On the Disciplinary Achievement Gap: Implications of Social Disparities in NAEP Student Outcomes for Diversity and Decolonization in Geography Education

Abstract

Social disparities in NAEP student outcomes with respect to geography provide further evidence of how far the discipline of Geography still must go to address issues of diversity, equity, inclusion. Addressing these issues requires difficult but necessary conversations and planning of initiatives along with a more fundamental re-envisioning of what Geography education is, for whom the learning of geography matters and why, and a commitment to decolonize curriculum and pedagogical approaches. Such reform has the promise of not only making Geography education more responsive to social difference and justice, but it also ultimately will increase the intellectual and political efficacy of our profession.

Keywords:

• decolonization
• diversity
• educational equity
• gender
• geography curriculum
• NAEP
• race
• student outcomes