National Trends in Elementary Instruction: Exploring the Role of Social Studies Curricula

Abstract

Using data from the National Center for Educational Statistics research spanning fifteen years, researchers examined the impact of national educational policy implementation on the role of social studies in elementary schools. Specifically, with the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2007 and the continuation of federal-mandated testing of English language arts (ELA) and mathematics in grades three through five, researchers sought to understand how policy decisions to extend testing to science affected teacher decisions in regard to instructional time allocations for core subject areas of ELA, mathematics, science, and social studies in elementary schools. Results of this quantitative study offer large-scale evidence of the declining role of social studies in an era in which testing is clearly linked to subject-area importance. Findings provide an overview of the national scope of testing and the ramifications for social studies in elementary schools. Researchers conclude that curriculum standardization, accountability, and high-stakes testing have had adverse affects on social studies time allotments in comparison to tested subjects.

Keywords:

• social studies marginalization
• instructional time
• elementary curricula
• standardization and high stakes testing
• No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

Notes

1. 1993–1994 (n = 2930), 1999–2000 (n = 2800), 2003–2004 (n = 2080), 2007–2008 (n = 2420). In accordance with NCES publication procedures, all samples have been rounded to the nearest ten to avoid disclosure.

2. A copy of the survey instrument can be obtained at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/pdf/0708/sass4a.pdf.