- Milwaukee students rank below average on national science test, By Erin Richards, February 24, 2011, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Among 17 urban school districts that participated in a national science assessment in 2009, Milwaukee students in fourth and eighth grades scored below the average performance of their respective peers attending public schools in other large cities, according to a new report. On the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also called the Nation’s Report Card, Milwaukee’s fourth-graders ranked 11th out of 17 urban districts based on the percentage of its children who scored at or above a basic level of science achievement. In eighth grade, Milwaukee ranked 13th out of 17 big-city districts based on the percentage of students who scored at or above basic. Basic is defined as having partial mastery of the material presented on the test, which featured questions about physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences…”
- Chicago students lag in science, By Joel Hood, February 24, 2011, Chicago Tribune: “A new national study on science proficiency indicates Illinois students are on par with their peers across the U.S., but Chicago students are lagging well behind counterparts in other large urban school districts. The findings were not surprising for Chicago Public Schools, whose students, on average, are also testing behind others in math and reading. Instead, as the district braces for yet another change in leadership under Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel, educators said the findings are a stark reminder of the challenges confronting CPS as it strives to prepare students for a global economy…”
- National science test news is mixed, By Ann Doss Helms, February 25, 2011, Charlotte Observer: “A national science exam shows Charlotte-Mecklenburg students outperforming counterparts in most urban districts but paints a bleak picture of any of the districts’ ability to prepare minority and low-income children for a science-oriented world. In CMS, fewer than 1 in 10 black and low-income eighth-graders rated proficient at science on the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress, which released results for 17 urban districts Thursday. Two-thirds of those students lacked even basic science skills, according to the test, known as ‘the nation’s report card.’ That was still better than most of the participating districts, which include such cities as Detroit, Chicago, New York City and Atlanta…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty