Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Report: Students improve on tests

Scores rise under No Child Left Behind Act.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published June 6, 2007

WASHINGTON - Students are doing better on state reading and math tests since the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted five years ago, according to a report Tuesday.

Students made the most progress on elementary school math tests, according to the report by the Center on Education Policy, a national nonprofit policy group.

The report focused on states where trend data are available. Some states have changed tests in recent years, making it impossible to compare year-to-year results.

Moderate to large gains were found in 37 of the 41 states with trend data on the percentage of kids hitting the proficient mark on elementary school math tests, including Florida. None of the states showed comparable declines.

A goal of the No Child Left Behind law is for all kids to be proficient in reading and math, or working on grade level, by 2014.

Another goal is to narrow achievement gaps between children from low-income families and wealthier ones and between minorities and white students. The new report found achievement gaps have narrowed since the law was passed.

Specifically, the study found in 14 of 38 states with relevant trend data, gaps narrowed on the reading tests between black and white students at the elementary and secondary levels. No state reported a comparable widening of the gap.

In math, a dozen states showed a narrowing of the racial achievement gap at the elementary and secondary grade levels. Only Washington state showed a widening of that gap.

Results were generally similar for Hispanic and low-income groups, according to the report.

Just 13 states had enough data to examine whether the pace at which students improved has quickened since No Child Left Behind was enacted.

Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said the study shows No Child Left Behind is working, but the report itself doesn't assign credit to the law for the improvements made. It states that other state and local initiatives have taken place during the same period that might deserve some of the credit.

[Last modified June 6, 2007, 00:51:57]