Latest news with #NationalAssessmentGoverningBoard
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion: An Open Letter to Linda McMahon
Dear Madam Secretary, Congratulations and welcome to a place we once knew well. You face any number of tough challenges on behalf of American students, parents, educators and taxpayers, as well as the administration you serve, but your 'Department's Final Mission' speech shows that you're well prepared to meet them. We particularly admire your commitment to making American education 'the greatest in the world.' But how will we — and you, and our fellow Americans — know how rapidly we're getting there? By now, you're probably aware that the single most important activity of the department you lead is the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known to some as NAEP and to many as the Nation's Report Card. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter That's the primary gauge by which we know how American education is doing, both nationally and in the states to which you rightly seek to restore its control. Almost four decades ago — during Ronald Reagan's second term — it was our job to modernize that key barometer of student achievement. Five years after A Nation at Risk told Americans that their education system was far from the world's greatest, state leaders — governors especially — craved better data on the performance of their students and schools. And they were right. At the time, they had no sure way of monitoring that performance. Related That was one of our challenges, back in the day. Advised by a blue-ribbon study group led by outgoing Tennessee governor (and future U.S. senator) Lamar Alexander, and with congressional cooperation spearheaded by the late Ted Kennedy, in 1988 we proposed what became a bipartisan transformation of an occasional government-sponsored test into a regular and systematic appraisal of student achievement in core academic subjects, administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (part of your Institute for Education Sciences) and overseen by an independent group of state and local leaders, plus educators and the general public. (One of your responsibilities is appointing several terrific people each year to terms on the 26-member National Assessment Governing Board.) That 1988 overhaul made three big changes: Creation of that independent board to ensure the data's integrity, accuracy and utility; Inauguration of state-level reporting of student achievement in grades 4, 8 and 12, i.e. at the ends of elementary, middle and high school; and Authorization for the board to set standards — known as achievement levels — by which to know whether that achievement is satisfactory. Much else was happening in U.S. education at the time: School choice was gaining traction. States were setting their own academic standards and administering their own assessments. Graduation requirements were rising as the economy modernized and its human capital needs increased. Related As these and other reforms gathered speed, NAEP became the country's most trusted barometer of what was (and wasn't) working. You alluded to NAEP data during your confirmation hearing. President Donald Trump deploys it when referencing the shortcomings of U.S. schools. For example, his Jan. 29 executive order on school choice began this way: 'According to this year's National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 70% of 8th graders were below proficient in reading, and 72% were below proficient in math.' Everybody relies on NAEP data, and its governing board's standards have become the criteria by which states gauge whether their own standards are rigorous enough. Just the other day, Gov. Glenn Youngkin's board of education used them to benchmark Virginia's tougher expectations for students and schools. Reading and math were, and remain, at the heart of NAEP, but today it also tests civics, U.S. history, science and other core subjects — exactly as listed in your speech. But NAEP is not perfect. It needs another careful modernization. It should make far better use of technology, including artificial intelligence. It should be nimbler and more efficient. The procedures by which its contractors are engaged need overhauling. (The Education Department's whole procurement process needs that, too — faster, more competitive, more efficient, less expensive!) Yet NAEP also needs to do more. Today, for instance, it gives state leaders their results only in grades 4 and 8, not at the end of high school. It doesn't test civics and history nearly often enough, and never in 12th grade, even though most systematic study of those subjects occurs in high school. (It probably tests fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math too often — the result of a different federal law.) Related Doing more shouldn't cost any more. Within NAEP's current budget — approaching $200 million, a drop in the department's murky fiscal ocean — much more data should be gettable by making new contracts tighter and technology smarter, squeezing more analysis from NAEP's vast trove and having staffers put shoulders to the wheel. (Former IES director Mark Schneider has pointed the way.) But making this happen will take strong executive leadership, an agile, hardworking governing board and your own oversight. You may decide it's time for another blue-ribbon group to take a close look at NAEP and recommend how to modernize it again without losing its vital ability to monitor changes over time in student achievement. Yes, this is all sort of wonky. NAEP results get used all the time, but it's far down in the bureaucracy and doesn't make much noise. Nobody in Congress (as far as we know) pays it much attention. Yet it remains — we believe — the single most important activity of your department. Which, frankly, is why it needs your watchful attention! We wish you well in your new role. Please let us know if we can help in any way. Sincerely, William J. Bennett, U.S. Secretary of Education (1985-88) Chester E. Finn Jr., Assistant Secretary for Research & Improvement and Counselor to the Secretary (1985-88)
Boston Globe
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Once said to be off limits, the Trump administration cancels one of the NAEP exams
What is the canceled NAEP long-term trend test? Advertisement The tests do not include state-level data, but they do report data by race, gender, and region, among other categories, and are a measurement of the country's educational progress. The canceled test is only for 17-year-olds, and was The department 'decided not to fund' the test, according to an email to state officials When has the test been canceled before? The nation's 17-year-olds have not actually been tested since 2012. The 2016 and 2020 tests were Younger students were assessed in 2022 and 2023, but this spring's test of high schoolers would have been the first national data on that age group in well over a decade. Thomas Kane, a Harvard economist who is part of a team that uses NAEP exams to Advertisement 'The 17-year-old [test]s have always been problematic because high school graduation rates were changing and the composition of 17-year-olds that were still enrolled in school was changing,' Kane said. High school dropout rates have fallen dramatically, meaning many 17-year-olds are tested who in prior decades would have already dropped out of school, making the data less reliable. Still, the main NAEP tests began only in the 1990s, meaning the long-term trend data is necessary for comparisons further back. What does this mean for the main NAEP? A member of the National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees the tests, said he was not authorized to comment and directed the Globe to the the Department of Education's communications office, which said the agency continues to support the NAEP and transparency around measuring achievement. Other NAEP assessments, including the main tests The NAEP is congressionally mandated, but the Education Department has canceled at least one other related contract, 'for conducting background checks on field staff who administer NAEP tests in schools,' the 74 reported. That contract will be re-evaluated and potentially rebid, Biedermann said. Why does the National Assessment of Educational Progress matter? Despite federal promises that the main exam won't be compromised, some researchers question whether the cancelation of the LTT at all foreshadows what may come. Federal law requires states conduct their own assessments, like the MCAS in Massachusetts, but the NAEP serves as a shared baseline to compare states and over time. The tests have provided important evidence of the dramatic learning loss experienced by America's students during the COVID-19, and the Advertisement The tests are particularly useful, Kane noted, for allowing comparison over time — particularly as 'My concern is the main NAEP — the one that is the source of state level estimates every two years,' Kane said. 'If we want states to be able to design and administer their own tests (and update those tests when necessary), we need the NAEP in order to preserve comparability across states and over time. ' Christopher Huffaker can be reached at
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Delaware scores in the Nation's Report Card still show little pandemic rebound
The Nation's Report Card just dropped. And its assessment has shown no nationwide rebound from the pandemic. Across the United States, last year's reading scores declined by 2 points. That's compared with the previous results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress of fourth and eighth graders, back in 2022, and it only steepens a 3-point decline documented nationally between 2019 and 2022. No state saw reading gains. Average scores in math offered different numbers. Nationwide, average math scores increased in fourth grade by 2 points compared with two years ago. Delaware came among 13 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico to show a lift in math scores – but no state made mathematic gains among eighth graders. Nearly five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation is below its 2019 scores in both grades and subjects. Just two states surpassed pre-pandemic scores in a single grade and subject, a spokesperson from the National Assessment Governing Board wrote in a release Wednesday morning. The board pointed to single-area gains for Louisiana and Alabama. Delaware's Department of Education did not yet respond to requests for comment, as leaders eye the likely confirmation of Cynthia "Cindy" Marten as the next secretary of education Wednesday evening in Legislative Hall. So how did Delaware fair? New face in Delaware: Gov.-elect Meyer nominates new secretary of education, from US Department of Education Delaware student scores remain below pre-pandemic levels, as well as that of their average counterparts nationwide from 2022 to 2024. But results varied in math and reading across fourth and eighth grades. In math, Delaware's average fourth grade marks boosted by 7 points. That can be defined as growth in the report card, though it doesn't fully answer the sharp 13-point drop from 2019 to 2022. With 35% of these young students at or above the assessment's definition of "proficient," the 2024 score comes about 4 points below the national average. But some 71% of these students came above "basic" benchmarks. Those who fall below this, per the board, would mean "they likely cannot identify odd numbers or solve a problem using unit conversions." Eighth grade math showed no growth. While Delaware's scores here trail behind the national average by 9 points, the state's own results dropped a point. That left just over half of eighth graders taking the test to be defined as reaching or exceeding basic levels for Nation's Report Card. The board said the other 49% below basic "likely cannot use similarity to find the length of a side of a triangle." About 19% were proficient. Delaware state assessments 2024: Student assessment performance remains below pre-pandemic, with many still declining Now, there's reading. This assessment area remained largely static for fourth graders. Scores did bump 2 points – but this, too, did not near the gap left by a 10-point dive from 2019 to 2022. Delaware trails the national average by 5 points. Over half of these student meet or exceed basic benchmarks, per the board, but just 26% are at or above proficient. According to this test, fourth graders below basic level "likely cannot recognize a reason for a character's action implied in a story." Looking up to eighth grade reveals another drop. In fact, Delaware's current score in reading at this grade level is the lowest its ever been in NAEP data reaching back to 1998. Reading scores at this level dropped 4 points, thus leaving it 7 points behind the national average. This further follows the 7-point drop measured in 2022. About 59% of eighth-grade readers remain at or above basic parameters, while just 23% are deemed proficient or better in these results. Delaware's own latest test results dropped last August. Results showed most students continuing to score lower than pre-pandemic levels, with some showing worsening performance from even the year prior. Got a story? Contact Kelly Powers at kepowers@ or (231) 622-2191. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: New scores in the Nation's Report Card still show little COVID rebound
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Delaware scores in the Nation's Report Card still show little pandemic rebound
The Nation's Report Card just dropped. And its assessment has showed no nationwide rebound from pandemic. Across the United States, last year's reading scores declined by 2 points. That's compared to the previous results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress of fourth and eighth graders, back in 2022, and it only steepens a 3-point decline documented nationally between 2019 and 2022. No state saw reading gains. Average scores in math offered different numbers. Nationwide, average math scores increased in fourth grade by 2 points compared to two years ago. Delaware came among 13 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico to show lift in math scores – but no state made mathematic gains among eighth graders. Nearly five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation is below its 2019 scores in both grades and subjects. Just two states surpassed pre-pandemic scores in a single grade and subject, a spokesperson from the National Assessment Governing Board wrote in a release Wednesday morning. The board pointed to single-area gains for Louisiana and Alabama. Delaware's Department of Education did not yet respond to requests for comment, as leaders eye the likely confirmation of Cynthia "Cindy" Marten as the next secretary of education Wednesday evening in Legislative Hall. So how did Delaware fair? New face in Delaware: Gov.-elect Meyer nominates new secretary of education, from US Department of Education Delaware student scores remain below pre-pandemic levels, as well as that of their average counterparts nationwide from 2022 to 2024. But results varied in math and reading across fourth and eighth grades. In math, Delaware's average fourth-grade marks boosted by 7 points. That can be defined as growth in the report card, though it doesn't fully answer the sharp 13-point drop from 2019 to 2022. With 35% of these young students at or above the assessment's definition of "proficient," the 2024 score comes about 4 points below the national average. But some 71% of these students came above "basic" benchmarks. Those who fall below this, per the board, would mean "they likely cannot identify odd numbers or solve a problem using unit conversions." Eighth grade math showed no growth. While Delaware's scores here trail behind the national average by 9 points, the state's own results dropped a point. That left just over half of eighth graders taking the test to be defined as reaching or exceeding basic levels for Nation's Report Card. The board said the other 49% below basic "likely cannot use similarity to find the length of a side of a triangle." About 19% were proficient. Delaware state assessments 2024: Student assessment performance remains below pre-pandemic, with many still declining Now, there's reading. This assessment area remained largely static for fourth graders. Scores did bump 2 points – but this, too, did not near the gap left by a 10-point dive from 2019 to 2022. Delaware trails the national average by 5 points. Over half of these student meet or exceed basic benchmarks, per the board, but just 26% are at or above proficient. According to this test, fourth graders below basic level "likely cannot recognize a reason for a character's action implied in a story." Looking up to eighth grade reveals another drop. In fact, Delaware's current score in reading at this grade level is the lowest its ever been in NAEP data reaching back to 1998. Reading scores at this level dropped 4 points, thus leaving it 7 points behind the national average. This further follows the 7-point drop measured in 2022. About 59% of eighth-grade readers remain at or above basic parameters, while just 23% are deemed proficient or better in these results. Delaware's own latest test results dropped last August. Results showed most students continuing to score lower than pre-pandemic levels, with some showing worsening performance from even the year prior. Got a story? Contact Kelly Powers at kepowers@ or (231) 622-2191. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: New scores in the Nation's Report Card still show little COVID rebound
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Nation's Report Card shows further declines in reading, slight improvement in math
Math improvement is scarce, reading scores are down and the takeaway is learning loss has yet to get significantly better in the latest data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released early Wednesday. 'Our Nation's Report Card is out, and the news is not good. We're not seeing the progress we need to regain the ground students' loss during the pandemic, and where we are seeing signs of recovery, they're mostly in math and largely driven by higher performance groups,' National Center for Education Statistics Commissioner Peggy Carr said. Reading has taken a significant hit, with both fourth and eighth graders seeing a drop in scores from 2022 to 2024, continuing the declines seen since 2017. The NAEP found the percentage of eighth graders who are reading below the group's baseline is the largest in assessment history. For fourth graders reading below the line, it is the largest percentage in 20 years. For reading, the lowest performing students in fourth and eighth grade, at the 10th and 25th percentiles, had scores that were at the lowest since 1992, the first time the NAEP gave a reading assessment. The reasons for these reading scores are complex, with some of the proposed problems including students reading for fun less and missing school. 'We also see that lower performers, readers, they're not coming to school,' Carr said. The hope and progress seen from the data have been in math, where fourth graders got a 2-point gain between 2022 and 2024 after dropping 5 points between 2019 and 2022. Eighth graders saw no significant change in their math scores. Also, local and some state data has given Carr and other officials hope. Carr pointed out Louisiana fourth grade reading and Alabama fourth grade math as doing 'what most states were unable' through their improved results. 'There are encouraging signs of recovery. They can be found below the surface data among some state and urban school districts,' Carr said. Between reading and math, concerns grow with the widening gap between highest and lowest performing students. In eighth grade math, there was no significant change in math scores due to the big differences in higher performing students seeing increases but lower performing ones declining. For fourth graders, the math scores of lower performing students stayed the same while, higher performing ones increased. Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board, said due to the data results the board is urging stakeholders to study the trend line NAEP has of how progress was made before when student scores dropped, give urgent attention to the lowest performing students and set a high bar for what students need to know. The results are likely to start another debate of who is to blame and put a fire under the Trump administration to see where these scores will go under his tenure. 'When we fail our children, we fail our nation's future. Today's NAEP scores continue the concerning trend of declining performance nationwide. This is clearly a reflection of the education bureaucracy continuing to focus on woke policies rather than helping students learn and grow,' said House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) 'I'm thankful we have an administration that is looking to reverse course, and I look forward to helping reform our education system to better serve our youth,' Walberg added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
