Science test produces mixed results

Washington eighth graders do better than the national average on a science test that is given to kids across the country, but two-thirds of the middle school students given the National Science Assessment still aren’t proficient in the subject.

That’s slightly better than the national average, with seven out of 10 kids not scoring at the proficient level.

The results of the 2011 National Assessment of Educational progress, which is also called the nation’s report card, were recently released by the U.S. Department of Education.

The average score in Washington was 156, while the national average was 152. Washington did better than 26 other states and scores similar to 11. Some simple math tells us that only 15 states did better than Washington, but 15 countries did better than the United States!

Thank goodness we have some schools that do much better than average or our science program would be really pathetic!

Gerald W. Ray, Spokane