Connecticut Dead Last in Achievement Gap on 2007 ‘Nation’s Report Card’
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Results Reveal Across the Board Declines Compared to the Performance of Other States

Contact: Marc Porter Magee                          
Tel: 203-772-4017 x14
Cell: 203-586-9313
Email: marc.magee@conncan.org
                   
 Download the 2007 state achievement gap rankings.

 Download the 2007 state low-income student rankings.

Over the past two years, the results from the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) demonstrated that Connecticut had, on average, the largest achievement gap of all 50 states between poor and non-poor students. This fact has been a key driver of the discussion about the changes needed in Connecticut’s public schools.

Analysis by ConnCAN of the results from the 2007 NAEP released on September 25th reveals that this gap, already the worst in the nation, increased significantly over the past two years. (For complete results, visit: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/).

On the 2007 NAEP, Connecticut is 50th out of 50 states for the achievement gap between poor and non-poor students in fourth grade reading, fourth grade math, eighth grade reading and eighth grade math.

• The gap between poor and non-poor students on the fourth grade reading test increased from 3.3 grade levels to 3.8.
• The gap between poor and non-poor students on the fourth grade math test increased from 2.6 grade levels to 3.0.
• The gap between poor and non-poor students on the eighth grade reading test increased from 2.9 grade levels to 3.2.
• The gap between poor and non-poor students on the eighth grade math test declined from 3.7 grade levels to 3.6.

Connecticut’s racial and ethnic gaps also resulted in worse rankings on the achievement gap for seven of eight categories. Connecticut made gains against other states only in its African American/White eighth grade math gap, where its ranking climbed one spot from 37th to 36th.

At the same time, Connecticut’s overall level of performance compared to other states also declined, with particularly sharp declines in the rankings of the state’s poor and minority students compared to their peers across the country.

• Connecticut’s overall ranking was down in three of four categories, from 4th to 6th in fourth grade reading, from 9th to 16th in fourth grade math, and from 20th to 29th in eight grade math. It increased from 23rd to 13th in eighth grade reading.
•  Connecticut’s ranking for students who qualify for free and reduced price meals declined in all four categories, with its 8th grade math scores dropping five spots to 49th: the second lowest scores for poor students in the nation.
• Connecticut’s ranking for Hispanic students also declined in all four categories, with its eighth grade math scores dropping five spots to the fourth lowest scores for Hispanic students in the nation.
• Connecticut’s ranking for African American students declined in three of four categories (fourth grade reading, fourth grade math, and eighth grade math), but increased in eight grade reading six spots to 19th.

“It is very troubling to see children in Connecticut losing ground compared with students in other states across so many measures of academic performance when we already had the largest achievement gap in the nation,” said Alex Johnston, executive director of ConnCAN. “It is past time to make closing this achievement gap our state’s top priority.”

Mandated by Congress and overseen by the U.S. Department of Education, NAEP was created in 1969 and is commonly referred to as the “Nation’s Report Card.” 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 the academic achievement of students 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.

The 2007 NAEP mathematics and reading assessments were administered in all 50 states between January and March of 2007 to students in the fourth and eighth grade. More than 190,000 fourth grade students and 160,000 eight grade students participated in each assessment.

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For more information on the Connecticut’s performance on the 2007 NAEP, please call Marc Porter Magee at 203-586-9313 or email Marc at marc.magee@conncan.org.

The Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) is a statewide outreach, education, and research organization working to close Connecticut’s achievement gap. To learn more visit: www.conncan.org.