Laboratories of Democracy: How States Get Excellent K-12 U.S. History Standards. White Paper No. 162

The purpose of this paper is to take a closer look at the states that have designed strong history standards and note what has made them exceptional so other states might do the same. They include Alabama, California, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York, and South Carolina. The report draws on interviews with individuals from each state who sat on advisory boards and panels, who shared details on their review process, and identified individuals consulted to design their standards, timetables and outcomes. Members of the state design committees included chairmen of high school history or social studies departments, elementary and middle school teachers, college history professors, members of historical societies and parents. The report also includes seven core recommendations related to process; non-partisanship; the importance of detail and clarity in standards; the need to focus on academic content; the value of civics-based content; encouraging the reading of history in each grade; and finally to promote historical writing in each grade. In all, the paper shows that states can create robust K-12 standards that are clear enough for teachers to employ effectively and that enrich students' understanding of U.S. history. [Preface by Daniel Walker Howe.]