Elementary and Secondary Education
Eighth Grade Science Proficiency: 2005
1st quartile
(43%–35%)
2nd quartile
(34%–31%)
3rd quartile
(29%–23%)
4th quartile
(22%–14%)
No data
Quartiles
| 1st Quartile (43%–35%) |
2nd Quartile (34%–31%) |
3rd Quartile (29%–23%) |
4th Quartile (22%–14%) |
No data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Connecticut | Arkansas | Alabama | Alaska |
| Idaho | Kentucky | Delaware | Arizona | District of Columbia |
| Massachusetts | Maine | Georgia | California | Iowa |
| Michigan | Missouri | Illinois | Florida | Kansas |
| Minnesota | New Jersey | Indiana | Hawaii | Nebraska |
| Montana | Oregon | Maryland | Louisiana | New York |
| New Hampshire | Utah | Oklahoma | Mississippi | Pennsylvania |
| North Dakota | Washington | Rhode Island | Nevada | |
| Ohio | South Carolina | New Mexico | ||
| South Dakota | Tennessee | North Carolina | ||
| Vermont | Texas | |||
| Virginia | West Virginia | |||
| Wisconsin | ||||
| Wyoming | ||||
| SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (various years). See Data Table. | ||||
Findings
- In 2005 nationwide, 27% of eighth grade public school students performed at or above the proficient level in science, a decline from 29% in 2000.
- Of the 36 states that participated in both the 2000 and 2005 science assessments, 13 showed increases in science proficiency for public school eighth graders in 2005, 4 of which were statistically significant. Nineteen states showed numerical declines in science proficiency among public school eighth graders in 2005, although none of the declines was statistically significant.
- Among eighth graders in public schools in 2005, proficiency in mathematics was more widespread than proficiency in science, a reversal of the 2000 results.
- The nationwide percentage of students who performed at or above the proficient level in science was identical for fourth and eighth graders in 2005.
Description
This indicator is the proportion of a state's eighth grade students in public schools that have achieved proficiency in science. High indicator values show that a high percentage of a state's eighth graders has demonstrated a solid foundation for adult science competency. Proficiency is based on achievement levels in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) that reflect performance standards set by the National Assessment Governing Board to provide a context for interpreting student performance on NAEP. A National Academy of Sciences panel evaluated the process used to establish the achievement levels for the science assessment and urged that they be considered developmental and interpreted with caution. Approximately 143,400 eighth grade students in 6,400 schools participated in the 2005 NAEP science assessment.
For the eighth grade, the basic level (scores of 143–169) denotes partial mastery of knowledge and skills that are prerequisite for proficient work. The proficient level (170–207) represents solid academic performance and demonstrates competency over challenging subject matter knowledge, its application to real-world situations, and mastery of appropriate analytical skills. The advanced level (208–300) signifies superior performance.
Data Table
| Table 8-8 | ||
| Eighth grade science proficiency, by state: 2000 and 2005 | ||
| (Percent) | ||
| State | 2000 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 29 | 27 |
| Alabama | 23 | 19 |
| Alaska | NA | NA |
| Arizona | 23 | 20 |
| Arkansas | 22 | 23 |
| California | 14 | 18 |
| Colorado | NA | 35 |
| Connecticut | 35 | 33 |
| Delaware | NA | 29 |
| District of Columbia | NA | NA |
| Florida | NA | 21 |
| Georgia | 23 | 25 |
| Hawaii | 14 | 15 |
| Idaho | 37 | 36 |
| Illinois | 29 | 27 |
| Indiana | 33 | 29 |
| Iowa | NA | NA |
| Kansas | NA | NA |
| Kentucky | 28 | 31 |
| Louisiana | 18 | 19 |
| Maine | 35 | 34 |
| Maryland | 27 | 26 |
| Massachusetts | 39 | 41 |
| Michigan | 35 | 35 |
| Minnesota | 41 | 39 |
| Mississippi | 15 | 14 |
| Missouri | 33 | 33 |
| Montana | 44 | 42 |
| Nebraska | 38 | NA |
| Nevada | 22 | 19 |
| New Hampshire | NA | 41 |
| New Jersey | NA | 33 |
| New Mexico | 20 | 18 |
| New York | 28 | NA |
| North Carolina | 25 | 22 |
| North Dakota | 38 | 43 |
| Ohio | 39 | 35 |
| Oklahoma | 25 | 25 |
| Oregon | 34 | 32 |
| Pennsylvania | NA | NA |
| Rhode Island | 27 | 26 |
| South Carolina | 20 | 23 |
| South Dakota | NA | 41 |
| Tennessee | 24 | 25 |
| Texas | 23 | 23 |
| Utah | 34 | 33 |
| Vermont | 39 | 41 |
| Virginia | 29 | 35 |
| Washington | NA | 33 |
| West Virginia | 24 | 23 |
| Wisconsin | NA | 39 |
| Wyoming | 34 | 37 |
| Puerto Rico | NA | NA |
NA = not available NOTES: National average for United States is reported value in National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports. NAEP grade 8 science scores for public schools only. In 2000, Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin did not participate or did not meet reporting standards. In 2000, Alabama, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming significantly different from 2005 when only one jurisdiction or the nation is examined. In 2005, Alaska, District of Columbia, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New York, and Pennsylvania did not participate. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP (various years). Science and Engineering Indicators 2008 |
||
Source Data
Quartiles
| 1st Quartile (43%–35%) |
2nd Quartile (34%–31%) |
3rd Quartile (29%–23%) |
4th Quartile (22%–14%) |
No data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Connecticut | Arkansas | Alabama | Alaska |
| Idaho | Kentucky | Delaware | Arizona | District of Columbia |
| Massachusetts | Maine | Georgia | California | Iowa |
| Michigan | Missouri | Illinois | Florida | Kansas |
| Minnesota | New Jersey | Indiana | Hawaii | Nebraska |
| Montana | Oregon | Maryland | Louisiana | New York |
| New Hampshire | Utah | Oklahoma | Mississippi | Pennsylvania |
| North Dakota | Washington | Rhode Island | Nevada | |
| Ohio | South Carolina | New Mexico | ||
| South Dakota | Tennessee | North Carolina | ||
| Vermont | Texas | |||
| Virginia | West Virginia | |||
| Wisconsin | ||||
| Wyoming | ||||
| SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (various years). See Data Table. | ||||
Findings
- In 2005 nationwide, 27% of eighth grade public school students performed at or above the proficient level in science, a decline from 29% in 2000.
- Of the 36 states that participated in both the 2000 and 2005 science assessments, 13 showed increases in science proficiency for public school eighth graders in 2005, 4 of which were statistically significant. Nineteen states showed numerical declines in science proficiency among public school eighth graders in 2005, although none of the declines was statistically significant.
- Among eighth graders in public schools in 2005, proficiency in mathematics was more widespread than proficiency in science, a reversal of the 2000 results.
- The nationwide percentage of students who performed at or above the proficient level in science was identical for fourth and eighth graders in 2005.
Description
This indicator is the proportion of a state's eighth grade students in public schools that have achieved proficiency in science. High indicator values show that a high percentage of a state's eighth graders has demonstrated a solid foundation for adult science competency. Proficiency is based on achievement levels in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) that reflect performance standards set by the National Assessment Governing Board to provide a context for interpreting student performance on NAEP. A National Academy of Sciences panel evaluated the process used to establish the achievement levels for the science assessment and urged that they be considered developmental and interpreted with caution. Approximately 143,400 eighth grade students in 6,400 schools participated in the 2005 NAEP science assessment.
For the eighth grade, the basic level (scores of 143–169) denotes partial mastery of knowledge and skills that are prerequisite for proficient work. The proficient level (170–207) represents solid academic performance and demonstrates competency over challenging subject matter knowledge, its application to real-world situations, and mastery of appropriate analytical skills. The advanced level (208–300) signifies superior performance.
Data Table
| Table 8-8 | ||
| Eighth grade science proficiency, by state: 2000 and 2005 | ||
| (Percent) | ||
| State | 2000 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 29 | 27 |
| Alabama | 23 | 19 |
| Alaska | NA | NA |
| Arizona | 23 | 20 |
| Arkansas | 22 | 23 |
| California | 14 | 18 |
| Colorado | NA | 35 |
| Connecticut | 35 | 33 |
| Delaware | NA | 29 |
| District of Columbia | NA | NA |
| Florida | NA | 21 |
| Georgia | 23 | 25 |
| Hawaii | 14 | 15 |
| Idaho | 37 | 36 |
| Illinois | 29 | 27 |
| Indiana | 33 | 29 |
| Iowa | NA | NA |
| Kansas | NA | NA |
| Kentucky | 28 | 31 |
| Louisiana | 18 | 19 |
| Maine | 35 | 34 |
| Maryland | 27 | 26 |
| Massachusetts | 39 | 41 |
| Michigan | 35 | 35 |
| Minnesota | 41 | 39 |
| Mississippi | 15 | 14 |
| Missouri | 33 | 33 |
| Montana | 44 | 42 |
| Nebraska | 38 | NA |
| Nevada | 22 | 19 |
| New Hampshire | NA | 41 |
| New Jersey | NA | 33 |
| New Mexico | 20 | 18 |
| New York | 28 | NA |
| North Carolina | 25 | 22 |
| North Dakota | 38 | 43 |
| Ohio | 39 | 35 |
| Oklahoma | 25 | 25 |
| Oregon | 34 | 32 |
| Pennsylvania | NA | NA |
| Rhode Island | 27 | 26 |
| South Carolina | 20 | 23 |
| South Dakota | NA | 41 |
| Tennessee | 24 | 25 |
| Texas | 23 | 23 |
| Utah | 34 | 33 |
| Vermont | 39 | 41 |
| Virginia | 29 | 35 |
| Washington | NA | 33 |
| West Virginia | 24 | 23 |
| Wisconsin | NA | 39 |
| Wyoming | 34 | 37 |
| Puerto Rico | NA | NA |
NA = not available NOTES: National average for United States is reported value in National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports. NAEP grade 8 science scores for public schools only. In 2000, Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin did not participate or did not meet reporting standards. In 2000, Alabama, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming significantly different from 2005 when only one jurisdiction or the nation is examined. In 2005, Alaska, District of Columbia, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New York, and Pennsylvania did not participate. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP (various years). Science and Engineering Indicators 2008 |
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Source Data
