The Nation's Report Card issued yesterday (11-7-13) shows only modest gains for US students in math over scores reported in 2011, as well as a persistence of the achievement gap for students of color. Forty-two percent (42%) of fourth graders, and 35% of eighth graders tested at or above proficient in math, up 1-2 points since the last administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) two years ago. There have been more significant gains since the test scores were tracked in the 1990's, with higher gains in math than reading.
"There was a 26-point gap . . . between how white and African American 4th graders performed on the math section. In eighth grade reading, white students outperformed Hispanic students by 21 points.
"Among the other results:
"-More boys than girls scored at or above the proficient level for both grades in math. In reading, more girls than boys scored at or above that mark.
"-Twenty-five out of the 52 states or jurisdictions measured had a higher average score in 2013 than in 2011 in at least one subject and grade.
"-Five states had a lower score than two years ago in at least one subject and grade: Massachusetts, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.
"-Hispanic students were the only racial or ethnic group that saw improvements in math scores in both fourth and eighth grades; Asian/Pacific Islanders students had the highest percentage of students performing at or above the proficient level in both math and reading."
