Baltimore City students made little progress in math, reading, according to 2024 national test
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore City students are performing below average in math and reading compared to other students in large cities, according to the latest national test results.
The 2024 Nation's Report Card shows city students made little progress in mathematics and even less in reading proficiency between 2022 and 2024.
Congress requires that the test be given to a sample of students across the nation every two years. This year's test comes four years after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools across the U.S., causing continued impacts in education.
In 2024, the average math score of 209 for fourth graders in city schools was higher than the average of 201 in 2022 but lower than the average score of 222 in 2009, the report showed.
For eighth graders, the average math score of 245 was the same as in 2022 and lower than the average of 257 in 2009.
The national test also revealed score gaps between student groups in 2024. For example, Black students in eighth grade had an average math score that was 39 points lower than the score for White students.
Among fourth graders, students who were identified as being economically disadvantaged had an average score that was 15 points lower than those who were not economically disadvantaged, the test results showed. The performance gap was similar in 2009.
Fourth and eighth-grade Baltimore City students scored below average in reading. Only 13% of fourth-grade students performed at or above the National Assessment of Educational Progress's (NAEP) proficient level in 2024, while 16% of eighth-graders performed at or above the level, according to the test results.
Again, there were some score gaps among student groups in reading proficiency. Among fourth graders, students who were identified as economically disadvantaged had an average score that was 24 points lower than those who were not disadvantaged.
Among eighth graders, male students in the city scored 11 points lower than their female peers. Economically disadvantaged students also scored 11 points lower than their counterparts.
Maryland reading and math scores
Nationally, the test results show that children are continuing to fall back on reading skills and made little improvement in math, according to CBS News.
Fourth and eighth graders across the state scored lower in mathematics than the national average, though fourth graders saw improvement over the past two years, scoring 234 in 2024, up from 229 in 2022, the report showed.
However, gaps between student groups remained as Black students in both fourth and eighth grades scored 32 points lower in math than White students. Fourth-grade Hispanic students scored 29 points lower than White students, and eighth-grade Hispanic students scored 31 points lower.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump's anti-DEI mandate will make it hard to recruit new scientists
For half of my 32 years as a professor of chemistry at Ball State University, I was involved in executing a National Science Foundation grant called the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program. Its aim was to encourage a broader participation in the sciences. The LSAMP program identified undergraduate college students who were underrepresented in the sciences and tried to assist them in progressing toward their STEM degree. A primary feature was to provide those students with summer research experiences working side-by-side with a faculty mentor. Repeatedly, studies have shown that research experiences are essential for undergraduates to identify as a scientist. The LSAMP program was extraordinarily successful, producing hundreds of new scientists over the course of its existence, all of whom were American citizens. The program did not interfere with, prohibit or reduce the historical population of undergraduates who participated in summer research or who became scientists. Sadly, the program, established by Congress over 30 years ago, has recently been dissolved, along with other vital programs, due to new guidance restricting federal grants relating to diversity, equity and inclusion. It is hard for some to understand that without a continuous, new source of scientific talent, the US cannot hold onto its economic growth and military security or ensure quality products in manufacturing. A myriad of industries, including paint, food, plastics, pharmaceuticals and aerospace who rely on a constant supply of American scientists expect a shortfall in the not-too distant future. It is difficult to see how we can meet our need for new talent in the sciences after stopping the successful LSAMP program. Patricia Lang is a professor emerita of chemistry at Ball State University. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Trump anti-DEI mandate will make it hard to recruit new scientists | Letters
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
BioNTech buys mRNA, courtroom rival CureVac in all-stock deal
This story was originally published on BioPharma Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily BioPharma Dive newsletter. COVID vaccine maker BioNTech is buying rival CureVac, announcing Thursday an all-stock deal weeks before the two companies were due to face off in a German court over potentially billions of dollars worth of royalties related to intellectual property on messenger RNA drugs. Per deal terms, each CureVac share will be exchanged for about $5.46 worth of BioNTech's U.S.-listed shares, valuing the company at $1.25 billion. Upon the deal's close, CureVac shareholders will own between 4% and 6% of BioNTech. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, BioNTech and CureVac were among the companies racing to develop the first coronavirus vaccines. BioNTech, however, partnered with Pfizer and won approval of the first COVID-19 shot, while CureVac's program never made it to market. The two companies have since been embroiled in patent litigation. CureVac was a leading candidate to develop the first COVID-19 vaccine, launching rumors, later denied, that the U.S. government might even buy the company or its research. But while BioNTech and fellow mRNA drugmaker Moderna succeeded in making vaccines that saved millions of lives and earned billions of dollars in revenue, CureVac fell short. Its initial project wasn't effective enough at preventing sickness, prompting it to scrap development. A year later, CureVac sued BioNTech, claiming it infringed four patents. CureVac has since changed course, selling off most rights to influenza and COVID-19 vaccines to partner GSK and focusing on cancer instead. But its legal spat with BioNTech has lingered. The European Patent Office had upheld two CureVac patents, and a trial in a Dusseldorf regional court was set on July 1 to determine if BioNTech had infringed on them. A separate trial in the U.S. was scheduled to begin Sept. 8 in Virginia. Some Wall Street analysts, as a result, speculated that BioNTech's primary purpose is buying CureVac is to sidestep the risk of a loss in court. A single-digit percentage royalty awarded to CureVac could've cost BioNTech as much as $3 billion, Evercore ISI analyst Umer Raffat wrote in a note to clients. 'It seems to us that [BioNTech] assessed the cost of a cash settlement as substantially greater than the cost of buying [CureVac] outright,' Raffat wrote. The deal could also help BioNTech further its oncology ambitions. Like CureVac, BioNTech has made cancer research a top priority. It's invested in a variety of programs, from cell therapies to mRNA vaccines and a coveted type of bispecific antibody. Some are in advanced testing. CureVac's cancer vaccines are in earlier phases of development. A brain cancer shot has delivered early clinical data, while a lung cancer immunotherapy was cleared in April for human testing. The deal should help CureVac because of 'the early stage of the oncology pipeline and the need for a development partner to effectively compete in personalized cancer vaccines – which [BioNTech] is well positioned to execute,' wrote Leerink Partners analyst Mani Foroohar. Raffat, of Evercore ISI, however, wrote that the deal ascribes 'very little value' to CureVac's pipeline. Recommended Reading Recursion to acquire two Canadian drug discovery startups Sign in to access your portfolio
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Exploration Leadership: NASA Astronaut On Boldness And Belonging
'If only people could see how connected we are, we'd know we could explore this world and others.' With this reflection, former NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Cady Coleman inspired an audience of 1,500 at The Chicago Network's Women in the Forefront luncheon. Coleman, a chemist, space scientist, veteran of two Space Shuttle missions and a six-month stint aboard the International Space Station, spoke not only about outer space, but about leadership, inclusion and determination here on Earth. Among her long list of accomplishments, Coleman is also author of 'Sharing Space: An Astronaut's Guide to Mission, Wonder and Making Change,' where she serves up insights on how to adapt, beat expectations and coalesce a disparate team. Although her experience is truly unique, she serves up universal leadership lessons. First and foremost, Coleman emphasized the value of connection. 'Build bridges,' she said. 'Find partners who don't do things the same way.' From collaborating with international teams aboard the ISS – including an Italian and a Russian, both men – to sharing a historic space-Earth flute duet with Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, Coleman exemplifies how joy and curiosity can fuel exploration. The day's moderator Michelle Miller of CBS News added her perspective that 'we belong – to people, purpose and place.' It's up to each of us to foster that belonging. NASA Astronaut Cady Coleman NASA Coleman also shed light on the unseen barriers that prevent people from contributing fully. In training to become a spacewalker, a requirement for landing the International Space Station mission, she discovered NASA had eliminated size small and extra-large space suits to save money. The decision, while financially efficient, sidelined qualified astronauts, including women, whose bodies didn't fit the remaining sizes. In one meeting, a leader remarked, 'Don't worry, we will have enough spacewalkers,' implicitly accepting the exclusion of smaller-sized astronauts. Coleman didn't give up. She showed up at meetings where she wasn't invited, absorbing knowledge and demonstrating quiet resilience. If she had not persisted and learned how to train in the too-big space suit, her opportunity to serve on the Space Station would have been delayed by 11 years, she said. 'Put in the work,' she advised. 'So when things get tough, your training kicks in.' Coleman's stories weren't grim, they were energizing. She makes the struggle look joyful, not because it's easy, but because she chooses to lead with enthusiasm. That energy is contagious. In addition to her space-Earth flute collaboration, she showed clips of fellow astronauts playing baseball alone and photographing easily-recognized visuals like Cape Cod and the Great Lakes. Finding that joy expanded into positive and productive relationships with colleagues who were quite different from her. Throughout her talk, Coleman returned again and again to honoring her influences. She pointed to pioneers who didn't always get their due, including aviation trailblazer Bessie Coleman, who moved to France and learned a new language to get her pilot's license due to race and gender discrimination, and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, whose story was widely shared in the film Hidden Figures. Like them, Coleman's career reflects a quiet tenacity and a belief in showing others what's possible. The Chicago Network, whose membership includes the city's most influential women leaders, exemplifies Coleman's dedication to allyship, including for the younger set. During the Q&A portion of the event, several women stepped aside to let an eight-year-old girl ask the final question: 'How do you become an astronaut?' Coleman didn't talk about physics or math. She offered this: 'Let them know who you are. If they don't know who you are, people can't pick you.' She added that even something as humble as being a camp counselor signals leadership skills like logistics, patience, negotiation. Moderator Michelle Miller served up her own advice about seeking mentorship. She encouraged the young girl to follow up: 'Rush the stage and get Cady's contact info.'
