The First is from the Orlando Sentinel, the second is from the Times Union. -cpg
by Leslie Postal
Florida made no gains on the latest round of national math and reading tests and, therefore, little progress toward its goal of being among top state performers by 2015, according to exam scores released this morning.
On the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests in math and reading given earlier this year, Florida's fourth and eighth graders — the two groups tested — showed no significant change from two years ago.
Fourth graders were still ahead of the national average in reading and at the mean in math. Eighth graders scored at about the national average in reading and below it in math.
On both NAEP tests and in both grades, however, Florida was well below top-performing states. Hitting that mark is one of the state's goals set out in its federal Race to the Top application. Florida won $700 million last year in that competition.
In fourth-grade reading, for example, Florida has made strong gains in the past two decades. But with 35 percent of the state's students at "proficient" on that test, it is far behind Massachusetts, where 51 percent of fourth graders showed "proficiency over challenging material."
Still, state officials said they were pleased that scores since 2003 showed Florida's "upward progress" and that Hispanic students here outpaced their counterparts across the country.
The Florida Department of Education also noted that scores for black students, children from low-income families and youngsters with disabilities — all of whom traditionally struggle on standardized tests — jumped more points in Florida than they did nationally. Reading scores for the state's black fourth graders, for example, improved 11 points since 2003 compared to an eight-point increase for black children nationally.
"I want to commend our students, teachers, and school districts for their tremendous efforts as these results help us further adapt classroom instruction to accommodate the needs of our students," said Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson, in an emailed statement.
"We remain committed to the work that lies ahead to ensure students are fully prepared for their educational journey and for the demanding economy that awaits them," he said.
The national test, often called the nation's report card, is given to a sampling of students in each state, so there are no scores for individual districts or schools.
Nationally, math scores increased this year to the highest level ever in both grades since 1992. Math achievement has showed "major gains" in the last 20 years, said David Driscoll, chairman of the National Assessment Governing Board, in a prepared statement.
But that progress has slowed in recent years, he said, and too many students, particularly black and Hispanic youngsters, still have trouble with basic arithmetic. In Florida, 30 percent of black fourth-graders, for example, were "below basic" on the math test, the lowest level.
Across the country, reading scores over the last two decades showed gains that were "quite small," Driscoll said, and those scores have been flat for the past four years.
Driscoll, a former Massachusetts education commissioner, said the country "must now find a way to regain the momentum in math and accelerate student progress in both subjects."
The improved math classes are "undoubtedly" tied to improved math instruction in schools, as math skills are learned almost exclusively in class, he said.
But reading success reflects both class work —in language arts courses but other classes, too — and time kids spend reading on their own, so it is harder to tie scores solely to what happens in school.
Fourth graders who reported they read a lot for fun did much better than those who rarely read, NAEP data shows. lpostal@tribune.com or 407-420-5273
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/os-florida-naep-scores-20111101,0,3405698.story
From the Times Union by Teresa Stepzinski
The nation's report card released today shows Florida students continue making achievement gains in reading and math.
State Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson announced Florida's results on the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress reading and mathematics assessments.
In reading, Florida fourth-graders posted an average scale score of 225 compared to 220 nationwide.
The state's Hispanic fourth and eighth grade students also showed higher average scale scores in math and reading than their counterparts nationwide. Overall results for fourth and eighth grades show no significant change since the most recent 2009 results.
In fourth grade math, Hispanic students, students with disabilities and students eligible for free or reduced price lunch scored higher than the national average, and overall fourth-graders matched the national average score of 240.
In addition, Hispanic eighth-graders scored higher than their national counterparts with a score of 274.
Robinson lauded students, teachers and administrators for the gains.
"We remain committed to the work that lies ahead to ensure students are fully prepared for their educational journey and for the demanding economy that awaits them," he said.
Since 1998, Florida has seen steady progress on NAEP, data shows.
Every state in the nation since 2003 has participated in NAEP, also known as the “Nation’s Report Card.”
The 2011 NAEP results show that since 2003, Florida’s fourth and eighth grade students have increased their overall reading scores by seven and five points respectively. In comparison, there has been a four-point gain by the nation’s fourth graders and a three-point gain for eighth graders.
In addition, the 2011 NAEP results show that since 2003, Florida’s fourth and eighth grade students have increased their overall mathematics scores by six and seven points respectively, matching their national counterparts.
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/479262/teresa-stepzinski/2011-11-01/nations-report-card-shows-florida-students-doing#comment-497597
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