Applying Civic Principles in State Civics Standards Review and Assessment Processes

• In Event: Advancing Civic Learning and Engagement Through High-Quality, Equitable Assessment Practices

Abstract

Objectives or purposes. In this presentation, we will share findings and takeaways from work by a team of researchers and technical assistance providers who have supported state education agencies (SEAs), regional education agencies (REAs), and local education agencies (LEAs) as they collaborate with diverse constituents to plan and facilitate standards and assessment development and revision. We will describe how these agencies are applying civic principles (i.e., transparency, equity, trust, representation, responsibility, participation, accountability, and inclusion) throughout the process, informing future social studies and civics standards revisions work and its correlation to the development of high-quality, standards-aligned civics assessments.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework. The presentation will describe the framework our team has utilized to guide standards review. We will outline the three components of this framework: preparation, revision, and implementation. The framework allows SEAs, REAs, and LEAs to systematically plan and facilitate civics and social studies standards and assessment revision and development grounded in civic principles.

Methods and data sources. We draw on recent work the team has facilitated—including social studies and civics standards revision, implementation supports, and curriculum revision in six states and the U.S. Virgin Islands—and the trends revealed during this work. We gathered and analyzed qualitative data including interviews and artifacts gathered in collaboration with our partners in these standards revision efforts.

Results. We will summarize trends in national, state and local civic and social studies standards and assessments to contextualize our work. We will present a new research-based framework for standards revision and the results of an analysis identifying the commonalities in the civics content and skills across all 50 states and territories. We will summarize states’ use of evidence on how high-quality assessments and accountability structures can promote civic learning, to inform the development of high-quality standards. We will discuss how to use this evidence, along with data from a recently developed social studies policy map, to analyze the state landscape and inform key levers for standards review, revision, and implementation grounded in civic principles. We will emphasize two key elements of our work: (1) guidance on developing a process for standards revision grounded in civic principles and (2) a framework that outlines the key civic content and outcomes that should inform the development of standards and assessments in social studies and civics.

We will conclude with four takeaways that illustrate the application of civic principles throughout the process: (1) A rigorous and transparent standards development process is essential for building trust; (2) States should consider incorporating discipline-specific content and skills in civics standards; (3) Inclusion is fundamental to the standards revision process; and (4) Alignment of civics assessments to state standards can help ensure equitable access for all students.

Significance. Lessons from our on-the-ground collaboration to revise standards will inform future social studies and civics standards revisions work. We also draw a direct connection to the importance of high-quality, instructionally relevant civic assessments to help ensure that standards lead to the ambitious and equitable civic learning opportunities that young people will need.

Authors

• Peter Mabli, American Institutes for Research

• Beth Ratway, American Institutes for Research