Urban Districts Trail Nation on Science NAEP

All But Three of the Big-City Districts That Took Part in the Science Assessment Fell Below the National Average

Most of the 17 urban districts that took part in a prominent science exam fell below the national average, with the exception of the school systems in Austin, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; and Jefferson County, Ky.; where 4th graders scored about the same as their peers across the country.

Even in those three districts, however, only about one-third of 4th graders were deemed “proficient” in science, according to results released today on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as “the nation’s report card.”

At the other end of the spectrum, a scant 4 percent of 4th graders in Cleveland and Detroit, and 5 percent in...