Chuck Douglas of Pembroke is a former State Supreme Court Justice and a trustee of NH Civics.

You cannot preserve our democratic institutions when only one in five students understand the basics of them.

Eighth graders’ test scores in U.S. History and civics fell to the lowest levels on record last year, according to the U.S. Department of Education data released on May 3.

In the first release of U.S. History and civics scores since the start of the pandemic, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the “Nation’s Report Card,” showed a decline in students’ knowledge that reversed gains made since the 1990s. Only 13% of eighth graders met proficiency standards for U.S. History, meaning they could explain major themes, periods, events, people, ideas, and turning points in the county’s history. A fifth of students scored at or above the proficient level in civics.

U.S. History had the lowest proportion of eighth grade students reaching proficiency levels out of any subject assessed by the program, with civics being the second lowest. Federal tests show scores in U.S. History and civics have consistently lagged behind those of reading and math.

National Center for Education Statistics Commissioner Peggy Carr said in a briefing with reporters that she was shocked by U.S. eighth graders’ U.S. History and civics scores, which she called “woefully low in comparison to other subjects.”

“These data are a national concern,” Dr. Carr said. “The health of our democracy depends on informed and engaged citizens.” The percentage of students in 2022 who performed below basic level worsened in both U.S. History and civics, with four in 10 eighth graders scoring below basic levels in U.S. History according to federal data.

For our future voters to understand the moving parts of our republic requires civics education to be robust in our schools. Shocking is that in one recent survey, 70% of young people born since 1980 do not even believe that democracy is essential (Foa and Mounk).

I look forward to Governor Sununu signing SB 216 which will require civics to be taught at all levels of our schools. The governor has also recommended $2,000,000 in funding to develop and update a New Hampshire-based civics curriculum. It cannot come too soon for those of us who believe democracy has to be taught, not assumed.

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