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NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS RESULTS
SHOW SIGNIFICANT GAINS FOR NEW YORK’S
BLACK, HISPANIC STUDENTS SINCE LATE 1990s
Results for the National Assessment of Educational Progress announced today show that since the late 1990s when the Board of Regents raised standards, New York State has made significant gains in 4th grade reading and math and in 8th grade math, especially among Black and Hispanic students.
“It is encouraging that New York has made progress over the past decade in raising the achievement of students overall, and especially our neediest students,” State Education Commissioner Richard Mills said. “But short-term results are mixed, with substantial gains in fourth grade math but not in other subjects. We must keep working hard to build on the long-term improvements and close the achievement gap.”
NAEP 4th Grade Reading
New York raised standards in 1999. Since then, in NAEP 4th grade reading, New York’s Black students have made gains that exceed those of the nation. In 1998, 33 percent of New York’s Black students scored at or above Basic; in 2007, 52 percent scored at or above Basic. Comparable national results are 34 percent in 1998 and 46 percent in 2007. The number of New York’s Black students at or above Proficient increased from 8 percent in 1998 to 17 percent in 2007 (from 10 to 14 percent for the nation). The average scale score for New York’s Black students was 191 in 1998 (192 for the nation); in 2005 it was 208 (203 for the nation).
In 4th NAEP grade reading, New York’s Hispanic students have also made gains that exceed those of the nation. In 1998, 31 percent of New York’s Hispanic students scored at or above Basic; in 2007, 51 percent scored at or above Basic. Comparable national results are 36 percent in 1998 and 49 percent in 2005. The number of New York’s Hispanic students at or above Proficient increased from 7 percent in 1998 to 18 percent in 2007 (from 12 to 17 percent for the nation). The average scale score for New York’s Hispanic students was 188 in 1998 (192 for the nation); in 2005 it was 206 (204 for the nation).
Overall in NAEP 4th grade reading, 69% of New York students scored at or above Basic in 2007, up 7 percent since 1998, (66 percent for the nation, up 8 percent since 1998). In 2007, 36 percent scored at Proficient or above, up from 29 percent in 1998. New York’s overall scale score improved from 215 in 1998 to 224 in 2007; the nation gained from 213 to 220.
4th Grade Math
In NAEP 4th grade math, New York’s Black students also have made significant progress that exceeds the nation as a whole. In 1996, 36 percent scored at or above Basic; in 2007, 69 percent scored at or above Basic. Comparable national results are 30 percent in 1996 and 63 percent in 2007. The number of New York’s Black students at or above Proficient increased from 5 percent in 1996 to 18 percent in 2005 (from 4 to 15 percent of the nation).The scale score for New York’s Black students was 202 in 1996 (199 for the nation); in 2007 it was 225 (222 for the nation).
In NAEP 4th grade math, New York’s Hispanic students have made significant gains that exceed the nation as a whole. In 1996, 35 percent of New York’s Hispanic students scored at or above Basic; in 2007, 74 percent scored at or above Basic. Comparable national results are 37 percent in 1996 and 69 percent in 2007. The number of New York’s Hispanic students at or above Proficient increased from 7 percent in 1996 to 25 percent in 2005 (from 7 to 22 percent for the nation). The average scale score for New York’s Hispanic students was 201 in 1996 (204 for the nation); in 2007 it was 230 (227 for the nation).
Overall in NAEP 4th grade math, 85 percent of New York students scored at or above Basic, up from 64 percent in 1996 (79 percent for the nation, up from 62 percent in 1996). In 2007, 43 percent scored at Proficient or above, up from 20 percent in 1996. New York’s overall scale score improved from 223 in 1996 to 243 in 2005; the nation gained from 222 to 239.
New York overall and New York’s Black and Hispanic students have also made gains in 4th grade math since 2005, as outlined in the NAEP report.
8th Grade Math
In NAEP 8th grade math, New York’s Black students also have made significant progress since the late 1990s. In 1996, 29 percent scored at or above Basic; in 2007, 46 percent scored at or above Basic. Comparable national results are 26 percent in 1996 and 47 percent in 2007. The scale score for New York’s Black students was 243 in 1996 (241 for the nation); in 2005 it was 258 (259 for the nation).
In NAEP 8th grade math, New York’s Hispanic students have made gains that exceed those of the nation. In 1996, 28 percent of New York’s Hispanic students scored at or above Basic; in 2007, 54 percent scored at or above Basic. Comparable national results are 38 percent in 1996 and 54 percent in 2007. The average scale score for New York’s Hispanic students was 244 in 1996 (250 for the nation); in 2007 it was 264 (262 for the nation).
Overall in NAEP 8th grade math, 70 percent of New York students scored at or above Basic, up from 61 percent in 1996 (70 percent for the nation, up from 61 percent in 1996). New York’s overall scale score improved from 270 in 1996 to 280 in 2007; the nation gained from 271 to 280.
8th Grade Reading
NAEP grade 8 reading results do not show meaningful long-term gains for New York or for the nation.
New York NAEP 4th Grade Reading
|
Scale Score |
% Basic and Above |
||||
|
1998 |
2005 |
2007 |
1998 |
2005 |
2007 |
Black |
191 |
207 |
208 |
33% |
50% |
52% |
Hispanic |
188 |
208 |
206 |
31% |
52% |
51% |
Total |
215 |
223 |
224 |
62% |
69% |
69% |
New York NAEP 4th Grade Math
|
Scale Score |
% Basic and Above |
||||
|
1996 |
2005 |
2007 |
1996 |
2005 |
2007 |
Black |
202 |
222 |
225 |
36% |
64% |
69% |
Hispanic |
201 |
226 |
230 |
35% |
70% |
74% |
Total |
223 |
238 |
243 |
64% |
81% |
85% |
New York NAEP 8th Grade Math
|
Scale Score |
% Basic and Above |
||||
|
1996 |
2005 |
2007 |
1996 |
2005 |
2007 |
Black |
243 |
259 |
258 |
29% |
46% |
46% |
Hispanic |
244 |
262 |
264 |
28% |
51% |
54% |
Total |
270 |
280 |
280 |
61% |
70% |
70% |
New York NAEP 8th Grade Reading
|
Scale Score |
% Basic and Above |
||||
|
1998 |
2005 |
2007 |
1998 |
2005 |
2007 |
Black |
246 |
242 |
246 |
55% |
51% |
56% |
Hispanic |
247 |
250 |
246 |
56% |
61% |
56% |
Total |
265 |
265 |
264 |
76% |
75% |
75% |
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NAEP results are based on a sample, not a census of the total student population. In New York, about 2 percent (approximately 4,000) of about 200,000 students are tested at each grade; each student takes only a portion of the test. Therefore, the National Center for Educational Statistics, which produces the NAEP report, advises that the results are “estimates” and “should be interpreted and used with caution.” See the website for cautions:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/interpretresults.asp and
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/achlevdev.asp?id=sc