Time for South Carolina to Rethink Social Studies

In South Carolina, there's a growing concern that social studies is taking a backseat to other subjects in schools. With the state's 250th anniversary of independence on the horizon, many wonder why young students aren't spending more time learning about history, civics, geography, and economics. The issue boils down to time and priorities. Math and English take up most of the instructional hours because they are heavily tested. This focus on standardized testing has led to a debate among educators about how to ensure students are still learning social studies. Currently, only about 38 percent of high school students pass the state's social studies test. This low pass rate has sparked discussions about bringing back standardized social studies tests in elementary and middle schools to hold teachers and students more accountable. However, not everyone agrees that more testing is the answer. Some argue that the education system already relies too much on standardized tests, and that inadequate assessments could lead to worse instruction. The problem is most evident in elementary schools, where subjects aren't taught in isolated classes. This flexibility allows teachers to devote more time to math and English, often at the expense of social studies. In Charleston County, for example, kindergarten to second-grade classes spend as much time on English in a day as they do on social studies in a week. This disparity has led some to argue that social studies is being crowded out. But not everyone sees it this way. Some educators believe that the time spent on math and English is necessary because these subjects build on each other and require more individualized instruction. The limited time set aside for social studies is further constrained by the challenges of managing a classroom full of young kids. Schools with students struggling in reading or math often adapt their schedules, sometimes even forgoing social studies instruction altogether.This imbalance in instructional time is not unique to South Carolina. A 2022 survey by the RAND Corporation found that American students spend about three hours a week on social studies, compared to nine hours on English Language Arts and six on math. The state's Department of Education doesn't test social studies with the end-of-the-year SC READY exams, which are given annually between third and eighth grade. This lack of testing has led some to argue that social studies is not given the same priority as other subjects. State law used to require annual testing in all four main subjects, but the law was changed to only require social studies exams in fifth and seventh grade. However, these tests haven't been administered in years, as legislators have used state budgets to suspend the requirement. The first time the state checks students' learning of social studies standards is in high school, after the U. S. History and Constitution class that most students take their junior year. This delay in testing has led to concerns that students are not being adequately prepared in social studies. The impending rewrite of the social studies standards could be an opportunity to reintroduce social studies testing. However, the decision on testing is up to the state legislature, and some members are not inclined to give kids more tests. Regardless of testing, the state is hoping the revised standards will improve how social studies is taught. New standards in recent years for math and ELA have come with training opportunities for teachers and higher-quality instructional materials. With 250 years of history to draw from, South Carolina has a unique opportunity to lead the way in teaching students about self-government and their state's rich history.