State Test Scores in Reading and Mathematics Continue To Increase, Achievement Gaps Narrow Since 2002

A multi-year study designed to report on the effects of the much maligned 2002 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has determined that students achieved moderate to large gains on state tests in math and reading. The study also concluded that achievement gaps between white students and minorities narrowed, with significant reduction for the African American community and low income groups.

The study was conducted by the non-partisan Center On Education Policy over a 2 year period. Results of the report were released on June 24th yet few major newspapers bothered to mention the news. (all emphasis mine)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 24, 2008 – Student scores on state tests of reading and mathematics have risen since 2002, and achievement gaps between various groups of students have narrowed more often than they have widened, according to the most comprehensive and rigorous recent analysis of state test scores. These improvements have occurred during a period when the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), state education reforms, and local school improvement efforts have focused on raising test scores and narrowing achievement gaps.

It is of little surprise that the mainstream media glossed over the CEP press release considering that the results of this study contradict the MSM narrative that was literally culled from the talking points that Democrats have been using as an election issue practically since the bipartisan law was enacted. A large chunk of the narrative is centered around many myths that unfortunately are still being reported by many in the media today.

Not all left of center newspapers have towed the line on the Democrat narrative knocking NCLB. To its credit the Washington Post carried an editorial from Chester E. Finn Jr. dispelling 5 of the most commonly repeated myths that are repeated by politician and reporter alike. Mr. Finn is a former Assistant Secretary at the Department of Education, a fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and former Democrat that worked in the Nixon White House. He was instrumental in lobbying for a national testing standard with an emphasis on proficiency.

Myths aside, what really should be of interest to supporters of education reform is improvements based on hard data that would not even be available if NCLB changes weren't enacted in the first place.

For instance the CEP reported the following 5 conclusions based on their analysis of the data.

Main Conclusions

1. Since 2002, reading and math achievement on state tests has gone up in most states according to the percentages of students scoring at the proficient level. Gains tended to be larger at the elementary and middle school grades than at the high school level. Achievement has also risen in most states according to effect sizes. These findings are drawn from states with at least three years of comparable test data.

2. Trends in reading and math achievement on NAEP have generally moved in the same positive direction as trends on state tests, although gains on NAEP tended to be smaller than those on state tests. The exception to the broad trend of rising scores on both assessments occurred in grade 8 reading, where fewer states showed gains on NAEP than on state tests, especially in terms of effect sizes.

3. In states with sufficient data to determine achievement gap trends on state tests, gaps have narrowed more often than they have widened since 2002, particularly for African American students and low-income students. Gap trends were also largely positive for Latino students, but this finding is less conclusive because in many states the Latino subgroup has changed significantly in size in recent years.On the whole, percentages proficient and effect sizes revealed similar trends of narrowing or widening, although percentages proficient gave a more positive picture of achievement gap trends than effect sizes.

4. Gaps on NAEP have also narrowed more often than they have widened in states with sufficient data to determine gap trends. The exception was in grade 8 math, where gaps on NAEP widened more often than they narrowed for most subgroups. In general, NAEP results painted a less positive picture of progress in narrowing gaps than state tests did.

5. It is impossible to determine the extent to which these trends in test results have occurred because of NCLB. Since 2002,many different but interconnected policies and programs have been undertaken to raise achievement—some initiated by states or school districts and others implemented in response to federal requirements. Moreover, all public school students have been affected by NCLB, so there is no suitable comparison group of students to show what would have happened without NCLB.

To be sure there is plenty of room for improvement. The CEP notes that it can not determine whether or not gains can be exclusively attributed to NCLB or if a combination of factors played part. They make this claim based on the fact that all public schools have been affected by NCLB, thus surmising that there is no control group that can be used for comparison.

The authors of the report seem to go to great lengths to undermine the possibility that NCLB is a factor in the gains although they state they can not make a determination one way or another; which is a shame because that is partially what the study was designed to do. They also undermine the concept that tests are a good indicator of improvement with a blanket statement that test are not synonymous with achievement. This is a silly statement to make and calls into question the objectivity of the study authors IMHO. Of course tests are not all encompassing but well designed tests can certainly determine deficiencies across groups and can help ascertain a student's general grasp of the subjects being tested on in addition to the ability of teachers to teach students the core concepts of math and reading.

Chester Finn explained this concept succinctly in his WAPO article where he commented on the validity of standardized testing.

Teachers' animus toward standardized testing has many roots, chief among them the grueling weeks of preparation and exams that they and their students endure every year. But the accountability made possible by standardized testing isn't all bad. If the test is an honest measure of a solid curriculum, then teaching kids the skills and knowledge they need to pass it is honorable work. Just ask any Advanced Placement teacher.

It does a bit of a disservice to undermine one's own study by mentioning other factors that may or may not have helped boost the results; especially when, by your own admission, it is impossible to determine. None of that should detract from the fact that the reforms implemented under NCLB did in fact precede positive achievements. It is hard to argue that the act had the detrimental sky is falling down affect that many have been reporting for years in light of such gains.

One major question remaining is whether or not this new news will replace or even soften the current narrative. I myself am a skeptic. Considering that it is an election year and a certain favorite of the MSM has been bashing NCLB for some time now it doesn't take any sort of educational reform to give anyone the ability to add up the chances of that happening.

Terry Trippany is the editor and publisher of Webloggin.