Study reveals gains in math, reading on tests
TAMPA (AP) – The percentage of students considered proficient in math and reading at Florida elementary, middle and high schools has steadily increased since the No Child Left Behind Act went into effect seven years ago, according to a new study by the nonpartisan Center on Education Policy in Washington.
The public advocacy organization spent three years studying student achievement trends on state math and reading tests and found gains nearly across the board nationally since 2002. Overall, however, there were fewer gains at the high school level than the elementary or middle school levels, a trend seen in Florida as well.
In 2002, 55 percent of Florida fourth grade students were considered proficient in reading on state exams, including the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Six years later, that number had jumped to 70 percent. Eighth grade students saw an increase from 45 to 53 percent in those years, while tenth grade students went from 36 to 38 percent.
Florida math scores improved at those three grade levels, with elementary students again seeing the greatest gains, from 51 to 76 percent proficient. High school students went from 60 to 69 percent proficient.
Those gains outpaced the results seen in many other states.
“Florida has made tremendous progress over the past decade, and this report speaks volumes for the great work being done in our states,” Education Commissioner Eric Smith said in a statement.
Under No Child Left Behind, states are required to develop measures to help determine whether schools are making adequate yearly progress, an indicator of how close instructors are to ensuring all students are proficient in math and reading. In Florida, most schools have failed to make adequate yearly progress under the act.
The study notes the emphasis on testing and raising the scores of students who are slightly below proficient, but found little evidence that higher or lower performing students are being shortchanged in the process.
“Gains far outnumbered declines at the basic, proficient and advanced levels of achievement – which suggests that the achievement of higher and lower performing students has not been harmed to an obvious extent,” the report concludes.
Other findings about Florida included in the report: There were considerable gains in the percentage of students performing at the advanced level in math at all three grade levels examined; the percentage of advanced elementary students climbed from 19 to 34 points; and the percentage of advanced reading students also rose.