Reading flagged in Nation’s Report Card

Dear advocates,

For the data wonks, long-awaited national figures have been released by National Assessment of Educational Progress. And contrary to what we often hear, READING is a concern. Early literacy, specifically screening for phonological awareness and direct, explicit, research-based classroom reading instruction in the K-3 years is our association’s No. 3 priority. (Math and science are No. 2)


WHAT
The “Nation’s Report Card” – also known as the 2011 NAEP results.
http://nationsreportcard.gov/

• Nationally, math scores are the highest ever; reading scores are mixed, with 4th grade reading flat. Reading and math scores are flat in Washington, with 4th -grade reading gap widening between high poverty and non-high poverty.
• News release
  http://nationsreportcard.gov/media/pdf/PressRelease_Reading_and_Math_2011.pdf
• A national comparison: NAEP tests a sampling of students from each state, this allows states to gauge student achievement in relation to one another. (Students take the same test; they do not take their state’s standardized test.)

HIGHLIGHT:
Flat  reading achievement has been flagged as a concern since reading is the foundation in school
improvement. In Washington, 4th - grade reading stayed the same as 2009, but that average was down
from 2007. Between 2003 and 2011, our 4th-grade reading gap widened for kids getting free and
reduced price lunch.


ABOUT 1 in 3 Washington 4th -graders are BELOW BASIC in reading.


4th reading – average score (these don’t add up to an even 100 – program graphs  rounded numbers)
2003       2005       2007       2009       2011    
221         223         224         221         221
(National average for 2011: 220)
Number reflects what students know and can do
-
4th grade reading scale
Below basic: 33% (34% national)
Basic: 32% (34% national)
Proficient: 26% (25% national)
Advanced: 8% (7% national)
Scale reflects what students should know
-
-
4th-grade math – ABOUT 1 on 6 Washington 4th-graders are BELOW BASIC in math. Washington is slightly above national average

4th grade math average– statistically unchanged:
2005   2007   2009   2011:
242     243     242      243
(National average: 240)

4th grade Math (these don’t add up to an even 100 – program graphs  rounded numbers)
Below basic: 17 % (18% national)
Basic: 39 % (42% national)
Proficient: 36% (33% national)
Advanced: 9% (6% national)

Gaps for 4th grade math remain – neither wider nor narrower.