US 8th graders' history and civics proficiency on the decline.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress tests show a decline in knowledge of civics among eighth-graders and a 5-point decline in average scores in history, highlighting the impact of pandemic disruptions on academic performance in social studies. The poor performance is a cause for concern regarding the level of understanding of the nation’s history, government, and democratic processes. The results suggest that now is not the time for politicians to cut education funding or limit what students learn in U.S. history and civics classes. The decline in scores is a larger concern for lower-performing students across all subjects, and NCES Commissioner Peggy Carr suggests more social studies lessons for students to improve scores.