Veto of history bill right move by Fallin

OKLAHOMA lawmakers voted to end state testing of U.S. History. Gov. Mary Fallin has vetoed the bill. Fallin deserves praise. It’s still important that Oklahoma students have knowledge of our nation’s history. And, like it or not, testing plays a role in ensuring such teaching occurs.

Under current law, Oklahoma students must be state tested in U.S. History just once between grades nine and 12. Senate Bill 2 would eliminate that requirement.

Fallin argued that repeal of the test would deemphasize the importance of U.S. History.

“United States History is a vital component of a student’s academic coursework,” she wrote in her veto message. “It grounds students in our nation’s founding principles and our Constitution, and teaches that American exceptionalism led the world to unite behind the concepts that liberty and freedom are fundamental human rights. Our students need to be grounded in our history and equipped to meet our nation’s future challenges.”

She noted just 62 percent of Oklahoma students tested proficient or better on the state history test in 2016. That rate was likely to decline further without a state test.

“If U.S. History is not measured through a test, its importance in school will be lessened,” Fallin wrote.

Backers of the bill argue otherwise, but research indicates Fallin is correct. Too often the “if it’s not tested, it’s not taught” theory holds true, as has been documented for some time. Martin West, now an associate professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, highlighted that fact in a 2007 article for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

Citing data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Schools and Staffing Survey, West reviewed the average time spent on history in states with and without elementary school assessments in history in 2003 and 2004.

The SASS data showed “the differences between the time spent on science and history in states that do and do not test in those subjects are immense,” West wrote.

States that tested students in history had 17 percent more instructional time devoted to the subject than did non-testing states. That added instruction occurred even though few states included history test performance in school evaluations under either federal or state accountability ratings. Also, many states required the test in only a single grade.

West found the “differences persist after adjusting the data for differences in the percentage of a school’s students who are minorities, the percentage eligible for the free and reduced-price lunch program, whether the school is located in an urban environment, and the teacher’s experience.”

It’s also worth noting that Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, opposed SB 2. Bergstrom taught for nearly 20 years in public schools, including 17 at Bluejacket Public Schools. American History and U.S. Government were among the subjects he taught.

“I never had a problem with the end-of-instruction tests. I actually found them to be useful,” Bergstrom said. “Personally, I would think this test on U.S. History would be a good assessment tool, if nothing else, for us to see what the students are learning and maybe to find where we need to make some adjustments.”

Democracies rely on the civic engagement of welleducated citizens. SB 2 could ultimately undermine that foundation, and Fallin was right to veto it.