The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released it’s 2009 results. The Oklahoma results are interesting to say the least. The 4th and 8th grade scores (those that were reported today) show Oklahoma to be in the more or less in the middle of the pack. Not bad for a state that makes one of the smallest investments in public education in the nation.
NAEP 4th Grade
NAEP 8th Grade
This year’s NAEP is different from past editions, and indeed, it may be a better gauge of what we do in Oklahoma than has been the case in prior editions of the assessment. (It may also be better aligned with PASS) Download the full report here. It shows a complete explanation of the assessment’s methodology, including a listing of topics and their relative difficulty. There is enough information presented to help us use this version of the test to examine and improve our curriculum. You should also visit the report’s webpage here.
To start, here is the response to the report’s release from NSTA:
Arlington, Va. —January 25, 2011—The National Science Teachers Association, the largest organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning, released the following statement regarding the science results of the 2009 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). The statement can be attributed to Dr. Francis Eberle, NSTA executive director.
“The National Science Teachers Association is concerned with the low student scores in science reflected in the 2009 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Far too many of the students tested fell below the proficiency level. This is completely unacceptable. Our nation can not afford to have a scientifically illiterate workforce.
Having quality teachers is crucial if we want to increase student achievement in science and remain competitive in the global economy of the 21st century. Unfortunately, over the last decade, schools have been forced to reduce funding for teacher training and science classroom resources and even eliminate positions to offset budget constraints. As a result, students are barely able to keep their heads above water in terms of their science education learning.
Even in these challenging economic times it is imperative that we develop and retain high quality science teachers and commit the necessary resources and funding to science teaching and learning. We should not become complacent and accept these NAEP scores as the new status quo, but instead focus on how we can continue to improve science education in the U.S.”