SENATOR KENNEDY’S PLAN TO RAISE STANDARDS IN AMERICAN HISTORY PASSES THE SENATE

Washington, D.C. – Today, Senators Kennedy’s amendment to address the underachievement of American students in history passed in the Senate as part of the Labor-H Appropriations bill. Senators Kennedy and Alexander offered this bill, acknowledging that students still consistently score lower on American history than on any other course. The American History Achievement Act would encourage states to make progress on their U.S. history standards, elevate the standing of American history in curriculum, and promote better teaching of the subject in classrooms. “Instilling appreciation of America’s past – teaching the values of liberty, justice, equality, and civic responsibility – should be an important mission of every school,” Senator Kennedy said. “Thanks to the efforts of large numbers of teachers of history and civics in classrooms throughout America, we’re making progress. But much more remains to be done to advance their understanding of the subject. We need high standards for civic education, more opportunities for internships and service-learning, and stronger partnerships between schools and community organizations to involve young people more fully in the life of their communities.” Specifically, the bill would create a new 10-state pilot assessment of U.S. History and Civics, administered in grades 8 and 12, through the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). It would also provide for a more frequent national analysis of learning in American history, by assigning priority to the U.S. history NAEP at the national level.