Differential effects of state testing policies and school characteristics on social studies educators’ gate-keeping autonomy: A multilevel model

Abstract

ABSTRACTUsing data on secondary school social studies teachers (n = 6,702) from the Survey of the Status of Social Studies (S4), a multilevel model, and an Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis, this study examined the associations of state testing policy and school characteristics on secondary social studies teachers’ instructional autonomy as it relates to various state testing policies. Through multi-level analysis, this study suggests several key conclusions that have implications for policy and practice related to social studies teaching and learning. First, teachers who work in low-income, high minority schools report lower levels of autonomy than those in high-income, low minority schools. Second, the existence of state-mandated social studies tests and sanctions against low-performing schools are related to lower levels of teachers’ instructional autonomy. Finally, teachers who work in high minority schools perceive lower levels of autonomy when they teach in states that punish underperforming schools based on test results relative to those in states that do not. We suggest that policy-makers should reconsider the way state-mandated tests evaluate teachers, schools, and students in order to allow teachers to hold ample instructional autonomy and implement quality ambitious social studies education, especially in low-income, high-minority schools.