November 15, 2006
State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Comments
on NAEP Urban District Science Assessment
SACRAMENTO — The National Assessment of Educational Progress today released the results of the 2005 Trial Urban District Assessment of grades 4 and 8 in Science, which tested students from Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland and Houston. State Superintendent Jack O'Connell today released the following statement on the results:
"These results offer a sobering look at student achievement in science in two of California's largest school districts. While the NAEP assessments are not aligned to California's content standards in science, particularly in grade 8, the test does measure many of the fundamentals taught in our science classrooms. Clearly, as we enter a technology driven global economy, science is more important than ever and the proficiency levels measured by this assessment are unacceptably low.
"It is significant that the two California districts serve and tested a higher proportion of English learners than any of the other districts, with Los Angeles the highest (55 percent of 4th graders and 33 percent of 8th graders) and San Diego testing the second-highest percentage of English learners (35 percent of 4th graders and 21% of 8th graders). A high percentage of those English learners are also socioeconomically disadvantaged.
"For the sake of these children and for the future of our state, however, it is imperative that we view this information not as reason to excuse low achievement but as a call to do a better job in preparing our English learners and disadvantaged students to succeed in the demanding world they face.
"I applaud both school districts for participating in this assessment, which will help policymakers focus and target resources to the areas of greatest need. Clearly, there is a need for more, high quality professional development for teachers in science, and for teaching English learners the fundamental skills in English they need to be successful in all subject areas."
For more information, go to on NAEP [http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/] (Outside Source).
# # # #
Attachment
Background Notes on Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA)
- This was the first Science assessment for the TUDA districts. State level science data was collected in 1996, 2000, and 2005
- A sample of approximately 1000-2000 students participated in each district
- The scores are reported on a 300 point scale
- The participating districts were: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Diego.
- For both grades 4 and 8, students in the TUDA districts performed below the national average for all students.
- For both grades 4 and 8, TUDA district students performed as well as students in large central cities nation wide.
- At both grades 4 and 8, gaps between the national average and the TUDA districts were narrower when the comparison was based on low income students.
For Los Angeles
- Los Angeles had the highest proportion of English learners in both grades four (55%) and grade 8 (33%)
- Los Angeles grade 4 students were 85% low income, and 91% non-white
- Overall, the average scale score for L.A. in grade 4 (126) was no different from the averages for Cleveland and Chicago, and significantly lower than the remaining districts. This was also true for low income students average scale scores.
- Los Angeles grade 8 students' average scale score (121) was higher than that for Atlanta (117), no different from those in Chicago and Cleveland, and lower than the remaining districts. Analysis for low-income students showed L.A. higher than Atlanta, and about the same as Chicago, Charlotte and San Diego, with the remaining districts significantly higher.
- When examining scores for English learners, the average for grade 4 students in Los Angeles (115) were higher than those for English learners in New York (102), and Chicago (107), no different than those for Boston Charlotte and Sand Diego: and lower than those for Austin (124), and Houston (127).
- For grade 4 students that were not English-learners, Los Angeles students' average scale score (137), was higher than for Atlanta (133), Chicago (129) and Cleveland (129); lower than Austin (155), Charlotte (147), Houston (144), and San Diego (148), and not significantly different from New York or Boston.
- For grade 8 English-learners the average scale score in Los Angeles (97) was lower than those for Charlotte (115) and Houston (105), and no different than the remaining districts.
- For grade 8 students that were not English learners, the average scale score for Los Angeles (133).were higher than those for Atlanta, Cleveland, and Chicago; lower than Austin, Charlotte, and San Diego; and no different from those of Boston, Houston and New York.
For San Diego
- San Diego had the second highest proportion of English learners in both grade 4 (35%), and grade 8 (21%)
- San Diego grade 4 students were 61% low income and 77% non-white
- Overall, the average scale score for San Diego in grade 4 (138) was higher than those for Boston (133), Atlanta (133), Cleveland (128), Chicago (126) and Los Angeles (126): no different from those of Houston and New York; and lower than those for Charlotte (145) and Austin (147).
- Overall, the average scale score for San Diego in grade 8 (136) was higher than those for Boston (131), Atlanta (117), Cleveland (122), Chicago (124), Houston (130), New York (128) and Los Angeles (121): and lower than those for Charlotte (145) and Austin (147).
- When examining scores for English learners, the average for grade 4 students in San Diego (117) were higher than those for English learners in Chicago (107), New York (102); lower than that for Houston (127): and not significantly different from the remaining districts.
- For San Diego grade 4 students that were not English-learners, their average scale score (148) was higher than those for Atlanta (133), Boston (135), Chicago (129), Cleveland (129), Los Angeles (137) and New York137); lower that that of Austin (155); and not significantly different from Charlotte and Houston.
- For San Diego grade 8 English learners their average scale score (100), was lower than that for Charlotte (115), and not significantly different from the remaining districts. For students in San Diego that were not English learners, their average scale score (144) was lower than those in Austin (149), no different from those in Charlotte (144), and higher than all of the remaining districts.
