New results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress show no significant change in the performance of fourth graders in mathematics, but scores for eighth graders reached their highest level.
The latest NAEP results, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, compares national results in 2009 with each prior assessment year going back to 1990, and state results going back to 1990 at grade 8 and 1992 at grade 4.
While mathematics scores improved for some states at both grade levels, scores in California remained similar for both fourth graders and eighth graders from 2007-09.
“The NAEP math results show no statistical change in student performance in math at our state level when compared to the results released two years ago,” said California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell. “Yet, our state assessment system indicates that California students have made steady progress on California’s rigorous standards over the same period of time, and we have seen a slight narrowing of the achievement gap.”
The NAEP assessments are not specifically aligned to California’s content standards, but are based on an assessment framework developed under the direction of the National Assessment Governing Board, which sets policy for NAEP.
Currently, each state has its own unique set of standards and curricula for kindergarten through the 12th grade. California is one of 48 states that recently signed a compact to explore the development of rigorous common core standards to ensure that all students graduate with the 21st century skills needed to succeed in college and careers.
“This (testing) dichotomy is confusing, which is one reason states have said it’s time for core content standards common to all states and an assessment aligned to those standards,” O’Connell said. “Having a set of common, rigorous standards that prepares all students to succeed in college and careers would raise the bar for many students, and make any national assessment more meaningful as a gauge of student learning.”
The recent NAEP results also showed nationwide, the gaps between black and white students narrowed between 1990 and 2009 for fourth graders and remained unchanged for eighth graders.
The NAEP math results for California fourth graders indicates that white, African American and Asian student subgroups score similarly to students in those subgroups at the national level. However, the Latino subgroup in the fourth grade scored lower than the national Latino subgroup. Eighth-grade results reveal that only white students in California are keeping pace with the nation, while African American, Latino, and Asian student subgroups score lower than those at the national level.
The results show similar sized achievement gaps at both the fourth- and eighth-grade levels when California and the national NAEP scores are compared. The NAEP math results also show no progress in closing the achievement gap between students who are white or Asian and their peers who are Latino or African American in California or nationwide.
“Clearly, we must better address the educational needs of African American and Latino students in California and across the nation,” O’Connell said. “The evidence of a pervasive achievement gap was apparent on both the state and national assessments and starkly underscored the need to work ever more diligently to implement effective practices to close the gap. It’s critical for the future of our state and our nation that we turn this trend around.”
Complete results for the 2009 NAEP mathematics assessment are available by clicking here, or visiting http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.