US History Instruction

About Pioneer’s K-12 US History Initiative
Support Our K-12 History Initiative

Massachusetts is one of only nine states that do not require students to demonstrate knowledge of history or civics to graduate from high school. The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education postponed making US History an MCAS-tested graduation requirement, citing costs. Middle school social studies departments have been eliminated in recent years, and high schools are replacing history and social science electives with other subjects. The country faces a growing challenge of engaging future generations, including newcomers, in America’s social, economic and civic life. That’s why Pioneer has always championed high academic standards that emphasize content, including instruction in U.S. History and civics.
As a small non-profit, we depend on the generous support of individuals like you to fund our important research and programs. Please help us continue to educate Massachusetts parents, teachers, and public officials about the importance of U.S. History instruction in our classrooms.

Why is the state not implementing the MCAS for U.S. history?

We are in the middle of a U.S. Senate campaign and, while passions may run high on both sides of the partisan divide, what is a young Massachusetts student to think of the race? Gi[...]

26 Oct 2012

MetroWest Daily News: “Gass: State flunking the history test”

To ensure that knowledge of events like the War of 1812 would be passed on to successive generations, we must make passage of a basic U.S. history MCAS test a high school graduatio[...]

30 Dec 2012