Louisiana’s education chief says student performance on new, more rigorous standardized tests aligned to Common Core standards was “roughly comparable” to results from tests used in the past.
But The Associated Press reports that math performance was lower on this year’s tests. And the percentage of students who show what state officials currently consider “mastery” of their subject matter is low: It ranges from 22% to 40%, depending on the grade level and subject.
Today’s release of test results came a day before the state education board decides on a grading scale to determine what score constitutes proficiency in subject matter—levels ranging from “unsatisfactory” to “advanced.”
Superintendent John White is urging the board to approve scoring levels consistent with other states using the Common Core-aligned tests developed by the PARCC organization.
The Common Core standards are math and English benchmarks describing what students should know after completing each grade. They have been adopted by more than 40 states to better prepare students for college and careers. Opponents, including Gov. Bobby Jindal, say the standards are developmentally inappropriate and part of federal efforts to nationalize education.
