For Immediate Release: October 30, 2019
Contact: Ted Fisher, ted.fisher@vermont.gov, (802) 828-0046
MONTPELIER, Vt. – The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) today released the nationwide performance results from the 2019 assessments in reading and mathematics. The NAEP is administered every two years to students in grades Four and Eight across the nation.
Students in Vermont scored above the national average in all the 2019 assessments but Grade Four mathematics. However, while Vermont students continued to perform at or above the national average, students showed a decline in average scale scores compared to Vermont’s 2017 results. This decline follows a downward trend going back roughly a decade or more.
“This year’s NAEP scores paint a concerning picture for Vermont,” said Secretary of Education Dan French. “Many of these metrics have been declining for years now, and while Vermont students are still performing above the national average, we clearly have more to do as a state to ensure our students are prepared for success. I urge school districts to pay attention to these results and make sure we are focused on providing high-quality instruction in core skills like literacy and mathematics.”
Nationwide, NAEP scores have declined, with most testing years showing similar small declines. The national Grade Four mathematics and both Grade Eight mathematics and reading results showed statistically significant declines in average scale scores compared to 2017 results.