K-12 Education: Most Eighth Grade Students Are Not Proficient in Geography
Published: 2015-10-15T00:00:00

Fast Facts:

Highlights:
section_title: Why GAO Did This Study
paragraphs: Geography—the study of places and the relationship between people and their environment—is present across many facets of modern life, from tracking lost cell phones to monitoring disease outbreaks like Ebola. The growing use of geographic information and location-based technology across multiple sectors of the American economy has prompted questions about whether K-12 students' skills and exposure to geography are adequate for current and future workforce needs. Senate Report 113-71 included a provision for GAO to report on the status of geography education and challenges elementary and secondary schools face in providing geography education with limited resources.
In this report, GAO examined (1) the extent that eighth grade students are proficient in geography; (2) the challenges selected school officials and teachers face in providing geography education; and (3) the role of the Department of Education with respect to geography education. GAO reviewed relevant federal laws; analyzed nationally representative Education data on student proficiency and instruction time in geography; interviewed education officials in four states selected, in part, for varying K-12 geography requirements; reviewed key studies and research reports, including a 50-state 2013 survey of geography requirements; and interviewed agency officials and researchers. We also leveraged a professional association to identify and interview 10 K-12 teachers.
GAO is not making recommendations in this report. Education provided technical comments, which we incorporated as appropriate.
section_title: What GAO Found
paragraphs: About three-quarters of eighth grade students—the only grade for which trend data are available—were not “proficient” in geography in 2014, according to GAO's analysis of nationally representative data from the Department of Education (Education). Specifically, these students had not demonstrated solid competence in the subject, and the proficiency levels of eighth grade students have shown no improvement since 1994 (see figure). Geography is generally taught as part of social studies, but data show that more than half of eighth grade teachers reported spending a small portion (10 percent or less) of their social studies instruction time on geography. Further, according to a study by an academic organization, a majority of states do not require geography courses in middle school or high school.
A key challenge to providing geography education is the increased focus on other subjects, according to officials in selected states and K-12 teachers GAO interviewed. These officials and teachers said spending time and resources on geography education is difficult due to national and state focus on the tested subjects of reading, math, and science. GAO's interviews and review of relevant reports identified a range of other challenges, as well, including:
misconceptions about what geography education entails;
lack of teacher preparation and professional development in geography;
poor quality of geography instructional materials; and
limited use of geographic technology in the classroom.
Education's role with respect to geography education primarily involves assessing student performance in the subject, and providing data and the results of its analyses to the public. Education periodically assesses student achievement in geography, and other areas, but not with the same regularity as other subjects it is required by law to assess. Beyond assessments, Education officials said that absent funding specifically for geography-focused programs, the agency is hindered in its ability to support geography education.

section_title: Letter
paragraphs: Geographic information and geospatial, or location-based, technologies  are growing sectors of the American economy, influencing almost every  facet of modern life, from tracking lost cell phones to monitoring disease  outbreaks like Ebola. The emergence of these technologies has  increased demand for workers who can analyze and interpret geographic  information. Research suggests that K-12 education is critically important  for learning the fundamentals of geography, which is the study of places  and the relationship between people and their environment. However,  throughout the country, states and local school districts are striving to  balance limited resources against requirements to ensure students are  proficient in reading, math, and science. These tensions have prompted  concerns that schools may focus their resources on fewer subjects than  in the past, and that K-12 students may not be acquiring adequate skills  in and exposure to geography which are needed to meet workforce needs  in geospatial and other geography-related industries.
The Senate report that accompanied the fiscal year 2014 appropriations  act for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and  Education includes a provision for us to review the status of geography  education and challenges elementary and secondary schools face in  providing geography education with limited resources. In this report, we  examined (1) the extent to which K-12 students are proficient in and have  access to geography education; (2) the challenges selected school  officials and teachers face in providing geography education; and (3) the  role of the Department of Education (Education) with respect to  geography education.
To perform this work, we used a variety of approaches. To determine the  extent to which students are proficient in, and have access to, geography  education, we analyzed nationally-representative data from Education’s  National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). We determined  that the data were sufficiently reliable for the purposes of this report. In  addition, we reviewed relevant reports, including results from a 50-state  survey of geography education standards and requirements published in  2013. To obtain in-depth information on the challenges school officials  face in providing geography education, we conducted interviews with  officials in four states—Arkansas, California, Florida, and Virginia. These  states were selected based on variations in state geography standards,  curricula, and requirements at the K-12 level. We also worked with a  national education organization specializing in social studies and  geography education to identify and interview 10 K-12 social studies and  geography teachers. While the responses were not generalizable, our  interviews with state officials and K-12 teachers provided insights into a  range of views on challenges in providing geography education. To  determine the role of Education with respect to geography education, we  reviewed relevant federal laws, regulations, policies, and guidance. We  also interviewed Education officials from various offices and coordinated  with the Office of Science and Technology Policy on other federal  programs that may play a role in supporting K-12 geography education.  For more information on our scope and methodology, see appendix I.
We conducted this performance audit from December 2014 to October  2015 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing  standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to  obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for  our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe  that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings  and conclusions based on our audit objectives.
subsections: section_title: Background
subsections: section_title: Use of Geographic Technology
paragraphs: Geography and geospatial or location-based technologies are ubiquitous  in daily life, from the navigation units in cars to applications on smart  phones. These technologies, which include global positioning systems  (GPS) and geographic information systems (GIS), are used in a myriad of  ways, from crisis mapping in Haitian earthquake relief efforts to deciding  where to locate supermarkets in underserved communities in Philadelphia  (see sidebar).
According to the Department of Labor, employment of specialists in  geography, or geographers, is projected to grow 29 percent from 2012 to  2022—much faster than the average 11 percent growth for all  occupations. As we recently reported, the federal government collects,  maintains, and uses technology that depends on geography to support  national security, law enforcement, health care, environmental protection,  and natural resources conservation. Among the many activities that can  depend on analysis of geospatial data are maintaining roads and other  critical transportation infrastructures, quickly responding to natural  disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, and fires, and tracking endangered  species (see fig. 1).
section_title: K-12 Geography Education
paragraphs: According to The National Geographic Society, the subject of geography  can include a disproportionate focus on dates, events, and individuals.  However, geography—the study of places and the relationship between  people and their environment—is an integral tool used to understand and  make informed decisions about global problems. Currently in elementary  and middle grades, geography content is often combined and taught with  history, civics, and economics, under the umbrella of “social studies.”  High schools can offer geography as a separate course or within the  social studies curriculum. High schools can also offer the advanced  placement exam in Human Geography to students in grades 9 through  12.
Although geography is taught as a part of social studies in most U.S.  schools, it is an integrated discipline that can be taught with other  subjects, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics  (STEM). Some stakeholder groups have stated that aspects of the  discipline are, in fact, STEM-related, and several federal agencies include  geography, GIS, or cartography as STEM disciplines. The Office of  Science and Technology Policy, which coordinates federal investments in  STEM education programs, also includes geographic sciences/geography  and geographic technologies as part of the STEM disciplines. Although  some STEM education programs may have components that support K- 12 geography education, according to the Office of Science and  Technology Policy there are no federal STEM education programs that  directly support K-12 geography education.
subsections: section_title: Department of Education’s Geography Framework
paragraphs: The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in Education tracks  what students know and how well they understand and apply geography  concepts as part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress  (NAEP), a nationally-representative student assessment in various  subject areas taken in grades 4, 8, and 12. The NAEP geography  assessment is built around a “geography framework” that determines the  content assessed. The geography framework melds key physical science  and social science aspects of geography, and contains a content  dimension and a cognitive (or thinking) dimension (see fig. 2). The  framework also includes achievement levels that describe what students  should know and be able to do to reach basic, proficient, and advanced  levels of achievement. NAEP defines three achievement levels applicable  to each grade assessed in geography. “Basic” denotes partial mastery of  the knowledge and thinking skills to perform adequate work in grades 4,  8, and 12. “Proficient” represents solid academic performance and  competency over challenging subject matter. “Advanced” represents  performance that is equal to that expected of top students in other  industrialized nations. The National Assessment Governing Board  (Governing Board), established by law to set policy for NAEP, believes,  however, that all students should reach the proficient level; the basic level  is not the desired goal, but rather represents partial mastery that is a step  toward proficient.
NCES is required by law to conduct national assessments in reading and  mathematics at least once every two years in grades 4 and 8, and at  “regularly scheduled intervals” in grade 12. To the extent that time and  resources allow, Education may conduct assessments in grades 4, 8, and  12 at regularly scheduled intervals in additional subjects, including writing,  science, history, geography, civics, economics, foreign language, and  arts. The Governing Board is responsible for determining the subjects  and grades to be tested, in accordance with provisions in the NAEP  statute.
section_title: Geography and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
paragraphs: Geography is one of 10 core academic subjects as defined in the  Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), but is not  identified as a subject that states must test under the Act. ESEA requires  states to demonstrate progress toward the goal of all students meeting  academic achievement standards while closing achievement gaps among  various groups of students, such as economically disadvantaged  students. To enable states to show progress, the law contains testing  and reporting requirements for reading/language arts, math, and  science. However, states may still require assessments in other subject  areas, such as geography.
In addition, ESEA contains requirements related to NAEP. For example,  in order to receive a subgrant under Title I, Part A of ESEA, a school  district must have a plan on file with a state educational agency that  includes, among other things, an assurance by the school district that the  district will participate, if selected, in the NAEP fourth and eighth grade  reading and math assessments.
section_title: Data Show Most Eighth Grade Students Are Not Proficient in Geography, and Little Time is Spent on Instruction
subsections: section_title: About Three-Quarters of Eighth Grade Students are Not Proficient in Geography
paragraphs: Most eighth grade students—about three-quarters—in 2014 scored  below the proficient level, indicating partial or less than partial mastery in  geography, according to our analysis of Education’s nationally  representative NAEP data (see fig. 3). This finding was consistent with  fourth and 12th grade geography proficiency levels in prior assessments,  according to Education’s 2010 publication on NAEP. For example, in  2010, only 21 percent of fourth graders and 20 percent of 12th graders  performed at or above the proficient level. In 2014, certain groups of  eighth grade students outperformed others. For example, students who  were not eligible for the federal free or reduced-price lunch scored, on  average, higher than students who were eligible, while students in private  schools slightly outperformed students in public schools. However,  average test scores for all of these student groups were below the  proficient level.
Since the geography assessment using the current framework was first  administered in 1994, the average test scores among eighth grade  students have shown no change, with average scores for all students  nationwide remaining below proficient for 20 years. However, certain  student groups made modest gains in achievement. For example,  average test scores in geography increased for White, Black, and  Hispanic students since 1994 (see fig. 4). Further, average test scores  appeared to have increased among Asian/Pacific Islander students, but  unlike the increases for the other groups, these increases were not  statistically significant. Additionally, the gap in average test scores  between both White and Black students and White and Hispanic students  narrowed slightly since the test was first administered.
section_title: Teachers Reported Spending a Small Portion of Instruction Time on Geography
paragraphs: Data on student access to geography education showed that a small  portion of instruction time is spent on the subject. Our analysis of 2014  teacher survey data, a component of the NAEP geography assessment,  showed that 50 percent of eighth grade teachers reported spending 3 to 5  hours per week of classroom instruction time on social studies—the  vehicle through which geography is taught. Of those teachers spending 3  to 5 hours per week of classroom instruction time on social studies, more  than half reported that “10 percent or less” of their social studies time was  spent on geography. In addition, half of all eighth grade students in  2014 reported learning about geography “a few times a year” or “hardly  ever.” Further, NAEP’s data collection methodologies allow for analyses  of geography instruction time by race/ethnicity, gender, school lunch  program eligibility, and attendance at private or public school; generally  we observed no significant differences in these areas among teachers  who reported spending “10 percent or less” of their social studies time on  geography (see fig. 5). We also found that instruction time spent on  geography has remained largely the same since 2010.
As part of the 2014 NAEP teacher survey, teachers nationwide also  reported varying degrees of frequency when teaching geography skills to  eighth grade students and using technology. Teachers more often  reported teaching geography skills—such as spatial dynamics and  connections, use of maps and globes, and other countries and cultures— once or twice a month than more frequent intervals. In addition, as part of  the 2014 NAEP survey, teachers reported using technology to teach  geography to varying degrees. For example, when teaching geography,  over half of teachers reported using computers to a “moderate or large  extent” and one-third of teachers reported using computers to a “small  extent” or “not at all.”
Variations in state requirements in geography can limit student access to  geography education. According to one university research center’s 2013  survey of states’ geography education requirements, most states did not  require geography courses in middle school and high school. According  to this survey, only 17 states required a geography course in middle  school and 10 states required a geography course for students to  graduate from high school. (See fig. 6)
section_title: States and Teachers Face Challenges Providing Geography Education Amid Focus on Other Subjects
paragraphs: As found in our previous work, states, schools, and teachers continue to  focus instruction time on subjects other than geography. Specifically, as  schools spend more time improving students’ reading, math, and science  skills to meet federal accountability requirements, there are concerns that  other subjects might be reduced or eliminated. Similarly, prior studies  from Education show that instruction time in reading/English and math  has increased over past decades, while instruction time in social  studies—the vehicle through which geography is generally taught—has  declined. Officials from national organizations we interviewed also  expressed concern that geography education has not been given the  same national priority as reading, math, and science—subjects  associated with federal testing requirements under Title I, Part A of  ESEA.
State education officials and K-12 teachers we interviewed echoed this  sentiment, stating that allocating resources for geography education was  challenging in the face of greater national and state focus on tested  subjects. Officials from all four state educational agencies with which we  conducted interviews told us they faced challenges in ensuring that  geography standards remained an integral part of the state curriculum.  For example, one state official told us how the state had eliminated  geography from the curriculum for over a decade, and only recently  added geography courses back amid concerns from the community that  students were lacking essential geography skills. Similarly, all 10 teachers  we spoke with reported that geography instruction has decreased in  recent years due to a greater emphasis on teaching math and reading.  Half of the 10 teachers described pressures to improve student test  scores in reading and math, which hindered their ability to devote time to  social studies and geography—subjects that generally do not have  required tests. Among the 10 teachers we interviewed, almost all  described not having sufficient time to teach geography as the top  challenge to providing students with a geography education. Five of the  10 teachers also reported that teaching geography was not viewed as  important in their district or school. For example, one teacher said she  was told that her students’ test scores in geography did not “count” and  two of the geography teachers expressed concern about losing their jobs  because geography and social studies courses were likely being removed  from the curriculum.
subsections: section_title: Additional Challenges to Providing Geography Education
paragraphs: As shown in figure 7, officials and stakeholders we interviewed, as well as  key reports on the subject, cited other challenges to providing geography  education.
Perception of Geography – There is a common misconception about  what geography entails, according to officials we interviewed and  relevant reports we reviewed. Even key education stakeholders such  as teachers, principals, and parents mistakenly think geography  education involves fact-based memorization, according to officials we  interviewed from three of our selected national geography  organizations. According to one report, this view has likely persisted  because it was the stakeholders’ personal experience when they were  students. Officials we interviewed from the three geography  organizations reported that this limited view of geography has made  the subject easier to dismiss or ignore. In addition, among the state  officials and teachers we interviewed, several confirmed that this  public perception of geography makes obtaining support and  resources more difficult.
Teacher Preparation – Many teachers who teach geography do not  have an educational background in the subject and take few, if any,  geography courses in college, according to a 2013 geography  education report. Teachers and state education officials we  interviewed similarly stated that not enough professional development  is devoted to the subject, and many teachers are not comfortable  teaching geography. Our analysis of Education’s 2014 NAEP data  shows variation in the amount and types of professional development  activities that teachers reported participating in during the previous  two years related to the teaching of civics, geography, history, or  social studies.
Instructional Materials – Geography instructional materials do not  often showcase the depth and breadth of the subject or offer hands- on learning opportunities for students, according to officials from  national groups we interviewed. One report noted that K-12  geography instructional materials—which largely consist of textbooks,  atlases, and ancillary materials, such as workbooks or teacher  PowerPoint presentations—must move beyond activities that require  students to solely label maps. However, all of the state officials we  interviewed said many districts do not have the resources to upgrade  their instructional materials in geography. In addition, among the 10 K- 12 teachers we interviewed, seven reported they do not have time to  search for better lessons and materials in geography, although they  acknowledged that there are many resources and materials available  online at low or no cost. The report also noted that when teachers are  not well-prepared to teach geography, instructional materials become  especially important.
Technology – While technology can present opportunities to better  engage students, using technology to teach geography can also  present challenges. Our analysis of Education’s NAEP data show that  in 2014 more teachers reported using technology-based geography  instruction than in 2010. One report notes that there are a growing  number of K-12 geography lessons using geospatial technologies,  such as GIS and remote sensing; however, geography classrooms  still largely depend on textbooks and lecture-based instruction.  Further, officials we interviewed from three of our selected states  described wide variation in the use of technology across districts and  schools and expressed concern that many teachers did not receive  training on how to incorporate the technology into their lessons.  Among the 10 teachers we interviewed, seven reported frustrations  with using technology to teach geography, such as outdated software,  lack of technical support at their school, and poor internet  connections.
Other Challenges – State officials and teachers we interviewed also  identified other challenges. For example, obtaining support from  parents, state and local education leaders, and other external parties  can prove difficult when revising geography standards or dedicating  resources, according to officials we interviewed from two of our  selected states. Five of the teachers we interviewed also described  challenges trying to acquire resources for geography education, such  as classroom materials, field trips, or technology.
section_title: Education’s Primary Role in Geography Education is Assessing Student Achievement
paragraphs: Education’s role with respect to geography education primarily involves  assessing student performance in the subject, and providing data and the  results of its analysis to the public. Education’s National Center for  Education Statistics (NCES) periodically administers the NAEP  geography assessment. NCES communicates the findings of NAEP to the  public by publishing the Nation’s Report Card, which provides summary  information on how well students are performing in geography based on a  common test. NCES also provides restricted-use and public-use NAEP  data and tools for running statistical analyses, and guidance on how  researchers and other stakeholders can use these data for their own  analyses. Along with the Nation’s Report Card, the NAEP frameworks, as  developed by the National Assessment Governing Board, outline the  content and skills assessed in each NAEP subject. These NAEP  frameworks are available to the public and can serve as guidelines for  planning other assessments or revising curricula. Officials we  interviewed from two of our four selected states reported looking at the  NAEP geography frameworks when revising state geography standards  and curricula.
However, since its development in 1994, the NAEP geography  assessment has not been administered as regularly as reading and  mathematics because assessing achievement in geography is not  required by law. Specifically, the NAEP geography assessment has been  conducted in 1994, 2001, 2010, and 2014. As a result of budget  constraints, the 2014 NAEP geography assessment tested eighth grade  students but not fourth and 12th grade students, as had been the case for  previous assessments (see fig. 8). According to NCES officials we  interviewed, the eighth grade was chosen because most students would  have exposure to geography by that grade level. Officials said there was  a risk that fourth graders may not have been exposed to geography and  insufficient funding precluded them from assessing students in the 12th  grade. Officials we interviewed from four of our selected national  geography organizations reported that not assessing fourth and 12th  grade students in geography will hinder research efforts related to K-12  geography education by making trend analyses for these grade levels  impossible.
The Governing Board and NCES officials told us there are plans to  bolster the 2018 NAEP in geography, contingent on funding. NCES plans  to test 12th grade students in the next geography assessment, and  officials told us it is important to assess the geography skills students  have upon leaving high school. In addition, officials said if funding allows,  that the 2018 geography NAEP will be digitally based and administered  on tablets. NCES officials told us the geography assessment, and content  in particular, can benefit from the digital format by allowing the use of  more interactive maps and geographic technology.
Other than NAEP, Education has no initiatives or programs specific to K- 12 geography education. Officials told us that although the agency  previously supported some activities related to geography through a  program focused on civics, funding for this program is no longer available.  Similarly, Education funded a research grant involving the use of software  in social studies and geography classrooms, but this project ended in  2011. In addition, Education’s technology initiatives do not incorporate  or include information about geography education or geographic  technology in K-12 classrooms. As part of the President’s ConnectED  Initiative, Education’s Office of Technology provides general guidance to  states, school districts, and schools on how existing federal funds can  support digital learning. However, this office does not provide guidance  specific to geographic technologies in the classroom. Further, Education  officials said they sometimes receive requests from external parties,  including teachers and school districts, asking about resources for  geography. In the absence of dedicated program funding for geography  education, agency staff responds to such requests themselves and  sometimes directs the parties to national geography groups, like the  National Geographic Society.
section_title: Agency Comments and Our Evaluation
paragraphs: We provided a draft of this report to the Department of Education for  review and comment. Education provided technical comments, which we  incorporated as appropriate.
We are sending copies to the Secretary of Education and appropriate  congressional committees. The report will also be available at no charge  on the GAO website at www.gao.gov.
If you or your staff members have any questions, please contact me at  (617) 788-0580 or nowickij@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of  Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page  of this report. GAO staff who made key contributions to this report are  listed in appendix II.
section_title: Appendix I: Objectives, Scope and Methodology
paragraphs: This appendix discusses in detail our methodology for addressing three  research questions for geography education: (1) To what extent do K-12  students have proficiency in and access to geography education? (2)  What challenges do selected school officials and teachers face in  providing geography education? and (3) What role does the Department  of Education have with respect to geography education?
To address these questions, we relied on multiple methodologies. We  reviewed relevant federal laws, policies, and guidance. We analyzed  nationally representative Education data on student proficiency in and  access to geography education. We determined that the data were  sufficiently reliable for the purposes of this report by testing it for accuracy  and completeness, reviewing documentation about systems used to  produce the data, and interviewing agency officials. We conducted  outreach with four states, which were selected to provide variation in  geography requirements. In addition, we reviewed selected studies and  research reports, including a report with results from a 50-state survey of  geography requirements. We also conducted interviews with officials from  the Department of Education, state officials, and a nonrepresentative  group of K-12 social studies and geography teachers.
subsections: section_title: Review of Federal Laws, Policies, and Guidance
paragraphs: To determine the federal role with respect to geography education, we  reviewed relevant federal laws, including the most recent reauthorization  of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the National  Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act. We also reviewed  relevant federal policies and guidance related to geography education.
section_title: Data on Student Proficiency and Access
paragraphs: To address the extent to which K-12 students are proficient in and have  access to geography education, we analyzed Department of Education  data from nationally representative samples of public and nonpublic  school students in grades 4, 8, and 12 from the National Assessment of  Educational Progress (NAEP) in geography for 1994, 2001, 2010, and  2014—the years in which the NAEP assessments in geography were  administered. In this report, we presented data on eighth grade students  as it was the only grade for which data were available from 1994 through  2014, the most recent NAEP assessment in geography. We compared  differences in proficiency in and access to geography education across  student demographics, including race, gender, and poverty measures.  Our analysis was based on reported proficiency as determined by the  national NAEP geography assessment scores as well as data collected  from the NAEP student, teacher, and school survey questionnaires.
Eighty-five percent of teachers who responded to the 2014 NAEP teacher  questionnaire only taught social studies, while the remaining taught all or  most subjects or taught in teams. To provide information on students’  access to geography education, we analyzed and reported on access as  measured by (1) teacher and student-reported instruction time spent on  geography in the classroom as well as (2) exposure to other geography- related skills and topics, such as spatial dynamics and using maps and  globes, as reported by teachers.
section_title: Outreach to Selected States
paragraphs: To gather more in-depth information on the challenges school officials  face in providing geography education and state-level geography  education requirements, we conducted interviews with officials in four  states—Arkansas, California, Florida, and Virginia. States were selected  to provide variation in geography education standards, curricula, and  requirements at the K-12 level. For each of these states, we gathered  information from officials at state departments of education. In addition,  we reviewed key documents related to state K-12 education  requirements, curricula, and standards in geography. Our findings  associated with our outreach to these selected states cannot be  generalized to all states’ K-12 education population; rather, they provide  insight into a range of views and experiences with K-12 geography  education.
section_title: Relevant Studies and Research Reports
paragraphs: To supplement our analysis of nationally representative K-12 data on  student proficiency in and access to geography education, we reviewed  key reports, studies, and research related to K-12 geography education.  These reports and studies were identified through online searches of  relevant material and through recommendations from stakeholders who  we interviewed. In addition, we also reviewed the results of several  Education surveys on changes in access, or instruction time, across  different subjects. These surveys were recommended by National Center  for Education Statistics officials and included the Schools and Staffing  Survey, a system of related questionnaires that provides descriptive data  on the context of elementary and secondary education, and the National  Longitudinal Study of No Child Left Behind, which collected nationally- representative data on changes in instruction time among elementary  school teachers.
To gain a national picture of K-12 geography standards and  requirements, we analyzed state-level information from a 2013 survey  conducted by Texas State University’s Gilbert M. Grosvenor Center for  Geographic Education. This survey collected self-reported information  from 50 states and the District of Columbia on middle school and high  school geography requirements. We reviewed the survey instrument and  study methodology and interviewed officials responsible for administering  the survey. We determined that these data were sufficiently reliable for  the purposes of this report.
section_title: Interviews with Officials from Federal Agencies, Schools, and National Groups
paragraphs: To further understand the role the Department of Education plays with  respect to geography education, we interviewed Education officials as  well as relevant national groups. At Education, we interviewed officials  from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Office of  Educational Technology, the National Assessment Governing Board, and  the National Center for Education Statistics. We also coordinated with  officials from the Office of Science and Technology Policy to identify any  science, technology, engineering, or mathematics initiatives that include  geography education.
Further, to describe the challenges school officials face in providing  geography education, we conducted interviews with 10 K-12 social  studies and geography teachers. These teachers were identified with  assistance from the National Council for Social Studies—an organization  with a membership of approximately 15,000 teachers of history, civics,  geography, and related subjects. In response to our request, staff at the  National Council for Social Studies sent an interview request, prepared by  GAO, to 1,150 of their members. These members received an email, at  random, with equal proportions falling in the elementary, middle, and high  school levels. We conducted a total of 10 interviews with teachers who  responded to this email request. While teachers self-selected for our  interviews provide some insight into the views and experiences of  teachers, their responses are not generalizable to all teachers of  geography.
We also coordinated with or interviewed representatives from a broad  range of national groups in K-12 geography education and K-12  education, including: National Geographic Society, Association of  American Geographers, National Council for Geographic Education,  American Geographic Society, National Council for Social Studies,  National Science Teachers Association, Council of Chief State School  Officers, Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, RAND, and ESRI.
We conducted this performance audit from December 2014 to October  2015 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing  standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to  obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for  our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe  that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings  and conclusions based on our audit objectives.
section_title: Appendix II: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments
subsections: section_title: GAO Contact
section_title: Staff Acknowledgments
paragraphs: In addition to the contact named above, Sherri Doughty (Assistant  Director), Alison Gerry Grantham (Analyst-in-Charge), Claudine Pauselli,  and Josiah Williams made key contributions to this report. Also  contributing to this report were James Ashley, Nabajyoti Barkakati,  Deborah Bland, Holly Dye, Kirsten Lauber, John Mingus, Tom  Moscovitch, Mimi Nguyen, Karen O’Conor, Gloria Proa, and James  Rebbe.