OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma ranks seventh in the nation for quality civics and U.S. history academic standards, according to a report released from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

Oklahoma was awarded a B+ in both areas with accolades for deep content, clear organization and a commitment to telling the story of Native Americans. Only five states and the District of Columbia scored higher in the study.

The Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies were updated in 2019 with a focus on history, geography, civics and economics. They emphasize engagement in democratic processes, understanding the importance of critical questioning to solve real world problems, drawing conclusions from primary and secondary sources to formulate informed decisions, evaluating factual information and points of view, and synthesizing ideas in evidence-based writing.