Urban Students Fold Under Basic Science

Inadequate teaching and standards cited for poor NAEP scores.

Washington

Students in urban schools struggled with relatively basic tasks in a recent test of their science skills, a weakness observers say reflects many teachers’ tenuous knowledge of the subject, as well as the inconsistent way in which it is taught across the country.

A federal study released this month shows that students in 10 urban districts scored below nationwide averages in science at the 4th and 8th grade levels on a 2005 version of the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Fourth and 8th graders from a larger group of 70 districts, serving cities with populations of at least 250,000 residents, also lagged behind their peers nationwide, according to the report issued Nov. 15, which is known as a...