New NAEP Urban Science Assessment Results

[Bob Schaeffer <bobschaeffer@earthlink.net>]

URBAN STUDENTS WORST IN U.S. IN SCIENCE

Associated Press -- November 15, 2006

Children in major U.S. cities perform worse than other students around 
the country on science tests given in elementary and middle school, a 
snapshot released by the government Wednesday shows.

Ten urban school districts volunteered to take the tests and have their 
scores compared to public school students nationwide for the first time.

Fourth-graders in nine of the 10 city districts had lower average scores 
than public school students nationally. The only exception was Austin, 
Texas, where they performed at the national average.

In eighth grade, all 10 urban districts had average scores below the 
national average.

The science scores are from the 2005 National Assessment of Educational 
Progress, a test given nationwide periodically on a range of subjects. 
It is viewed as the best way to compare student achievement across state 
and district lines.

Besides Austin, the urban districts that participated in the comparative 
look were: Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Cleveland; 
Houston; Los Angeles; New York and San Diego.

   Trial Urban District Assessment Science 2005 is available online at 
http://nationsreportcard.gov 
<http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=76370&Link=http://nationsreportcard.gov>