U.S. Math Scores Hit a Wall
According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, “U.S. Math Scores Hit a Wall,” there has been little to no improvement in math scores achieved by fourth and eighth grade students, despite the educational changes imposed by the No Child Left Behind plan.
Fewer than four of 10 fourth- and eighth-graders are proficient in mathematics, according to a highly regarded federal test given in early 2009, adding to recent evidence that the U.S. drive to become more economically competitive by overhauling public education may be falling short.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress — often called the “nation’s report card” — found fourth-graders had made no learning gains since the last time the NAEP math test was given, in 2007. Previously, fourth-graders had made scoring gains on every NAEP math test given since 1990.
Significant scoring gaps between white students and their Hispanic and African-American peers also haven’t changed much in recent years, the test results showed.
The responses to the results have been mixed: some educators caution against reading too much into the scores, while others see a need for more drastic change. The article continues here.
