Assessment of Proficiency in History-Social Science

There currently is no state-mandated assessment for history-social science. Assessment for student learning is still an important part of instruction in this discipline.

Am I using this assessment for the purpose for which it was intended?

Chapter 19 of the History-Social Science Framework describes how assessment of student proficiency in history-social science can be a powerful tool to deepen student understanding of specific content and develop literacy, analytical thinking, and civic participation skills. Precisely because there currently is not a state-mandated test in history-social science, teachers can challenge the traditional belief that assessment is useful only as a yardstick for measuring student mastery of specific facts. Instead, they can develop purposeful assessment practices that guide instruction, improve student learning, and develop discipline-specific thinking skills. 

To support teachers in this transition, Chapter 19 includes several useful tools and ideas:

• Assessment cycles and purposes (pg. 483)
• The key dimensions of assessment for learning and of learning (pg. 482)
• Types and uses of assessments (pg. 486-488)
• Formative assessment in history-social science (pg. 489)
  • Questions that formative assessment can answer (pg. 493)
  • Example of formative assessment (pg. 496-497)
• Interim and benchmark assessment (pg. 498)
• Developing rubrics (pg. 499)
• Feedback and teacher feedback (pg. 501)
• Peer feedback and self-assessment (pg. 19)
• Connecting history-social science to current state assessments (pg. 506)