2017 NAEP Mathematics and Reading results released

TOPEKA – Results from the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exams, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, show that Kansas is seeing some academic gains, but nothing statistically significant.

The Kansas State Board of Education in 2015 announced a new vision for education in Kansas — Kansas leads the world in the success of each student. The state is starting to experience some momentum from this vision. And while this is an exciting step in the right direction, Kansas will need additional time to advance further, said Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson.

“Clearly we’re not where we want to be as a state, but I’m encouraged that we’re starting to see some small gains,” Watson said. “Our educators are working hard to implement the board’s vision for education, and it’s beginning to have some impact. Without question, there are many factors outside of the classroom that influence a student’s academic success. Our schools are doing a tremendous job to address those factors so that students can be ready to learn when they enter the classroom.”

Overall in 2017, the average score of Kansas fourth- and eighth-grade students in math and reading continued to rank higher than public school students across the nation.

In Kansas, the 2017 average score for eighth-grade students in math is up slightly compared to 2015, and fourth-grade math scores remained the same.

The 2017 average score in Kansas for fourth-grade reading increased slightly from 2015, and eighth-grade reading scores stayed the same.

Across the nation in 2017, fourth-grade average math scores decreased slightly from 2015. Eighth-grade average math scores for the nation are up slightly from 2015. Fourth-grade average reading scores for the nation in 2017 remained the same as 2015 scores, and 2017 average eighth-grade reading scores were up slightly from 2015.

NAEP scores were officially released on Tuesday, April 10, 2018.

Results of NAEP exams are measured in two ways - with an average scale score (0-500) and with achievement levels of basic, proficient and advanced.

NAEP is an assessment program conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics to inform the public of what elementary and secondary students in the United States know and can do in various subject areas. The first national assessments took place in 1969. NAEP is administered periodically every two years to students in grades fourth, eighth and 12^th in order to report results for the nation, participating states and selected large urban school districts.

Kansas last participated in the NAEP program in 2015. This year, students in grades fourth and eighth were tested in mathematics and reading.

Kansas students and schools are selected using a stratified sample matching the state’s demographics.

Mathematics

In 2017, the average score of fourth-grade students in Kansas was 241, which isn’t significantly different from the national average score of 239. The average score for fourth-grade students in Kansas in 2017 remained unchanged from 2015 but remains higher than the average score of 232 in 2000. Kansas fourth-graders had a higher average than 23 states in 2017.

The percentage of fourth-grade Kansas students in 2017 who performed at or above the NAEP proficient level was 42 percent, which wasn’t significantly different from the 41 percent in 2015. It is greater than the 29 percent in 2000. The percentage of fourth-grade Kansas students in 2017 who performed at or above the NAEP basic level was 82 percent in 2017, which wasn’t significantly different from the 83 percent in 2015. It is greater than the 76 percent in 2000.

In 2017, the average score of eighth-grade students in Kansas was 285, which wasn’t significantly different from the average national score of 282. The average score for eighth-grade students in Kansas in 2017 is slightly higher than the average score of 284 in 2015 and the average score of 283 in 2000. Kansas eighth-graders had a higher average than 26 states in 2017.

The percentage of eighth-grade Kansas students who performed at or above the NAEP proficient level was 35 percent in 2017, which wasn’t significantly different from the 33 percent in 2015 and the 34 percent in 2000. The percentage of eighth-grade Kansas students in 2017 who performed at or above the NAEP basic level was 74 percent. The percentage wasn’t significantly different from the 76 percent in 2015 or the 76 percent in 2000.

Reading

In 2017, the average score of fourth-grade students in Kansas was 223, which isn’t significantly different from the national average score of 221. The average score for fourth-grade students in Kansas in 2017 wasn’t significantly different from the average score of 221 in 2015. Kansas fourth-grade students had a higher average than 19 states in 2017.

The percentage of Kansas fourth-grade students who performed at or above the NAEP proficient level was 37 percent in 2017, which wasn’t significantly different from the 35 percent in 2015. The percentage of fourth-grade Kansas students who performed at or above the NAEP basic level was 70 percent in 2017, which wasn’t significantly different from the 68 percent in 2015.

The average score in 2017 of Kansas eighth-grade students is 267, which is slightly higher than the national average score of 265. The average score for students in Kansas in 2017 remains the same as 2015. Kansas eighth-graders had a higher average than 19 states in 2017.

The percentage of Kansas eighth-grade students who performed at or above the NAEP proficient level was 37 percent in 2017, which wasn’t significantly different from the 35 percent in 2015. The percentage of eighth-grade students who performed at or above the NAEP basic level was 78 percent in 2017, which wasn’t significantly different from the 79 percent in 2015.

Across the nation

In fourth-grade mathematics, the average scale score in 2017 was 239, a decline of one point from 2015. In eighth-grade mathematics, the average scale score in 2017 was 282, an increase of one point from 2015.

The 2017 average reading score (221) of fourth-grade students remains statistically unchanged from 2015. In 2017, the average eighth-grade reading score was 265, an increase of one point from 2015.

Visit https://nationsreportcard.gov to view the report.