The following highlights from national reports on Nebraska's K-12 public schools are intended to give readers a broader perspective of how Nebraska schools are doing. Our goal is to summarize the highlights of national studies and to provide links to the full reports. The summaries will be displayed for at least one calendar year and then placed in the website's archives.
Nebraska fourth and eighth graders continued to outscore their peers across the country on the 2005 mathematics and reading tests, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress scores released today.
“ Nebraska teachers continue to focus on strong math and reading curriculum at all grade levels, and it is paying off in our national test results,” said NAEP coordinator Dottie Heusman. “Our kids are improving. Nebraska teachers should be very proud.”
The significant changes included Nebraska fourth grade Hispanic students scoring significantly higher in mathematics compared to their performance two years earlier. However, while the performance of black students remained the same or higher in some areas, their scores dropped significantly on the fourth grade reading test compared to two years ago.
The results also showed fewer Nebraska students scoring at the lowest level, below basic. Compared to two years ago, 2 percent more fourth grade reading and eighth grade mathematics students and 3 percent more eighth grade reading students improved to a higher level of achievement. “These results show that we have work to do, even though, overall, Nebraska students score higher than other students across the country,” Heusman said.
Here are the details:
NAEP tests were administered to a sampling of students in randomly selected schools beginning in January.
Additional information on NAEP scores is available at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states/
Nebraska seniors continued to outscore their peers across the country this year on the ACT college entrance exam, and the state ranked first among those state’s with 70 percent or more of their students tested.
Nebraska ’s ACT score increased from 21.7 to 21.8 this year, higher than the national average score of 20.9.
Education Commissioner Doug Christensen congratulated Nebraska teachers for the performance of their students. “When three of every four of our seniors take the exam and continue to outscore their peers nationally, Nebraska students and their teachers should be applauded,” Christensen said.
Overall, 76 percent or 16,220 Nebraska seniors took the ACT, which means that a large percentage of Nebraska’s seniors are well prepared for college and the workforce. Typically, the average score drops when the number of students taking the test grows, yet Nebraska seniors continued to score significantly higher than their peers nationally.
The 2004-2005 ACT scores were released today to the public.
Two of every three Nebraska high school seniors who took the ACT completed the college preparatory program offered at their high school. That program typically consists of four years of English and at least three years of math, social studies and natural science coursework. In Nebraska, 67 percent of the high school graduates enrolled in those courses and scored on the average 22.6 on the ACT. Those students taking less than the core courses scored lower, 19.9 on average, showing the importance of students completing the core coursework in high school.
Additional information on the performance of Nebraska seniors and those in other states is available on ACT’s website at: www.act.org.
ACT scores released today show the number of Nebraska high school graduates receiving a perfect 36 has increased significantly.
In the past two years, 11 Nebraska graduates received perfect ACT scores, a significant increase compared to three perfect scores in the previous two years and a total of seven over the past three years.
The following five-year trend data show the increase in perfect scores since Nebraska schools began assessing student achievement on state standards:
YEARS |
GRADUATES RECEIVING A PERFECT SCORE |
2000 |
4 |
2001 |
2 |
2002 |
1 |
2003 |
6 |
2004 |
5 |
Nebraska Education Commissioner Doug Christensen attributed the increase to the hard work of teachers and administrators who have focused on meeting state standards and implemented school and classroom-based assessments over the past five years.
Other evidence that the schools’ focus on standards and assessment is improving student achievement is the number of students scoring a near perfect or perfect score — a 34, 35 or 36 — has increased significantly the past two years, with 191 students receiving near perfect or perfect scores, more than the total for the previous three years. Here are the scores:
YEARS |
GRADUATES RECEIVINGA NEAR-PERFECT OR PERFECT SCORE |
2000 |
61 |
2001 |
67 |
2002 |
59 |
2003 |
102 |
2004 |
89 |
“These preliminary results tell us that we need to stay the course, to keep our eyes focused on growing the number of students achieving at the highest levels even more,” Christensen said, noting the outstanding results for all Nebraska graduates, considering the high percentage taking the ACT.
The 2004 ACT scores released nationally today showed that 77 percent of all Nebraska high school graduates took the ACT exam, an increase from 73 percent the previous year. And Nebraska graduates outscored their peers by earning an average 21.7 score, compared to 20.9 nationally.
Nebraska tied for the 13th highest composite score. Nebraska’s score represents the academic skills of three of every four high school graduate in 2004, considering that 77 percent of the state’s graduates were tested compared to 40 percent nationally. Nebraska ranked first nationally among those states with 70 percent or more of their graduates tested.
Additional information on the performance of Nebraska seniors and those in other states is available on ACT’s website at: www.act.org.
Nebraska 4th and 8th graders continued to outscore their peers across the country on the 2003 national math and reading tests, according to National Assessment of Educational Progress scores released today.
Nebraska students showed marked improvement with 79 percent of the 4th graders and 74 percent of the 8th graders scoring at passing or better in math.
Even though Nebraska reading scores continue to rank higher than the national average, 4th grade scores were in effect flat. Eighth grade scores of Nebraska students and those across the country had a slight downturn.
Fourth grade math students improved significantly at all performance levels and the percentage of special education students taking the tests doubled, increasing from 7 percent in 2000 to 15 percent in 2003. Fourth grade math scores jumped from 65 percent in 2000 to 79 percent this year.
Here are the details:
Seventy-nine percent passed, compared to 65 percent in 2000.
Seventy-four percent passed, the same as in 2000.
NAEP scores provide a snapshot of how a sampling of Nebraska 4th and 8th graders statewide scored in comparison to their peers in other states. NAEP scores are reported in three levels: Basic, Proficient and Advanced. Proficient is a high level of performance. Students were assessed between Jan. 27-March 7, 2003. At the 4th grade, 2,748 math students were tested and 2,673 were tested in reading. At the 8th grade, 2,469 math students were tested and 2,476 were tested in reading.
NAEP assessments were not designed to compare the results of state assessments used to measure student learning of state standards. With the passage of No Child Left Behind, federal legislation, NAEP has become a bi-annual assessment of reading and math. The assessments will be given again next year.
NAEP assesses the following five content areas in math:
For more information about the assessments visit the website: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states/
Nebraska ’s high school graduates continued to outscore their peers across the country on the ACT college entrance exam, according to ACT officials today.
Nebraska high school graduates in the spring of 2003 earned an overall average 21.7 score on the ACT exam, compared to a national average score of 20.8. Nebraska tied for the 13 th highest composite score. Students in 50 states and Washington, D.C. participated in the ACT.
Nebraska ’s score represents the academic skills of nearly three of every four high school graduates in 2003, not just the average score of a small percentage of the state’s best and brightest students. In the spring of 2003, 73 percent of Nebraska’s high school graduates took the ACT exam, compared to 40 percent nationally. Typically, the average state test score drops when the percentage of students taking the test increases.
Nebraska ranked first among the 12 states with a high percentage of students — 70 percent or more — taking the ACT exam. Maine and Oregon ranked at the top nationally with a 22.6 score, however, fewer students in those states took the ACT. In Maine, 6 percent of the graduates participated and 12 percent in Oregon.
“Year after year Nebraska students perform among the top students across the country. I am proud of our students, their teachers and our schools,” Education Commissioner Doug Christensen said. “As we begin a new school year, I want to encourage all students to take full advantage of their high school years by enrolling in the core classes so they are well prepared.”
Two of every three Nebraska high school students complete the core program, as defined by ACT. That includes four years of English and three years of math, social studies and natural science coursework. The percentage of Nebraska high school graduates enrolled in those courses was 67 percent, compared to 57 percent nationally.
Eighty-seven percent of Nebraska 4th graders and 88 percent of 8th graders passed the 2002 national writing test. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, was released today in Washington, D.C.
“We’re pleased that a high percentage ― 87 percent of our 4th graders and 88 percent of our 8th graders ― passed the national writing test by performing at basic or above,” Nebraska Education Commissioner Doug Christensen said, noting that statistically Nebraska 4th graders were seventh in the nation, tied with students in 19 other states. At 8th grade, Nebraska students were also seventh in the nation, tied with students in 12 other states and jurisdictions.
In addition to looking at the percentage of students passing the test and scoring at proficient or above and at advanced, the National Assessment of Educational Progress also groups states according to whether there was a statistical difference among scores. NAEP results showed six states having statistically higher scores than Nebraska 4th and 8th graders. Nebraska 4th graders scored higher than students in 22 states and tied with those in 19 states and jurisdictions. Eighth graders outscored students in 28 states and tied with those in 12 states.
Christensen said the 2002 national writing test results showed that Nebraska schools must continue to work to close the achievement gap between white students and black and Hispanic students. Nebraska white students scored higher than black students and Hispanic students at both the 4th and 8th grade.
National test data also showed that Nebraska girls scored significantly higher on the 2002 writing test than their male classmates, a pattern that was repeated at the national level. In Nebraska, girls scored on average 20 points higher than boys at the 4th grade and 22 points higher at the 8th grade. NAEP officials said the pattern of girls scoring significantly higher than boys would be a subject of a national study to determine what factors might have influenced performance.
Here are the details based on student performance:
Here are the details based on state-by-state comparisons, according to NAEP data:
NAEP scores are based on a sampling of students tested. In Nebraska, 1,497 4th graders were tested and 2,222 8th graders.
Visit http://nces.ed.gov for additional results and detailed information.
Nebraska 8th grade students ranked second in the country on a national reading test and the state’s 4th graders ranked fourth in the nation, according to results from the 2002 National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Nebraska’s schools are closing the achievement gap between white students and their black and Hispanic classmates, according to NAEP results.
Nebraska Education Commissioner Doug Christensen said he was extremely pleased that the state’s students continued to score among the top students in the nation and that black and Hispanic students are scoring higher on national tests, closing the achievement gap with white students.
“This is good news for our state,” Christensen said. “The NAEP results tell us how Nebraska schools are doing compared to schools in all other states and some jurisdictions. It’s a success story. Our teachers and their students should be congratulated and recognized for their hard work.”
The 2002 NAEP reading scores for states were released today in Washington, D.C.
Here are the major findings:
The 2002 NAEP reading scores support the findings of other national comparisons, such as the ACT college entrance exam and standardized test results, which traditionally have placed Nebraska students among the top students in the country, Christensen said.
Visit http://nces.ed.gov for additional results and detailed information.
NEBRASKA'S GRADE: A for Participation
NEBRASKA'S GRADE: B for Preparation
Nebraska public schools received an A for participation –— the number of high school graduates enrolling in college –— and a B for the preparation of K-12 students for college.
According to this report card, Nebraska public school students standout in the following areas:
GRADE A: PARTICIPATION
GRADE B: PREPARATION
Measuring Up 2002 was published by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. The report is available at: www.highereducation.org
Nebraska’s 2002 high school graduates outscored their peers across the country on the ACT college entrance exam, continuing a 21-year trend of the state’s average ACT score outpacing the national average.
When compared to 12 other states with a high percentage – 70 percent or more – of their students taking the 2002 ACT test, Nebraska ranked first. That means that a large percentage of Nebraska students are well prepared for college and the work force. Typically, the average score drops when the number of students taking the test grows.
Nebraska high school graduates earned an average 21.7 score, compared to the national average of 20.8.
Nebraska's average score increased from 21.6 last year to 21.7 this year.
The state’s average ACT score was the 13th highest in the nation.
Nearly two of three Nebraska high schools graduates who took the ACT completed the college preparatory program offered at their high school. That program typically consists of four years of English and at least three years of math, social studies and natural science course work. Sixty-six percent of Nebraska's high school graduates enrolled in those courses, compared to 67 percent the previous year.
ACT's website: www.act.org
Nebraska public school 8th graders performed significantly higher than their peers on the 2000 national science test, according to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results released Nov. 20, 2001. Nebraska 8th graders posted an average score of 157 compared to the national average of 149.
Nebraska public school 4th graders scored slightly higher than their peers with an average score of 150 compared to a national average of 148. The difference between the 4th grade state and national averages, however, was not statistically different, according to NAEP, which is also known as the Nation’s Report Card.
The NAEP state assessment in science was first administered to public school students at grade 8 in 1996 and was expanded to include students at grade 4 as well as grade 8 in 2000. The NAEP science scale ranges from 0 to 300. At grade 4, 40 states and 5 jurisdictions participated in the 2000 NAEP science test. At grade 8, 39 states and 5 jurisdictions participated.
Highlights from the 2000 NAEP science results include:
- The percentage of Nebraska 8th graders scoring proficient or above was 36 percent compared to 30 percent nationally.
- The percentage of 8th graders proficient or above increased this year by 1 percent compared to 1996 results.
- Eighth graders in three states – Ohio, Massachusetts and Montana – scored higher than Nebraska students. Nebraska 8th graders outscored students in 24 states or jurisdictions. Their scores were not significantly different from students in 14 states or jurisdictions.
- The percentage of Nebraska 4th graders scoring proficient or above was 26 percent compared to 28 percent nationally.
- Nebraska 4th grade scores were higher than those of students in 14 states or jurisdictions and not significantly different from those in 14 states.
For more information visit the National Center for Education Statistics web site at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard
This analysis compares each state's scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) with achievement in top-scoring states "dubbed frontier states" for poor and minority students. The analysis by The Education Trust reveals that achievement gaps in many states would shrink dramatically "and in some cases disappear" if poor and minority students in those states reached the same levels of academic achievement as do their counterparts in top performing "frontier states".
This analysis showed:
The Education Trust analysis is available at: www.edtrust.org.
NEBRASKA'S GRADES:
SCIENCE STANDARDS A-B
SOCIAL STUDIES/HISTORY STANDARDS C
The following highlights were reported in the Education Commission of the States' January 2001 report called: "How Ready are States to Implement President Bush’s Education Plan?"ECS based its ratings on two sources that periodically evaluate the quality of state standards — the Fordham Foundation and the American Federation of Teachers.
The full report is available at: www.ecs.org
The Education Week report on school technology ranked Nebraska:
The report is available at: www.edweek.org.
MATHEMATICS
SCIENCE
TEACHERS
TECHNOLOGY
READING
Education Week reports are available at: www.edweek.org.
In 1998, Nebraska ranked:
This study by Tom Mortenson, Postsecondary Education Opportunity and U.S. Department of Education/NCES, is available at tom@postsecondary.org.