THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 18, 1994 TAG: 9408180525
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
The nation's students have taken a ``strong step forward'' in math and science, but are barely holding their own in reading and writing, the Education Department said Wednesday.
The findings by the National Assessment of Educational Progress reflect schools' increased emphasis on science and math since the 1983 ``Nation at Risk'' report warned of a ``rising tide of mediocrity'' in American schools.
Math and science achievement among students aged 9, 13 and 17 generally improved in the 1980s, after a period of decline during the previous decade. But students in 1992 were only at or slightly above where they were 20 years earlier.
``It's not adequate and we have a long way to go,'' Education Secretary Richard Riley acknowledged.
Reading achievement among 9-year-olds fell sharply during the 1980s, the report said. Writing achievement has essentially been stagnant, with the exception of a sharp increase among eighth-graders in 1990-1992. The department cautioned against reading too much into the increase, however, because its size was statistically unusual.
In Virginia, students in fourth, eighth and 11th grades scored well above national averages in math and science on standardized tests, results released by the state Department of Education showed.
On the science portion of the IOWA Tests of Basic Skills, for example, fourth graders scored higher than 69 percent of other students nationwide taking the test.
And the number of school systems in the Commonwealth offering advanced placement courses in 1993 exceeded all other Southern states, according to the Southern Regional Education Board.
The percentage of advanced students earning scores on placement tests high enough for college credit was greater than the national average - 65 percent in Virginia compared to 63 percent nationwide.
Virginia students also scored better than the national average on reading tests during the 1993-94 year. On the reading portion of the IOWA tests, for example, 11th-graders scored better than 56 percent of students nationwide. MEMO: Staff writer Jon Glass contributed to this report.
by CNB