Letting Teachers Speak: The National History Standards Project and Its Consequences

Abstract

This thesis examines the National History Standards Project within the context of successive cycles of educational reform. It attempts to illustrate why and how the National History Standards were developed in the 1990s, placing the project within the context of standards-based educational reforms. Unlike previous examinations of the project, this thesis allows teachers - those most affected by educational reforms - to speak about their understandings of and experiences with the National History Standards through the use of oral history evidence. Finally, this thesis attempts to connect the teachers and their experiences with the National History Standards to the current debate over state educational standards and high-stakes accountability measures.