State math scores rise, down in U.S.
Good news for Connecticut fourthgraders when it comes to math.
Not so goodnews for much of the rest of the nation when it comes to both math and — especially — reading.
Overall scores in both subjects are down or flat on the test known as the Nation’s Report Card. The National Assessment of Educational Process is given every other year to a representative sample of students from across the country.
In eighthgrade reading, nationwide, there is a 3 point drop that is considered substantial.
“Thirtyone states are driving (the reading decline),” said Peggy G. Carr, associate commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, which administered the online test to fourth and eighthgraders.
“Large states, small states and it’s consistent,” Carr said. “I would say that is a meaningful decline.”
Carr said that over the past decade, there has been significantly more progress made in math than in reading.
With this year’s results, there is also a deepening gap between highest and lowest performing students across the nation. Students who score the highest are holding steady while the lowest performing students are losing ground.
Results out Wednesday from the NCES show that in fourthgrade math, Connecticut is one of nine states that had statistical improvement in 2019 — up 4 points from two years ago.
Connecticut officials say the increase is fueled largely by improvements in the performance of Hispanic students. While the national public average for Hispanic/Latino fourthgraders was unchanged, Connecticut’s Hispanic students held their own or gained ground.
In reading, Connecticut’s fourthgrade scores went down by 4 points since 2017.
Despite that, most student groups in Connecticut perform as well or better than their national counterparts in both grades and subjects on the 2019 test.
In Connecticut, 45 percent of fourth graders and 39 percent of eighth graders are proficient in math. Proficient, according to Carr, is defined as “aspiration” or better than grade level.
In reading, 40 percent of Connecticut fourthgraders and 41 percent of eighth graders reached proficiency.
National snapshot
As a nation, reading scores are down in both fourth and eighth grade.
NCES officials can’t really say why.
The only students reading better than they were two years ago are the highest achieving fourthgraders. Readers who struggle the most, meanwhile, have made little to no progress since the first time the test was given three decades ago.
The largest nationally representative test was given online to 293,700 students in reading and 296,900 in math. Both public and Catholic student results were reported.
In addition to state results, scores were released for a number of the nation’s largest urban districts. Among them, the District of Columbia showed the most improvement in reading and eighthgrade math over the past decade.
James L. Woodworth, NCES commissioner, called it especially discouraging to see declines among students already performing at the lowest levels of achievement.
In Connecticut, the average reading score for public school fourthgraders decreased 1 point to 220. A perfect score would have been 500. Eighthgrade reading scores dropped 3 points to 263. In math, fourthgraders scored a 241, 1 point higher than in 2017. Eighthgraders scored 1 point lower at 282.
A different but similar test
Ajit Gopalakrishnan, chief performance officer for the state Department of Education, called the test a good way for the state to compare itself with other states and the nation as a whole.
Although comparable to the state’s standardized test, the NAEP exam is not an exact match.
“The alignment got better with the shift to Common Core,” Gopalakrishnan said. In math, measurements, geometry, statistics and algebra are covered. In reading, students are asked to interpret, critique, evaluate and recall both literary and informational texts.
Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona, in a written statement, said that while he is pleased overall, there is still more work to do to close the disparity gaps that exist around the state.
“To address this, we are bringing all stakeholders into the fold by partnering with families, educators, community partners, higher education and business to prepare all students to succeed in school and after graduation,” Cardona said.
“We will continue to focus on rigorous and engaging curriculum, enhancing connections with students, and ensuring great teachers and leaders in every school and classroom.”
Given between January and March, NAEP selects about 100 schools in Connecticut and tested a representative sample of 2,200 students per grade level. That compares with 39,000 students in each grade in the state.
State officials say dramatic changes in demographics among Connecticut students play into the results.
Officials say the state crossed into a highneeds majority in the past year, meaning more than half of students are English Language Learners, have disabilities or come from disadvantaged families.
The changes have an impact on all Connecticut school districts to differing degrees, Gopalakrishnan said.
“The changing needs of the students we serve require us to change our approaches to instruction and supports for students and educators to ensure that our students leave Connecticut schools well prepared for the challenge of college and careers,” he said.
It takes about an hour and change to administer, according to Hermino Planas, an executive director of elementary education in Bridgeport, who until this year served as the district’s director of math.
Planas said he believes three elementary schools in the district, including Cesar Batalla, were asked to participate.
“We are working hard with all populations,” Planas said of the state’s rise in fourthgrade math scores. District results, he added, show progress being made among the lowest performing students.