NAEP Long-Term Trend Assessments Show Mixed Results

NEWS STATEMENT

CONTACT:

Sandy Boyd, (202) 419-1542, sboyd@achieve.org

WASHINGTON – April 28, 2009 – Reacting to today's release of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) long-term trend assessments in reading and mathematics, Achieve noted that from 1971 to 2008, 9- and 13-year old scores have shown impressive improvement. The improved performance of elementary and middle school students reflects the sustained efforts by national and state leaders, especially in mathematics, to strengthen standards, curriculum and instruction. The scores also reflect the commitment and hard work of educators and students. While the overall results are heartening, the NAEP report also raises red flags, particularly around the flat performance of 17-year olds.

"The NAEP results underscore serious concerns about whether we are doing enough to build on the elementary and middle school gains in reading and mathematics and truly preparing American high school graduates to meet the challenge of college and careers in the 21st century," said Michael Cohen, Achieve's president, "Today's NAEP report on end of high school performance confirms what employers, college professors and high school graduates themselves are saying: that there is an expectations gap between what we expect of high school students and what it takes to be successful after graduation."

Especially notable in the NAEP report was the inclusion of long-term data on course taking patterns, which found that in the 2008 assessment the percentage of 17-year-old students who reported that their highest level mathematics course was second year algebra (52%) or pre-calculus/calculus (19%) was significantly higher level than what students reported in 1978 (37% for Algebra II and 6% for pre-calculus/calculus).

"The fact that students in 2008 were purportedly taking more rigorous courses then they were in 1978, yet NAEP scores in mathematics have remained stagnant, suggests that course titles alone are misleading and that there is much work to be done to ensure that courses are rigorous, consistent and aligned to postsecondary expectations," said Cohen.

Achieve is a national, independent, bipartisan, education reform organization based in Washington D.C. that helps states raise academic standards and graduation requirements, improve assessments, and strengthen accountability.

Administered by the National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education, the NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress report details the educational progress of 9-, 13- and 17-year-old students in reading and mathematics.

Created in 1996 by the nation’s governors and corporate leaders, Achieve is an independent, bipartisan, nonprofit education reform organization based in Washington D.C. that helps states raise academic standards and graduation requirements, improve assessments, and strengthen accountability. Achieve is leading the effort to make college and career readiness a national priority so that the transition from high school graduation to postsecondary education and careers is seamless. To make college and career readiness a priority, in 2005 Achieve launched the American Diploma Project Network. Starting with 13 original states, the Network has now grown to include 35 states educating nearly 85 percent of all U.S. public school students. Through the ADP Network, governors, state education officials, postsecondary leaders and business executives work together to improve postsecondary preparation by aligning high school standards, assessments, graduation requirements and accountability systems with the demands of college and careers. For more information about the work of Achieve, visit www.achieve.org.