Science Students Soar
Don't look now, but it appears there is some serious science learning going on here in the State of Washington. And we couldn't be more excited!
Newly released test scores show students in the fourth and eighth grades in The Evergreen State scored higher than the national average on recent tests, and in many cases higher than other states. The spectacular details are listed below.
Getting children excited about learning science is what we're all about here at Pacific Science Center. We live it every day on the floor of our exhibits, and also through our many outreach programs. Science on Wheels, Science on the Go, and our Mercer Slough facility just to name a few. As our mission statement says...
Pacific Science Center inspires a lifelong interest in science, math & technology by engaging in diverse communities through interactive & innovative exhibits and programs.
So, for all the teachers, students, and parents out there, way to go! We salute you all and can't wait to see your next achievements.
Here are the awesome details contained in a news release from The Office of the Superintendent of Public instruction:
From: Kim Schmanke
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 9:24 AM
To: All OSPI Employees
Subject: RELEASE: Washington earns excellent scores on science NAEP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kim Schmanke Media Relations Manager 360.725.6015 kschmanke@ospi.wednet.edu
Washington earns excellent scores on science NAEP Students outscore national average
OLYMPIA - May 24, 2006 - Results released today from the science National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) administered in 2005 show Washington's fourth- and eighth-grade students achieving higher scores than the national average and those of many states.
The average scale score for Washington fourth-grade students is 153 points, four points higher than the nation's fourth-graders enrolled in public schools. The percentage of students who performed at or above the Basic level - 71 percent - is five points higher than the nation. This marked the first time Washington students participated in NAEP science testing in grade four.
Eighth graders in Washington took the science NAEP in 1996 and again in 2005. Scale scores improved four points to 154 in 2005. This score is significantly higher than the national score of 147 for public school students. A greater percent of Washington's eighth-grade students scored at or above Basic in comparison to the national average: 66 percent and 57 percent, respectively. The results for Washington in 2005 also marked a significant improvement over those earned in 1996.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson said results from the NAEP provide additional information the state can use to gauge the academic progress Washington students are making.
"NAEP is widely recognized as setting a very tough measure of what students should know and be able to do," she continued. "I want our students, their parents and teachers to know how proud I am of their performance on the NAEP. It isn't an easy test, and they did very well."
"In our own state, we have high expectations for the kind of scientific skills and knowledge we believe are critical for students to be able to apply to the world around them," Bergeson said. "The NAEP results help validate the information we get back from our own classroom and state assessments in science. We have a ways to go to ensure every student has the scientific awareness they need, but we are definitely on the right track."
Known as the Nation's Report Card, the NAEP is given in reading and math every other year as part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Other subjects such as science are assessed on a less regular basis.
The science NAEP was given to a small sample of students in each state and in United States territories and Department of Defense schools in early 2005. The National Assessment Governing Board recently approved the results from the 2005 test and approved their release to the participating states and the public.
The assessment is considered a "survey" because it measures the performance of a small number of students - generally 3,000 per grade level in Washington - and each student is only tested on a portion of the entire assessment. The performance of all students is then aggregated at the state level to provide an overall score for the state.
As a result, there are no individual student or district results available.
OSPI has created a report for both fourth- and eighth-grade results with additional detail about the performance of students by racial group and inclusion in special programs. To access these reports, visit OSPI's Web page about NAEP: http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/NAEP/Reports.aspx
More results from the Nation's Report Card are available by visiting http://nationsreportcard.gov.
About OSPI
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is the primary agency charged with overseeing K-12 education in Washington state. Led by State School Superintendent Dr. Terry Bergeson, OSPI works with the state's 296 school districts and nine Educational Service Districts to administer basic education programs and implement education reform on behalf of more than one million public school students. For more information, visit the OSPI Web site at http://www.k12.wa.us