© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Up To Date

Missouri And Kansas Standards Not Making The Grade In Civics Education

By Steve Kraske,
Trevor Grandin, Zach Wilson
Published August 4, 2021 at 4:42 PM CDT
Ways To Subscribe
Angle is from the back of a classroom. Teacher is standing in front of the chalkboard facing the class and all the students are raising their hands.
LaBudde Special Collections
/
Miller Nichols Library
A 2021 evaluation of state standards for Civics and U.S. history examined what states expected their schools to teach and their students to learn in these two subjects.

A study done this year graded civics and U.S history curriculum in all 50 states on a scale of A to F.

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute report found only five states worthy of an A in both categories with 35 states falling below the expected level of education.

Missouri was assigned a C in both areas while Kansas was given a C- in civics and D+ in U.S. history. Both states received an overall rating of "Mediocre: Significant revisions strongly recommended."

We learn more about the study's findings and what the Fordham Institute believes constitutes strong civic and history education.

  • Amber M. Northern, PhD, senior vice president for research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute
Tags
Up To Date PodcasteducationKansasMissourihistoryteachersKansas Board of EducationMissouri State Board of Education
Stay Connected
Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
See stories by Steve Kraske
Trevor Grandin
Trevor Grandin is a contributing producer for KCUR Studios.
See stories by Trevor Grandin
Zach Wilson
As Up To Date’s senior producer, I want to pique the curiosity of Kansas Citians and help them understand the world around them. Each day, I construct conversations with our city’s most innovative visionaries and creatives, while striving to hold elected officials accountable and amplifying the voices of everyday Kansas Citians. Email me at zach@kcur.org.
See stories by Zach Wilson
Support paywall-free journalism
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.
Donate Now