Georgia Eighth Graders Improve National Science Scores
Georgia has caught up to the rest of the country in eighth grade science. The average score for Georgia eighth graders increased four points since 2009.
That’s the last time the since the last time the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam was given.
Georgia students had an average score of 151 out of 300 on the NAEP Science Assessment. That put them right at the national average.
Scores for African-American and Hispanic students were up. And Georgia Department of Education spokesman Matt Cardoza says the state’s achievement gap also shrank.
“Educational reform is about is having all students rise, but also closing that gap, which means that black students, Hispanic students, and other minority subgroups will have to rise faster,” Cardoza says, “And the great thing with this is we’re seeing that.”
Cardoza attributes the jump in scores to Georgia’s standards- based curriculum. Next year, the state will adopt national standards in Math and English. Science standards will follow in two to three years. Cardoza says the new standards are tougher.
“As we offer that rigor and students rise to that level, I think we’ll see these scores rise,” he explains.
This is the first year Georgia’s eighth graders have reached the national average on the science exam.
9(MDAxODM0MDY4MDEyMTY4NDA3MzI3YjkzMw004))
Top Stories
