; Asian/Pacific Islanders students, in general, had higher average scores than their Black and Hispanic counterparts.

The type of school that students attend, the use of computers, and the employment of different types of instructional tools also impacted student performance. In general, in 2001 as in 1994, students attending public schools scored higher than they did in 1994, but not as high as students attending private schools (the report notes, however, that "socioeconomic and sociological factors. . . .may affect student performance"). Interestingly, while only one-quarter to one-third of the students at all grade levels stated they used computers while studying history, in all three grade levels students who reported daily general use had lower average scores than did those who reported less frequent general use of computers. However, students who used computers "for specific history related activities" ("research" for example) scored higher on average than those who did so to a lesser extent. Daily use of a history textbook was associated with higher scores by grade 4 students while use of primary historical documents at the higher grade levels resulted in higher scores than students who did not make use of such instructional materials.

During testing, students were asked a series of questions based on four historical themes: "Change and Continuity in American Democracy," "The Gathering and Interactions of Peoples, Cultures, and Ideas," "Economic and Technological Changes," and "The Changing Role of America in the World." A total of eight historical periods provided a chronological structure for the many issues included in the four central themes. Depending on the grade level being tested, exam questions numbered from just under 100 to over 150. Test questions were selected to emphasize the ways of thinking and the kinds of knowledge that historical study requires. This year students were asked to respond not just to multiple-guess questions, they also had to devote more than 50% of their time to "constructed response" questions, which require at least a brief written response and sometimes several short paragraphs.

During the press briefing, New York University historian Diane Ravitch (and a representative of the NAEP governing board) as well as professor John Patrick of Indiana University were invited to comment on the report's findings. So did Secretary Paige. Dr. Ravitch expressed alarm at the "mixed and troublesome picture," especially at the "abysmal scores for 12th graders." Dr. Patrick expressed dismay over the "general negative findings." Secretary Paige stated that the Administration is committed to a "bold goal -- creating a system that insists on accountability and results, teacher quality" but when questioned whether the report results would serve as a catalyst for the Administration to support a higher appropriation level for the "Teaching American History" initiative, he said no. Paige also stated that the Department did not support NAEP testing of students in history more frequently (as is done for math and English) in order to assess student progress -- that, he stated, was a task "best left to the states."

The full report can be accessed at the NCES website at: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.