|
South Dakota fares well
on national science test
South Dakota’s fourth- and eighth-grade students scored above
the national average on the recently released National
Assessment of Educational Progress science results. This was the
first time that South Dakota took the science portion of the
NAEP, which is commonly referred to as the “Nation’s Report
Card.”
Students nationwide took the NAEP in early
2005. Administered to a random sample of approximately 3,000
students per grade in South Dakota, the test consists of both
multiple-choice questions and constructed response exercises. It
covers three major areas: Physical Science, Earth Science and
Life Science. The scaled score range is 1 to 300.
South Dakota’s fourth-grade students
earned a composite score of 158 on the NAEP science test,
compared to the national average of 149. South Dakota’s 158 was
the third-highest score in the nation, a score shared with three
other states.
Eighth-grade students in South Dakota
earned a composite score of 161, compared to the national
average of 147. Again, South Dakota’s score of 161 was the
third-highest score in the nation, an honor shared with one
other state.
Male students at both grade levels scored
slightly higher than female students. At the fourth-grade level,
males scored 161 and females scored 155. At the eighth-grade
level, males scored 164 and females scored 158.
South Dakota’s Native American students
scored the same as their counterparts nationally. However, their
average at both grade levels was lower than the state average.
At fourth-grade, the composite score for Native American
students was 135. At the eighth-grade level, it was 133.
"While
we are pleased to know that our students stack up well against
their peers around the nations, we do have some work to do,"
said Dr. Rick Melmer, secretary of the South Dakota Department
of Education. "Efforts such as the 2010 Education Initiative,
which calls for more rigorous graduation requirements, senior
projects, mandatory attendance to age 18 and a stronger emphasis
on Native American education, should help us do that."
To view the complete NAEP science results,
visit
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/.
| 
