Achievement by Race/Ethnicity
Achievement by Race/Ethnicity
The average proficiency scores for white students increased in all grades, and the percentage of whites reaching or surpassing basic and proficient levels increased for grades 4 and 8. Minorities, on the other hand, experienced fewer gains: In fact, there was no real difference at all in minorities' proficiency scores or achievement levels for grades 4 and 8. However, there was a significant increase at grade 12 in average proficiency scores for Hispanic and black students: these increased 7 points each.

Few students from any racial/ethnic group reached the advanced level of achievement, but larger percentages of Asians and whites reached this level than of students in the other racial/ethnic groups. Although Asians and whites also reached the proficient level in greater numbers than did the other students, only among eighth grade Asians did the proportion of students scoring at this level rise above one-third. Relatively few (under 10 percent) of the students in the other racial/ethnic groups reached the proficient achievement level, while over 50 percent of these students scored below the basic level. (See appendix tables 1-15, 1-16, and 1-17.)

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