This constructivist study investigates and captures the lived experiences of three social studies educators as they make sense of civic education in a climate of high stakes testing and accountability. In spite of the deterioration of civic education over the years (Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, 2011), Florida was among the first states to develop a renewed interest in civic education with the enactment of the "Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Civics Education Act" in 2010. The legislation sought to increase civic education in public schools and require accountability measures to ensure its instruction. In addition to requiring students to pass a civics course in the middle school (most of which are taught in 7th grade), an end-of-course assessment (EOCA) is also required. The EOCA is worth 30% of a student's final course grade and is tied to teacher evaluations. Bucking a national trend of requiring mastery of a citizenship test based on the naturalization exam issued by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Florida finds itself in a unique position. This study aims to shed light on questions regarding civic educators' instructional choices and planning as they face the challenges of assessment. Understanding why and how teachers make sense of civic education tied to an EOCA has the potential to demonstrate the kind of civic learning children are receiving in their schools. For six months, three teachers reflected on their sense making experiences in casual and formal conversations with me about their civics instruction. I analyzed each participant's constructions of meaning using a narrative thematic analysis, with the intention of capturing substantive themes from each participant's narrative. This study provides significant insights into the experiences, beliefs, and practices of these civic educators, which has the potential to assist preservice and practicing teachers, teacher preparation programs, professional development designers, curriculum developers, and policymakers. It is my hope that this study will contribute to thoughtful dialogue about civic education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
