A study of how Hispanic 10th graders are performing in mathematics and English language arts on Massachusetts’ state exams compares the scores of various subgroups of Hispanic students.
Looking at test scores from the 2002-03 school year to the 2005-06 school year, the study found that Hispanic students from Caribbean countries, Central American countries, and Mexico scored significantly lower on the English-language-arts test than did U.S.-born Hispanics. Hispanic students from South American countries other than Brazil had significantly higher scores on the math test than did U.S.-born Hispanic students.
Also, female Hispanic students scored higher than male Hispanic students on the English-language-arts test, but males scored significantly higher than females in math.
The study was a response to a request by state policymakers for a better understanding of why Hispanic students consistently score lower than students in other subgroups in the state on standardized assessments. The study was conducted by the federally-financed Regional Education Laboratory for the Northeast and Islands.
