What the GAO Report on Geography Really Says

K-12 EDUCATION: Most Eighth Grade Students Are Not Proficient in Geography

Last week the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report titled K-12 EDUCATION: Most Eighth Grade Students Are Not Proficient in Geography (pdf). I read it this weekend. Here's a recap.

Why the report?

The Senate asked the GAO to report on the status of geography education and challenges elementary and secondary schools face in providing that education with limited resources.

What did the GAO do?

The GAO examined: 

• eighth grade geography proficiency 
• challenges some school officials and teachers face in teaching geography
• the role of the Department of Education in geography education 

GIS Education Weekly: GAO Report on Geography, Giant Maps for School Children

GAO: Eighth Graders Do Not Know Geography

Geography Proficiency Levels

of U.S. Eighth Graders, 2014, from

the report

Here's something readers probably know: Three-quarters of eighth grade students in the U.S. weren’t proficient in geography last year. That's the conclusion of a last week's Government Accountability Office report requested by congress. Via: Politico

Responses to the Report

Says Michael Gould (@0mgould) on article about the report:

article misses the point on US kids' lack of geographic knowledge: the system fails them. thx @josephkerski http://ow.ly/TCixA

The AAG published an article (press release?) highlighting the executive director and others quotable responses and the importance of the report.

Giant Map to Help Memorizing Idaho's Counties

Kershaw Intermediate School students in Sugar City, Idaho painted a map of the state's counties on the school blacktop. They used a number of math and graphic skills. And, of course they'll learn some geography. Per the article in the local paper:

Via Rexburg Standard Journal

The map of Idaho will allow the students to better memorize Idaho’s counties.

Is that true? Is there any research on the value of these giant maps be they "visiting maps" or more permanent painted ones? I recall when the giant U.S. map came to my elementary school gym (c. 1973). The best part? Sliding around on it in our stocking feet.

I also found "map painting stories" from Iowa and Ohio this week.

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