La. improves in reading and math, but remains behind U.S. average

A national report on reading and math achievement among fourth- and eighth-graders shows Louisiana schools still performing below the national average, despite strides made since the 1990s. The National Assessment of Education Progress statistics released today by the U.S. Department of Education show more than a third of the state’s eighth-graders failing to achieve basic reading and math skills in 2011. And 45% of fourth-graders scored below the basic reading level. Bright spots among the scores show Louisiana fourth-graders improving in math and reading since the 1990s. Eighth-graders have improved at math since 1990, but eighth-grade reading stores have not improved significantly in more than a decade, the NAEP report says. And none of the NAEP reading or math scores at either grade level improved significantly since 2009. The number of fourth-graders reaching the “proficient” level in the NAEP rankings jumped five percentage points to 23% over the last two years: from 18% in 2009 and 15% in 1992. However, only 55% of the state’s fourth-graders were reading at the basic level or better. That left 45% of Louisiana fourth-graders failing to reach basic reading skills. To see Louisiana’s complete scorecard at the NAEP website, click here. Read the full story here.