Why Your Child Probably Hasn’t Taken a Geography Quiz Lately

And why that should concern you.

When was your child’s last Geography quiz?

Can’t remember?

You’re not alone—and you’re not forgetful. The truth is, Geography isn’t taught as a core subject in many public schools anymore. In fact, in some classrooms, it’s missing altogether.

Why? Because it’s not tested.

The Florida FAST (Florida Assessment of Student Thinking) test only covers English Language Arts and Math. That’s it. And since this test is administered three times a year and directly tied to school funding and performance ratings, it's the center of the public school universe.

If a subject isn’t on the test, it’s sidelined—or erased entirely.

The public school curriculum is so micro-focused on test scores and keeping their funding that they no longer care that children are not receiving a balanced knowledge-based education.

This test obsession has pushed out vital subjects like Geography, Civics, Science, and the Arts. Schools have become score factories, not places of exploration, discovery, or curiosity.

But Let’s Get Real for a Minute

Do you want your child to:

• Know where places are?

• Understand how their town fits into their state, and how that state fits into the country and world?

• Be curious about faraway places, cultures, and landscapes?

That’s the power of Geography.It connects the dots.It gives kids context.It makes the world feel real—and reachable.

Let Me Ask You This

Would you rather your child:

• Know where places are—and what life is like there?

• Be able to talk about different cultures, landscapes, and regions of the world?

Or…

• Be trained to make an “inference” based on a dry, forgettable article?

Let’s be honest. When was the last time you needed to make an inference based on a standardized reading passage?And when was the last time you pulled out a map, opened your phone, or just wondered, “Where is that place?” or “What’s it like over there?”

Exactly.

Geography taps into real-world curiosity. It teaches kids how to see beyond their neighborhood. It sparks questions, connections, understanding.

And that’s what real learning looks like.

What I Saw as a Teacher

In my years working in public schools, you'd be shocked at how hard it was to find a map or globe in a classroom. I ended up purchasing my own—maps, globes, atlases—because I believed they mattered.

But even then, I wasn’t allowed to use them for instruction. They weren’t in the approved curriculum.

Still, the children were drawn to them. During transition times or free moments, they’d wander over. They’d point to countries and oceans, spin the globe, ask questions.

Six-year-olds would ask:

• Where is this place?

• Why is it called that?

• How far is that from here?

These moments were gold. But they were also painful.

Because after a few minutes, I had to say, “That’s a great question—but we need to get back to preparing for the next FAST test.”

That Was My Breaking Point

It wasn’t just one moment. It was many. Tiny heartbreaks, day after day. Moments where curiosity had to be cut short. Where meaningful learning had to be traded for test prep.

And over time, I realized: I couldn’t do this anymore.

I couldn’t keep pushing uninteresting passages and test drills while watching kids crave something deeper. I knew they deserved more. And I knew I couldn’t give it to them inside the public school system.

So I left.

Welcome to Blue Horizons Knowledge Academy

Blue Horizons was born from a deep desire to do better. To offer something that isn’t driven by scores and data, but by real knowledge, curiosity, and joy in learning.

Here, Geography is not a footnote.It’s a foundation.

Maps belong on walls.Globes sit in reach.And questions lead to exploration, not shut doors.

This is a place where your child will not only learn about the world—they’ll learn to care about it.

If this vision resonates with you—if you’ve seen the cracks in the system too—then maybe it’s time to chart a new course.

Let’s give our kids the education they actually deserve.

Join us at Blue Horizons Knowledge Academy.Where education opens the world.