Knowledge of pedagop and social studies conrent inournces a ceachers decision making and helps eachers donduct sound instrucuonal pracoces despite the unnunce of high- stakes tesoog policies using national data erom dhe susvey of the status of Social Studies(SA), chis scody examdeed oe assocanons of ceachen' protessional charactmstics school environmental factors aod stale tesong policy on sell-reporued levels of asthority chat secondary level codial soudies teachers Uprades 6-12) hold over key dassroom tasks. Through hierarchig multiple regression analysis. key erom eis study indicate with that greater enrollments are a tower levels of studies test authority Teach who worked on states where a state-mandated social was adminiscered reported less freedoen to choose what to trach and how to teach than licensure, and years of aching expenence are important TRtors asnR teachery tional y their ability to balance emekovety mas demands of mandared reforms with teaching for owaningful leaming3 soudy recommens nat schools with high minority enrollment, especially a these districts exist in brn stakes testing environneet, dould invest in teachers wia tip- cucial scudies preparation. the Published by eainier, copyright The trtemational Sociery for social soudies c 2015.