NAEP Study Shows Wide Range in Where States Set Bar for Student Proficiency

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- States vary widely in where they set their
student proficiency standards in 4th and 8th grade reading and mathematics,
according to a new report released today by the National Center for Education
Statistics. The report compares proficiency standards of states using the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) as the common metric.

"The study gives policymakers, educators and parents a way to view state
proficiency standards using a common yardstick," said John Q. Easton, Director
of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). "It shows that a student seen
as proficient in one state might be seen as not proficient in another."

The report, Mapping State Proficiency Standards onto NAEP Scales: 2005-2007,
uses NAEP to provide context for understanding the relative stringency of
state standards given that each state has its own assessment system and
standards for proficiency. The study compared the range of state standards in
both 2005 and 2007 and measured changes in the rigor of state proficiency
standards when new state standards were set after key aspects of the state
assessment system changed.

According to NCES Acting Commissioner Stuart Kerachsky, "NAEP's unique role in
providing comparable state-by-state results makes it valuable in helping us
understand the relative stringency of state standards." This study compared
state standards for proficiency to scores on the NAEP scale by translating the
point at which a state's students were deemed proficient on the state
assessment to a point on the NAEP scale. That point, or the NAEP equivalent
score, puts all states on a common scale, and helps identify a state's
proficiency standard in relation to other states.

Results for at least 47 states are included in the study. The range of state
standards was wide in the four comparisons made in the study: 4th and 8th
grade reading and mathematics. This research report shows that states have
widely different criteria for what is proficient performance.

Using NAEP achievement levels as a reference point for understanding the
stringency of state standards, most were within the NAEP Basic achievement
level range, except in 4th grade Reading, where most were below NAEP's Basic
level. Overall, only two states set standards within the NAEP Proficient
achievement level.

However the results in the report need to be understood from a state context,
said Lou Fabrizio, Director of Accountability, Policy & Communications in
North Carolina and a member of the National Assessment Governing Board.

"NAEP and states approach proficiency differently," Fabrizio said. "For most
states, proficiency means students are performing at grade level. For NAEP,
proficiency means competency over challenging subject matter."

In the report, the NAEP achievement levels were used only to provide context
for understanding the rigor of state standards. NCES makes no claim that NAEP
achievement levels should be preferred over those of the states.

There were between 12 and 18 states, depending on the grade and subject, which
reported changes between 2005 and 2007 in their state testing system. In many
cases, the changes did not result in significant changes to the state standard
for proficiency. However, of those states that made significant changes in
their standards, there were more instances of lower, or less challenging
standards, than higher ones.

Of the grade/subject changes in state standards:
-- 12 states increased standards;
-- 20 made no significant change; and,

-- 26 decreased.

Comparisons were made between the changes in state assessment results and
changes in NAEP scores. In most cases, the changes in state assessment
achievement were confirmed by NAEP.

The study examined state standards in 4th and 8th grade reading and
mathematics using data from the 2006-2007 state assessments and from the 2007
NAEP assessments. This research study does not reflect changes states may have
made to their performance standards after 2007.

NAEP, often called the Nation's Report Card, is the only nationally
representative assessment of student progress. All states are required under
No Child Left Behind to participate in NAEP's 4th and 8th grade Reading and
Mathematics assessments. Students in every state take the same assessment and
are measured by the same standard, providing a way to measure and compare
state results in any given year and over time.

This report is part of an NCES research series that presents results or
discussions that may involve developmental techniques and may not reach
definitive conclusions.

The full text of the report is available at:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies/statemapping/index.

NCES is the statistical center of the Institute of Education Sciences in the
U.S. Department of Education. IES' mission is to provide rigorous evidence on
which to ground education practice and policy.

SOURCE National Center for Education Statistics

Tracy Dell'Angela, +1-202-219-1412, or Arnold Goldstein, +1-202-502-7344, both
of National Center for Education Statistics