Florida Students Outshine Students in Large Mega-States

Thursday, February 21, 2013

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Florida Students Outshine Students in Large Mega-States

Tallahassee, Fla., February 21, 2013 - Florida fourth- and eighth-grade students outperformed their peers in reading and mathematics according to a new National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report that analyzed student performance over two decades in the five most heavily-populated states in the country. The study compares Florida with California, Texas, New York, and Illinois, as well as with the nation. Florida has made some of the greatest learning gains in both mathematics and reading, especially when compared to the other large states.

"These learning gains demonstrate Florida's teachers and principals are doing an increasingly better job of educating our children, particularly those student populations that have been underserved in the past," said Commissioner of Education Dr. Tony Bennett. "They also confirm there is still work to do. Florida must continue to be data-driven as we work to support teachers in developing the next set of solutions."

Florida gained 16 points on the grade four NAEP reading scale score from 1992 to 2011, leading all the other Mega-States and the nation. Florida eighth graders also fared well in reading, increasing 8 points from 1998 to 2011 and highest of the Mega-States.

Florida fourth graders picked up steam in mathematics as well with a 26-point gain from 1992-2011, while the national average rose 22 points. Florida's 23-point increase in eighth-grade math was above the national average, second to Texas and tied statistically with Illinois and New York.

Florida's fourth-grade Hispanic students scored at or above Proficient on NAEP reading in 2011, the highest percentage of the five Mega-States.

Additionally, 27 percent of Florida eighth-grade Hispanic students scored at or above Proficient in NAEP reading, higher than the national average of 18 percent.

The NAEP report on the five Mega-States looked at proficiency in science in addition to reading and mathematics, but science performance information is not available for the same time period as it is for reading and mathematics. The NAEP science test was given to fourth graders in 2009 and eighth graders in 2009 and 2011. In 2009, Florida's fourth graders had a higher scale score than the nation and the other Mega-States. In 2011, 26 percent of Florida's eighth-grade science students in city schools scored at or above Proficient; only Texas was higher. Florida's Hispanic eighth graders scored higher than other eighth graders in science as well, with 24 percent of students scoring at or above Proficient.

All of this progress has taken place in a state that is defined by its cultural and socioeconomic diversity. Florida schools serve the third-largest population of English language learners in the nation. In 2010, more than one-third of the nation's public school students attended school in the Mega-States, which now serve more than half of the nation's English language learners, as well as some of the largest concentrations of children from lower-income families.

Florida also has the highest percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price school lunches of the five Mega-States. As policymakers and educators look at the nation's changing demographics and explore ways to close achievement gaps, the educational progress of children in these five states is of interest far beyond their state borders.

For more information about Florida's performance in the NAEP Mega-States report, visit www.nationsreportcard.gov.

*Illinois did not participate or did not meet the minimum participation guidelines or reporting at the state level prior to 2003