For Immediate Release: March 24, 2010

Contact: B. Jason Brooks
(518) 383-2598

(pdf)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading exam scores released today show that despite massive spending increases in education, test scores have barely budged over the last seven years and two-thirds of the state’s public school children unable to demonstrate proficiency.

While funding (local, state and federal) for public elementary and secondary education in New York State grew by a whopping 52 percent between the 2001-02 and 2008-09 school years, both 4th- and 8th-grade reading proficiency rates increased by only a single percentage point during the same period: in 4th grade, the proficiency rate increased from 35 percent in 2002 to 36 percent in 2009; in 8th grade, it increased from 32 percent to 33 percent.

Additionally, although New York posts the highest per pupil spending in the nation ($16,102) – 57 percent above the national average – New York ranked 12th nationally in 4th grade and 19th in 8th grade.

According to B. Jason Brooks, director of research at the Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability, “The NAEP results show that New York has nothing to show for the billions more in education spending that has occurred in the last seven years.”

Brooks also offered the following statements on the new NAEP reading results:

NYS Racial Achievement Gaps Among the Largest in the Nation

“New York State has the 7th-largest racial achievement gap in the nation when comparing the 8th grade reading proficiency rates of Black students to those of White students. The achievement gap between Whites and Hispanics is even worse, the 5th-largest in the country.”

Behind the Rankings

“While some may tout that New York’s rank among states in terms of 4th-grade proficiency has increased from 16th in 2007 to 12th in 2009, a closer examination shows this was due only to the deterioration of educational performance in other states, not to any increase in the proficiency of students in New York. Over that two-year period, New York’s proficiency rate remained unchanged at 36 percent.”

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Attachments:
Percent of Students Scoring At or Above Proficiency on NAEP Reading Exams

Racial Achievement Gaps on the 2009 NAEP Reading Exam

The Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability (FERA) is an independent, nonprofit, research organization dedicated to improving education in New York State by promoting accountability, stimulating innovation, and supporting school-choice efforts across the state.