In May 1997, CIE was requested to review the History and Social Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools. In particular, we assessed the draft standards for World History, Grades 8 and 9, and recommended some amendments to the material. The standards that were eventually published by Virginia reflect significant improvements over the draft materials evaluated here.
This assessment identifies several important areas of concern in the Standards of Learning for grades eight and nine on the topic of world history. In addition to presenting the argument that these problems affect the value of the framework as a reflection of excellent scholarship and teaching, alternative wording is suggested that will allow these problems to be substantially corrected with relatively minor changes in wording. Unless these areas of imbalance, inaccuracy and approach in the Standards are addressed and corrected, the various limitations and obstacles imposed upon the study of history in this program will make it very difficult for students to achieve mastery of the later grade nine standards, and those in subsequent grades. Clearly, if students have difficulty understanding the content in grades eight and nine, it will adversely affect their ability to master the standards in grades ten, eleven and twelve. It will also adversely affect their scores on any accountability tests administered by the State of Virginia. Most seriously, poor understanding of the content will not provide them with a sound foundation on which to build later collegiate study. It will affect their ability to make sound decisions as citizens, voters, and in their chosen occupations.
