Eight and 12th Graders Show Improvements

In an article today (04/05/08) in the Wall Street Journal, Robert Tomsho did a piece about the fact that the recent news on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results, which is a national achievement test showing that our country's eighth- and 12th-graders are making some gains in their writing skills. The bad news is that the proportion performing at the highest levels has barely budged. The NAEP tests are given periodically to a nationwide sampling of students in a variety of subjects and are overseen by the Department of Education.

This all started because educators and business leaders finally realized that that many recent year public-school graduates don't have the writing skills needed to succeed in college, let alone in jobs.

On a zero-to-300 point scale, 12th-graders had an average score of 153 points on the NAEP writing test, which is up from 148 points in 2002. The average score for eighth-graders rose to 156 points, up 153 points. The NAEP officials said both scores are significant.

Meanwhile, the proportion of 12th-graders with at least a basic grasp of writing increased to 82 percent from 74 percent; among eighth-graders, 88 percent had a score in the basic range or better, up from 85 percent.

The proportion of high-school seniors earning scores in the proficient range was 24 percent - high-school seniors earned scores that were in the proficient range, and that number was unchanged from 2002. About 33 percent of eighth-graders were deemed proficient, up just two percentage points from 2002. Now many school districts emphasize writing across their curriculums, with added focus to narrative skills in math and science classes and languages, since 2005 when a writing section was added to the SAT college-entrance test, and administered by the nonprofit College Board.

Females outscored males by 18 points or more. White students still outscored African-American and Hispanic students by an average of 20 points or more. This isn't all too surprising -- our Children of the City program in Sunset Park near Brooklyn, New York, is focusing on assisting Hispanic children.

One very successful case study is about a little girl named Liana.
Before her dad found Children of the City his daughter hated school and was doing poorly and falling behind her classmates because she was having trouble reading. At first she was reluctant to join, but within a few weeks Liana began to love learning. Her mid-year progress reports show a steady progression in her reading, phonics and math scores. Liana is no longer bringing home failing grades and now has an overall 80 average.

You can research more facts and statistics on trends in education on my Rocco Basile website provides many facts and statistics on this program.