|
 E-mail Story Print Friendly
Newsstate |
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
New Mexico Students Make Gains in Math
Associated Press
SANTA FE — New Mexico is one of 14 states where both elementary and middle school students made solid gains in math, according to national test results released Tuesday.
The national assessments, sometimes referred to as the nation's report card, also show that New Mexico's fourth-graders showed progress in reading from 2005 to 2007 while eighth-grade reading scores remained stable.
State Public Education Secretary Veronica Garcia said she was pleased to see increases in the scores.
"Our investments in such initiatives as school improvement, teacher quality and professional development are paying dividends,'' she said.
Nationally, math scores were up for fourth- and eighth-graders at every step on the achievement ladder.
In reading, national fourth-grade scores were higher than they were two years ago. But eighth-grade reading scores only moved up a little.
The national assessments were administered last winter. New Mexico students from 244 public schools in 62 districts took the math and reading tests.
The percentage of eighth-graders who were proficient or better in reading dropped from 19 percent in 2005 to 17 percent in 2007. But the results also showed that the number of students who could do at least basic-level work remained steady at 62 percent.
The number of fourth-graders who were proficient or better in reading increased from 20 percent in 2005 to 24 percent in 2007. They also improved in math, jumping from 19 percent in 2005 to 24 percent in 2007.
Seventeen percent of New Mexico eighth-graders tested proficient or better in math, an improvement from 14 percent in 2005.
State education officials said New Mexico also was among four states to show significant increases for Hispanic fourth-graders in reading. The number of Hispanic students scoring at the basic level and above in both reading and math also increased from 2005 to 2007.
While the results show most student groups making gains, Garcia noted there wasn't a significant change in the achievement gap. She said that underscores the need to focus even more on low performing groups.
Copyright ©2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.