History as a Policy Tool: Re-Envisioning How the Historian Might Bring Historical Thinking into Legislative Decisions

While historians most often write to an audience of fellow historians and academics, clear exceptions are made—for instance public history efforts or the development of textbooks and curricular materials. This paper will explore the use of historical analysis specifically as a tool for policymakers to help them better understand the perception of crisis and failure in past reform efforts in math and science education, with the goal of using this analysis to inform more effective future educational reforms. This paper will explore the importance of developing accessible history for a specific audience, with clear goals for impacting the future. Through the lens of the history of education in America, this paper will open a discussion about the goals of science and technology studies, the role of the historian in reaching particular audiences, and the utility of historical analysis in contemplating the future.