The U.S. Department of Education released its biennial “National Assessment of Educational Progress” for math on Wednesday, and Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) analysis shows that Connecticut’s achievement gap between poor students and their wealthier peers remains the largest in the country, though it decreased slightly from 2007.

Click here to download 2009 state achievement gap rankings.

Click here to download 2009 state low-income student rankings.

“Two years ago we said that it was past time to make closing the achievement gap Connecticut’s top priority,” said Alex Johnston, ConnCAN Chief Executive Officer. “Well, as a state we hit the snooze button and now our second wake-up call is here. Our state leaders have an opportunity to use the Race to the Top to finally close our appalling achievement gap.”

Race to the Top is the highly coveted competitive grant program included in President Obama’s multibillion-dollar American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. At stake is $4.35 billion – the largest amount of discretionary funding ever allocated for education reform – to reward states that aggressively reform their education systems.

NAEP results show that Connecticut is 50th out of 50 states for the achievement gap between poor and non-poor students in both fourth and eighth grade math, the two grades tested.
• The gap between poor and non-poor students on the fourth grade math test is 2.79 grade levels, down slightly from 2.95 grade levels in 2007.

• The gap between poor and non-poor students on the eighth grade math test is 3.41 grade levels, down slightly from 3.61 grade levels in 2007.

Connecticut’s racial and ethnic gaps also remained close to the bottom of the pack, including a worst-in-the-nation gap between eight grade Hispanic and white students.
• The gap between African American and white students on the fourth grade math test is 3.08 grade levels: 40th out of 44 states.

• The gap between African American and white students on the eighth grade math test is 3.67 grade levels: 35th out of 42 states.

• The gap between Hispanic and white students on the fourth grade math test is 2.61 grade levels: 42nd out of 45 states.

• The gap between Hispanic and white students on the eighth grade math test is 3.43 grade levels: 44th out of 44 states.

Overall scores were a brighter spot for Connecticut.
• Connecticut ranked 8 out of 50 states for fourth grade math, compared with 16th in 2007.

• Connecticut ranked 10th out of 50 states for eighth grade math, compared to 29th in 2007.

But overall rankings for Connecticut’s poor, African American and Hispanic students remained dismal.
• Connecticut’s poor students, defined as those who receive free or reduced-price lunch, ranked 39th out of 50 states for fourth grade math.

• Connecticut’s poor students ranked 38th out of 50 states for eighth grade math.

• Connecticut’s African American students ranked 26th out of 44 states for fourth grade math.

• Connecticut’s African American students ranked 22nd out of 42 states for eighth grade math.

• Connecticut’s Hispanic students ranked 33rd out of 46 states for fourth grade math.

• Connecticut’s Hispanic students ranked 35th out of 44 states for eighth grade math.

NAEP, commonly referred to as the “Nation’s Report Card,” was created by Congress in 1969 and is overseen by the U.S. Department of Education. Administered every two years to fourth, eighth, and twelfth graders in math and reading, and at six-year intervals in other subjects, NAEP provides a common yardstick that allows for side-by-side comparisons of student academic achievement from different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, and between students from different states. Fourth and eighth grade results are released for all 50 states, while twelfth grade results are released only on the national level. View the full results at: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/.

The 2009 NAEP mathematics and reading assessments were administered in all 50 states between January and March of 2009 to students in the fourth and eighth grade. Close to 170,000 fourth grade students and 160,000 eighth-grade students participated in the math assessment. They were assessed in five areas: number properties and operations; measurement; geometry; data analysis, statistics, and probability; and algebra.

Reading and science were also assessed, but results will be not be released until 2010.
 

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The Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) is an advocacy organization building a new movement of concerned Connecticut citizens working to create fundamental change in our education system. To learn more visit: www.conncan.org.