National Assessment, a systematic survey of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, provides educators and the public with information on student achievement. The data-gathering model for the Assessment has yielded differences of various groups' performances in the area of political knowledge. These results seem to imply that the academic approach to the teaching of political knowledge is advantageous only to those with strong academic traditions and achievement motivation. Consequently, the existing goals of civics, the course in the social studies curriculum responsible for promoting political knowledge, seem to be less than successful. When the traditional concept of the "good citizen" is revised to that of the "evolving individual," new social studies goals arise compatible to the need for a more favorable socialization of children and for civics courses responsive to all groups of students. A school environment oriented to the changes called for by the implications drawn from the Assessment encompasses the following: the fostering of total student development; creation of a self-actualizing situation for teachers; use of informal learning environments; study of actual political models such as the school; advancement of students toward affective, as well as cognitive, goals; and the opportunity for critical thinking and conflict resolution experiences. (Author/KSM) Aspect of National Assessment (NAEP) dealt with in this document: Results (Interpretation).