1 Jack Buckley Commissioner National Center for Education Statistics June 2011

2 Administered January–March National samples 7,000 fourth-graders 11,800 eighth-graders 12,400 twelfth-graders Performance reported as Average scale scores (0–500 scale) Achievement levels ( Basic, Proficient, Advanced ) Comparisons to 1994, 2001, and 2006

3 Distribution of assessment items across historical themes 3 Themes Grade 4Grade 8Grade 12 Democracy25%30%25% Culture35%30%25% Technology25%20%25% World Role15%20%25%

4 Themes examined across eight chronological periods 4 1.Beginnings to Colonization, Settlement, and Communities (1607–1763) 3.The Revolution and the New Nation (1763–1815) 4.Expansion and Reform (1801–1861) 5.Crisis of the Union: Civil War and Reconstruction (1850–1877) 6.The Development of Modern America (1865–1920) 7.Modern America and the World Wars (1914–1945) 8.Contemporary America (1945 to the present)

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6 Increase in fourth-grade score from 1994 Percentile scores from 1994 increase 22 points at the 10th 12 points at the 25th 6 points at the 50th 4 points at the 75th Percentile scores from 2006 increase 3 points at the 50th * Significantly different (p <.05) from 2010.

7 Percentages at Basic and Proficient higher in 2010 than in 1994 * Significantly different (p <.05) from Accommodations not permitted.

8 # Rounds to zero. * Significantly different (p <.05) from Accommodations not permitted. NOTE: Black includes African American, Hispanic includes Latino, and Pacific Islander includes Native Hawaiian. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin. Results are not shown for students whose race/ethnicity was American Indian/Alaska Native or unclassified. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

9 Racial/ethnic gaps smaller than in 1994 * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Black includes African American, and Hispanic includes Latino. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin. Score gaps are calculated based on differences between unrounded average scores.

10 Male students score higher than female students in democracy and world role themes * Significantly different (p <.05) from the score for female students.

11 Gains for some income levels * Significantly different (p <.05) from 2010.

12 23% of fourth-graders provided a “Complete” response demonstrating their ability to interpret a historical picture 12

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14 Percentile scores from 1994 increase 10 points at the 10th 8 points at the 25th 6 points at the 50th 5 points at the 75th 3 points at the 90th Eighth-graders post highest average score to date Percentile scores from 2006 increase 6 points at the 10th 4 points at the 25th 3 points at the 50th * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Score-point differences are based on differences between the unrounded scores as opposed to the rounded scores shown in the figure.

15 Percentage at Basic higher in 2010 than in 2006 * Significantly different (p <.05) from Accommodations not permitted.

16 Racial/ethnic gaps narrow since 2006 * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Black includes African American, and Hispanic includes Latino. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin. Score gaps are calculated based on differences between unrounded average scores.

17 Average score for male students increases since 2006 # Rounds to zero. * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Score gaps are calculated based on differences between unrounded average scores. The score differences between male and female students were not found to be statistically significant in 1994 and 2001.

18 59% of eighth-graders were able to identify the purpose of the Three-Fifths Compromise

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20 * Significantly different (p <.05) from Twelfth-graders score higher than in 1994 but not significantly different from 2006

21 No significant change in achievement-level performance 1 Accommodations not permitted.

22 Racial/ethnic gaps persist * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Black includes African American, and Hispanic includes Latino. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin. Score gaps are calculated based on differences between unrounded average scores.

23 Male students score higher than female students overall and in democracy and world role themes * Significantly different (p <.05) from the score for female students.

24 22% of twelfth-graders were able to identify China as North Korea’s ally during the Korean War 24

25 Twelfth-graders who report taking AP U.S. history score higher * Significantly different (p <.05) from the score for students who did not take AP U.S. history.

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27 Results from 2009 High School Transcript Study show access to AP U.S. history course increasing * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Black includes African American, Hispanic includes Latino, and Pacific Islander includes Native Hawaiian. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin. Results are not shown separately for students whose race/ethnicity was American Indian/Alaska Native or unclassified.

28 Access to AP U.S. history lags in low minority schools * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Low minority = Schools with less than 10 percent minority students. Medium minority = Schools with 10 to 49 percent minority students. High minority = Schools with 50 percent or more minority students.

29 Access to AP U.S. history increases in suburban and rural locations * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Comparisons to 1990 and by more specific types of location were not possible because of changes in how school locations were classified.

30 Asian/Pacific Islander graduates most likely to take AP U.S. history * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Black includes African American, Hispanic includes Latino, and Pacific Islander includes Native Hawaiian. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin. Results are not shown separately for students whose race/ethnicity was American Indian/Alaska Native or unclassified.

31 Smaller percentage of graduates in low minority schools take AP U.S. history * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Low minority = Schools with less than 10 percent minority students. Medium minority = Schools with 10 to 49 percent minority students. High minority = Schools with 50 percent or more minority students.

32 Lower percentage of graduates in rural locations take AP U.S. history * Significantly different (p <.05) from NOTE: Comparisons to 1990 and by more specific types of location were not possible because of changes in how school locations were classified.

Grade 4 * Significantly different (p <.05) from Greatest gains since 1994 for lowest- performing students Grade 8 Highest score ever Grade 12 No significant change since

Scores increase since 2006 for Black and Hispanic eighth-graders 34

35 For more information 35