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Frequently Asked Questions for Social Studies

Graduation Requirements

How can students demonstrate readiness in social studies as part of the graduation requirements?

As outlined in Ohio law, students must earn at least two of the state diploma seals. Students can demonstrate readiness in social studies as part of the following seal requirements:

Meet one of the requirements for each of the American history and American government options to earn the Citizenship Seal;
Complete additional social studies coursework as part of the requirements to earn an Honors Seal;
Engaging in meaningful civic participation through extracurricular activity participation or completion of a service-learning project established through a school district’s Locally Defined Diploma Seals;
Meet one of the requirements to earn the Military Enlistment Seal.

Please visit the graduation requirements webpage for more information.

What are the social studies graduation requirements for students in Ohio?

The graduation requirements in social studies, as outlined in Ohio law, require:

One-half unit in American history;
One-half unit of American government; and
Two units of social studies, and of the two units of instruction, at least one-half unit of instruction in the study of world history and civilizations must be included.

Please visit the graduation requirements webpage for more information.

World History Course Requirement for Students

What content must be covered to meet the world history course requirement?

World history and civilizations courses should include the study of multiple civilizations outside the U.S., with an element of historical examination. Human geography, world issues, world history, and other world studies courses may meet the requirement.

Civilizations are defined by:

Cities;
Well-organized central governments;
Complex religions;
Job specialization;
Social classes;
Arts and architecture;
Public works; and
Writing.

What courses can be used to meet this requirement?

Ohio’s Learning Standards courses for Modern World History and Contemporary World Issues;
Advanced Placement World History;
Advanced Placement European History;
Advanced Placement Human Geography;
International Baccalaureate History.

Will there be a state assessment for world history?
There is no state-required assessment connected with the study of world history and civilizations.

Historical Documents Requirement

What content needs to be taught to comply with the historical documents law?

In compliance with Ohio law, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce includes references to the historical documents in its high school American history and American government course syllabi and Model Curricula. The documents also are referenced in the Model Curricula for grades 4 and 8. The law requires the instruction of the following documents in their original text and historical context:

The Declaration of Independence;
The Northwest Ordinance;
The Constitution of the United States and its amendments, with emphasis on the Bill of Rights; and
The Ohio Constitution.

How does the historical documents law impact the makeup of Ohio's State Tests for social studies?
The inclusion of the documents in Ohio's State Tests for social studies is required as part of the assessments. Twenty percent of the value of the American government test must be based on the historical documents per Ohio law. Historical documents are also included in the American history test.

Ohio’s State Tests for Social Studies

Where is the student practice test site?
Ohio's State Tests Portal allows for students to practice taking a test online, simulating an actual testing experience. Select the tile labeled “Practice Tests” to become familiar with the testing system and types of questions on Ohio's State Tests for social studies.

Where can I find released questions for Ohio's State Tests?
Items used on previous tests are released for the public to view in Ohio's State Tests Portal resource page. Use the search phrase “social studies item release” to locate the available scoring guides.

Where can I find the test specifications for Ohio's State Tests for social studies?
Test specifications are located on Ohio's State Tests Portal resource page. Each test specifications document provides an overview of the structure and content for Ohio's State Tests for social studies.

How can educators help their students prepare for Ohio's State Tests for social studies?
Educators can use the available resources provided in the Social Studies Readiness Toolkit to help prepare students for Ohio's State Tests for social studies. Educators can also create their own tests structured like Ohio’s State Tests using the Assessment Authoring system in Ohio’s State Tests Portal and can collaborate with colleagues to use data collected to inform instruction.

If a student takes an Advanced Placement course, is the student exempt from taking Ohio's State Tests for Social Studies?

Per Ohio law, a student enrolled in Advanced Placement United States history, Advanced Placement United States government and politics, International Baccalaureate history, or International Baccalaureate government is exempt from taking Ohio's State Tests for social studies only if the student takes the respective examination. If a student enrolled in one of these courses elects not to take the examination, the student will be required to take the Ohio test. 

If a student is taking a College Credit Plus course, a student may not be required to take Ohio's State Tests for social studies. The student’s final course grade would be used in lieu of the end-of-course examination as stated in Ohio law.

Last Modified: 1/7/2025 2:09:30 PM