National Center for Education Statistics
November 2006
2005 was is the first time NCES conducted its Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) for science. The report is now out and, as in other subjects, poor and minority kids in these ten big cities don't do well. This study compares these cities' test results to national averages and urban scores in general. Some of the ten score higher than others, some lower; some score higher than cities-in-general, others don't. All urban results are below the national average, but the achievement gaps in TUDA cities are not significantly different from national achievement gaps. No trend data are yet available. Almost as alarming as those gaps, however, is the attempt at positive "spin" that the National Assessment Governing Board is putting on the results. For starters, check out the "slide show" here (which offers no real news). Then read the report's text and see if you encounter any mention at all of the fact that "proficient"--reached by far too few, especially poor and minority youngsters--is the level that everyone is supposed to reach. NAGB seems content with "basic"--at least for these kids. Have they, too, succumbed to the soft bigotry of low expectations? The text report can be accessed here.
