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Tests Reveal WV Public Schools Deserve an F (Nation’s Report Card 2017)

By Karl C. Priest April 16, 2018 (revised 4-24-18)

Note: Information for any state can be obtained from the links in this article.

REPORT CARD GRADE = F

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the “Nation’s Report Card,” has revealed AGAIN that West Virginia public (i.e. government) schools students are (to be kind) not doing very well in reading and math. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is “a congressionally mandated project” (https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/assessments/) conducts testing in different subjects and is highly respected by educators. The foundational subjects of reading and math are tested every two years in grades four and eight. It is not just West Virginia that is failing. A US News & World Report report headline reads, NAEP Shows Little to No Gains in Math, Reading for U.S. Students. (https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2018-04-10/naep-shows-little-to-no-gains-in-math-reading-for-us-students)

This is not new! For the previous two NAEP reports see Nation’s Report Card 2015, Nation’s Report Card 2013, Nation’s Report Card 2011, and Nation’s Report Card 2009 for reading and math reports. The report for science is Nation’s Report Card 2012.

The liberal media will try to spin the reports with misleading headlines like US News & World Report did . Following are three versions of what should factually say “West Virginia Students Flunk Reading and Math Tests”.

Look at three headlines from West Virginia news sources along with snips from the articles and my comments (in red).

WV math, reading scores slightly improve on NAEP test 4-10-18
http://wvmetronews.com/2018/04/10/wv-math-reading-scores-slightly-improve-on-naep-test/
West Virginia’s average scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress have improved a bit. Fourth grade students in West Virginia who took the NAEP in 2017 showed slight improvements in reading and math, according to data released Tuesday by the National Center for Educational Statistics. NAEP is also referred to as The Nation’s Report Card. The tests are administered every other year. The data says more than 32 percent of students scored at or above proficiency in reading, which is up from 29.97 percent in 2015. Nearly 35 percent of students scored at or above proficiency in math, compared to 32.57 percent in 2015. West Virginia now ranks 37th in the nation for the number of fourth graders who scored at or above the proficiency level in reading. The state ranks 40th for the number of fourth graders who scored at or above the proficiency level in math.

“I know we will continue to see improvements among students as they receive consistent, high-quality standards,” State School Superintendent Dr. Steven Paine said in a news release. “I believe our students are on the right track in large part because our teachers are delivering our standards with high quality.,., Math scores continue to be a concern for West Virginia students. The percent of students at or above the proficiency level in math falls below the national average in both fourth and eighth grade. “Today’s release confirms what we already know – there is still work to be done, especially in the area of math,” Paine said. “These results reinforce the need to attract certified, high quality math teachers throughout the state.”

My comment: “Improved a bit” from lousy to not quite so lousy is nothing to be happy about. Dr. Paine’s comments are painfully tripe. The definition of “proficient” is below.

Math, reading scores below national average in West Virginia 4-10-18
http://wchstv.com/news/local/math-reading-scores-below-national-average-in-west-virginia
West Virginia fourth-grade students showed slight improvements in math and reading scores on the latest Nation's Report Card but remain below the national average…West Virginia fourth-grade students showed slight improvements in math and reading scores on the latest Nation's Report Card but remain below the national average. I n eighth grade, the average math score of 273 in West Virginia was up 2 points from 2015 but below the national average of 283. The average eighth-grade reading score fell slightly to 259, compared to the national average of 267.

My comment: “Slight improvements” is a more dignified way of saying “improved a bit.” An explanation of the scores is below.

WV math, reading scores flat on NAEP test; US largely same 4-10-18
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/education/wv-math-reading-scores-flat-on-naep-test-us-largely/article_fe891e46-3640-5fcc-ae38-ef506443a06d.html
West Virginia fourth- and eighth-grade public school students, broadly in line with the national trend, didn’t score significantly higher or lower on average in reading or math in 2017 than they did in 2015 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress…The NAEP, also dubbed The Nation’s Report Card, is the biggest nationally representative assessment of U.S. students. The National Center for Education Statistics, part of the U.S. Education Department, released the scores…Reading and math scores are on a 500-point scale.

My comment: “Broadly in line with the national trend” simply means that West Virginia students are performing as pathetically as other government school students across the county. Scale Scores are explained below.

The following headline is from the teacher union leader who comes across as a snake oil salesman. The “changing standards” that “tie down” teachers are simply the pie-in-the-sky gimmicks that I personally saw and listed as “ those who had spending power could purchase. There were Learning Packages, un-graded report cards, Curriculum Maps, various grouping methods, Cooperative Learning, New Math, Whole Language, State Standards, Curriculum Frameworks, Higher Order Thinking Skills, Inquiry Based Learning, Performance Outcomes, Learning Stations, Multiple Intelligences, Mastery Learning, Portfolio Assessment, Individualization, Discovery Learning, Hands On Learning, Collaborative Projects, Block Scheduling, Concept Maps, Curriculum Frameworks, Glasser Schools Without Failure, every new technology gimmick, and discipline strategies galore. I am sure there were more.” (http://www.insectman.us/misc/30-years-3-boxes.htm)

Mr. Lee claims teachers are the solution. His union constantly calls for more money for education while the state budget allocates 45.9% for education. See the chart at https://budget.wv.gov/reportsandcharts/appropriations/Documents/gr18app.pdf, In 2015 West Virginia spent $11,375 per pupil. At the West Virginia Department of Education website (datahttps://wvde.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017strategicplan.pdf), the latest figure is $11, 274.69.  If you don't notice the asterisk, you may think it is $4103.72. Other state totals are also listed at http://www.governing.com/gov-data/education-data/state-education-spending-per-pupil-data.html. The $11,274.69 amount is almost twice as much as what it costs to attend the Cross Lanes Christian School (http://www.crosslanes.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018-2019-TUITION-SHEET-for-Families-01-29-18.pdf) Other state totals are also listed at http://www.governing.com/gov-data/education-data/state-education-spending-per-pupil-data.html.

Without realizing the condemnation of the school system, Mr. Lee disclosed that there are a whole lot of uncertified teachers. I know that certification is meaningless, but in Mr. Lee’s world it is important and he admits that the system has not met its own standards.

Teacher leader urges return to basics for better math scores 4-13-18
http://wvmetronews.com/2018/04/13/teacher-leader-urging-return-to-basics-for-better-math-scores/
West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee says there’s not a teacher in the Mountain State that’s happy with the tests results released earlier this week that show the state’s 4th and 8th graders below the national average when it comes to proficiency in math…(He) said it’s a combination of things that has contributed to the lower scores starting with teachers being tied down with constantly changing standards and persistent testing. “They are practicing testing, doing benchmarking and everything else. You’re spending so much time in testing that you’re really not having the opportunity to cover the instruction that you need,” Lee said. “Give the teachers the time and the flexibility to cover the instruction and the material they need to cover… There’s a lot of things we can look at but the only way it’s going to be successful is that you go to the teachers who are dealing with it every day,” Lee said. “They are the experts in education. Give them the time and resources to figure it out and we’ll get this thing moving in the right direction.” Lee said there’s also a problem with the lack of certified teachers, 727 classrooms statewide, about 50 of those in elementary schools…The 10-year trend in the NAEP score in math and reading in West Virginia have shown virtually no improvement.

UNDERSTANDING THE NAEP REPORT

THOSE TESTED

For lots of graphics and information, go to this https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/, scroll down to reading or math, click the down arrow, and select State 2017 (Grade 4 or 8). Then click the state in the national map. Then click “ Learn more in the NAEP State Profile”.

Like national political polls, only a statistically significant amount of the total group is tested (polled) by the NAEP. About 2,300 West Virginia fourth and eighth graders took the test. (http://wvmetronews.com/2018/04/11/state-school-board-member-questions-passion-for-math-instruction/)

The NCES defines the terms:

population. In the case of NAEP, the population of interest is the entire collection of American students in public or private schools at grades 4, 8, or 12 (or in the case of the long-term trend assessments, at ages 9, 13, and 17 years). The small samples of students that NAEP selects for the assessment permit inferences about academic performance to be made for all school students at the three grade or age levels.

sample. A subset of a population whose characteristics are studied to gain information about the entire population. NAEP assesses a representative sample of students each year, rather than the entire population of students.

( https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/glossary.aspx)

ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS

The NCES explains achievement levels as:

performance standards that describe what students should know and be able to do. Results are reported as percentages of students performing at or above three achievement levels ( Basic, Proficient, and Advanced). Students performing at or above the Proficient level on NAEP assessments demonstrate solid academic performance and competency over challenging subject matter. It should be noted that the NAEP Proficient achievement level does not represent grade level proficiency as determined by other assessment standards (e.g., state or district assessments). See short descriptions of achievement levels for each assessment subject: https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/guides/scores_achv.aspx

The NCES defines the terms of the three NAEP achievement levels:

Basic. Denoting partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade assessed. NAEP also reports the proportion of students whose scores place them below the Basic achievement level.

Proficient. Representing solid academic performance for each grade assessed. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real-world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject matter.

Advanced. Denoting superior performance at each grade assessed. The cut scores determining each level are available with these descriptions.

Other related terms:

cut score. The minimum score required for performance at each NAEP achievement level .

achievement levels. Performance standards set by the National Assessment Governing Board that provide a context for interpreting student performance on NAEP, based on recommendations from panels of educators and members of the public. The levels, Basic , Proficient, and Advanced, measure what students should know and be able to do at each grade assessed. See each NAEP subject for a detailed description of what students should know and be able to do at each level at grade 4, 8, or 12.

achievement-level percentages. The percentage of students within the total population , or in a particular student group , who meet or exceed expectations of what students should know and be able to do. Specifically, it is the weighted percentage of students with NAEP composite scores that are equal to, or exceed, the achievement-level cut scores specified by the National Assessment Governing Board .

https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/glossary.asp

WEST VIRGINIA RESULTS

GRADE 4 READING In 2017, the average score of fourth-grade students in West Virginia was 217. This was lower than the average score of 221 for public school students in the nation.

GRADE 8 READING In 2017, the average score of eighth-grade students in West Virginia was 259. This was lower than the average score of 265 for public school students in the nation.

Grade 4 MATHEMATICS In 2017, the average score of fourth-grade students in West Virginia was 236. This was lower than the average score of 239 for public school students in the nation.

GRADE 8 MATHEMATICS In 2017, the average score of eighth-grade students in West Virginia was 273. This was lower than the average score of 282 for public school students in the nation.

West Virginia (WV) and nation (public) (NP) - reading grade 4

Percentage at or above Proficient: 2017

West Virginia (WV) and nation (public) (NP) - reading grade 8

Percentage at or above Proficient: 2017

Significant difference

West Virginia (WV) and nation (public) (NP) - mathematics grade 4

Percentage at or above Proficient: 2017

Significant difference

West Virginia (WV) and nation (public) (NP) - mathematics grade 8

Percentage at or above Proficient: 2017

Significant difference

The percentages of West Virginia students that were Below Basic:

Math 4 22% Math 8 32%
Reading 4 36% Reading 8 30%

SCORES EXPLAINED

The results are reported as Scale Scores which is a statistical method of consistently viewing test results. A detailed description is at https://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/RD_Connections16.pdf.

From the NCES:

When reviewing the results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), it is helpful to understand how student performance is reported. Since NAEP is not designed to report results for individual students or schools, it is not necessary for every student in the nation to take the assessment. Instead, NAEP is administered to a sample of students in grades 4, 8, and 12, who represent the student population of the nation, states, and districts.

Student performance on NAEP assessments is presented in two ways: 

1. Average scale scores represent how students performed on each assessment. Scores are aggregated and reported at the student group level for the nation, states, and districts. They can also be used for comparisons among states, districts, and student groups.

2. Achievement levels are performance standards that describe what students should know and be able to do. Results are reported as percentages of students performing at or above three achievement levels (Basic, Proficient, and Advanced). Students performing at or above the Proficient level on NAEP assessments demonstrate solid academic performance and competency over challenging subject matter. It should be noted that the NAEP Proficient achievement level does not represent grade level proficiency as determined by other assessment standards (e.g., state or district assessments).

Much more is at https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/guides/

READING SKILLS EXPLAINED BY NCES

NAEP reading achievement-level descriptions present expectations of student performance in relation to a range of text types and text difficulty and in response to a variety of assessment questions intended to elicit different cognitive processes and reading behaviors. The specific processes and reading behaviors mentioned in the achievement-level descriptions are illustrative of those judged as central to students' successful comprehension of texts. These processes and reading behaviors involve different and increasing cognitive demands from one grade and performance level to the next as they are applied within more challenging contexts and with more complex information. While similar reading behaviors are included at the different performance levels and grades, it should be understood that these skills are being described in relation to texts and assessment qu estions of varying difficulty.

The specific descriptions of what students at grades 4, 8, and 12 should know and be able to do at the Basic, Proficient, and Advanced reading achievement levels are presented below. NAEP achievement levels are cumulative; therefore, student performance at the Proficient level includes the competencies associated with the Basic level, and the Advanced level also includes the skills and knowledge associated with both the Basic and the Proficient levels. The cut score indicating the lower end of the score range for each level is noted in parentheses.

The achievement-level descriptions were updated in 2009 to reflect the new reading framework. Although the descriptions have been updated, the scale score cut points remain the same. Achievement-level descriptions for 1992-2007 are below.

https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/reading/scale.asp

Fourth-grade students performing at the Basic level should be able to locate relevant information, make simple inferences, and use their understanding of the text to identify details that support a given interpretation or conclusion. Students should be able to interpret the meaning of a word as it is used in the text.

Fourth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should be able to integrate and interpret texts and apply their understanding of the text to draw conclusions and make evaluations.

Fourth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should be able to make complex inferences and construct and support their inferential understanding of the text. Students should be able to apply their under-standing of a text to make and support a judgment.

Eighth-grade students performing at the Basic level should be able to locate information; identify statements of main idea, theme, or author’s purpose; and make simple inferences from texts. They should be able to interpret the meaning of a word as it is used in the text. Students performing at this level should also be able to state judgments and give some support about content and presentation of content.

Eighth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should be able to provide relevant information and summarize main ideas and themes. They should be able to make and support inferences about a text, connect parts of a text, and analyze text features. Students performing at this level should also be able to fully substantiate judgments about con-tent and presentation of content.

Eighth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should be able to make connections within and across texts and to explain causal relations. They should be able to evaluate and justify the strength of supporting evidence and the quality of an author’s presentation. Students performing at the advanced level also should be able to manage the processing demands of analysis and evaluation by stating, explaining, and justifying.

https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/reading/achieveall.asp

More details (and Grade 12 descriptors) are at https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/reading/achieve.aspx

MATH SKILLS EXPLAINED BY NCES

In mathematics, NAEP has created a scale ranging from 0–500 at grades 4 and 8 and a scale from 0–300 at grade 12, based on statistical procedures called Item Response Theory (IRT). IRT is a set of statistical procedures useful in summarizing student performance across a collection of test exercises requiring similar knowledge and skills. All NAEP subject-area scales are produced using these procedures. In 2005, the scale for grade 12 was changed to 0–300. The new mathematics framework for 2005 initiated minor changes at grades 4 and 8 and more substantial changes at grade 12. This means that trend may be maintained at the lower grades but a new trend line must be established at grade 12. To maintain consistency with past reporting of grade 4 and 8 results, the results since 2005 are reported on the 0–500 scale.

https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/mathematics/scale.aspx

Fourth-grade students performing at the Basic level should show some evidence of understanding the mathematical concepts and procedures in the five NAEP content area

Fourth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should consistently apply integrated procedural knowledge and conceptual understanding to problem solving in the five NAEP content areas.

Fourth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should apply integrated procedural knowledge and conceptual understanding to complex and nonroutine real-world problem solving in the five NAEP content areas.

Eighth-grade students performing at the Basic level should exhibit evidence of conceptual and procedural understanding in the five NAEP content areas. This level of performance signifies an understanding of arithmetic operations—including estimation—on whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and percents.

Eighth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should apply mathematical concepts and procedures consistently to complex problems in the five NAEP content areas.

Eighth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should be able to reach beyond the recognition, identification, and application of mathematical rules in order to generalize and synthesize concepts and principles in the five NAEP content areas.

https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/mathematics/achieve.aspx

More details (and Grade 12 descriptors) are at https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/mathematics/scale.aspx

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For lots of information about national testing see Education’s Armageddon.

Also see my articles “Down the Drain ” (2009), “Public School Systems are Neglecting Black Students, ” and “The Public School System is Broken” (2007). You will need to scroll down to find these articles.

More information about government schools is found at West Virginia News.

Also see my articles “Down the Drain” (2009), "Public School Systems are Neglecting Black Students,” “The Public School System is Broken” (2007) and "Taxpayers Get Tested" (2012). You need to scroll down to find these articles.