Education think tanks and reformers have been abuzz today with
the release of NAEP (National Assessment of Educational
Progress) scores — also known as “The Nation’s Report Card.” The
biennial release charts student achievement in math and English
in fourth and eighth grades. (For an explainer on all things
NAEP, go here.) The 2011 stats showed slight improvement in math
across both levels, but reading scores among fourth-graders
remained stagnant. NAEP provides us the data, but officials do
not surmise causes or reasons for growth – or lack thereof.
That’s why we have eduwonks. Here’s what they had to say (in no
particular order): Mike Petrilli at the Fordham Institute
wonders whether Reading First could be attributed for some of
the gains seen in reading since the program’s implementation in
2004. Education Trust released a statement, drawing attention to
achievement gaps, which have not shown enough progress. They
also used the opportunity to push for some provisions not
currently included in the Harkin-En