School & District Management Report Roundup

Middle School Achievement

By Catherine Gewertz — April 05, 2011 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Middle school achievement is not as much of a trouble spot as some have warned, according to a report that analyzes trends in 8th grade state test scores.

The study by the Center on Education Policy, which was scheduled for release April 5, found that between 2002 and 2009, more states showed gains by 8th graders on state tests in reading and math than they did by 4th graders or high school students. For instance, 40 states showed gains in 8th grade reading at the “proficient” level, compared with 36 in 4th grade and 32 in high school.

Eighth graders’ progress was notable at the “advanced” level on state tests. Of 42 states with sufficient data for that analysis, all showed gains in the percentage of students scoring at that level in math; 35 did so in reading.

The study focuses primarily on results from 43 states with three or more years of comparable data.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the April 06, 2011 edition of Education Week as Middle School Achievement

Events

Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Social-Emotional Learning 2025: Examining Priorities and Practices
Join this free virtual event to learn about SEL strategies, skills, and to hear from experts on the use and expansion of SEL programs.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management What Latino Superintendents Say It Will Take to Grow Their Ranks
Three Latino superintendents talked about the direct and indirect paths to building a pipeline of future district leaders of color.
4 min read
Vector image of many professionals, diversity, highlighting hispanic.
Liz Yap/Education Week and iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion Your School Needs a Teacher-Mentorship Program
We all know how critical the first few years of teaching are. Here's how to set teachers up for success.
Pamela Slifer
4 min read
Mentorship development of young teachers. School leaders make the teaching profession more sustainable by developing a robust mentoring program in their school.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management School Leaders Rush to Manage Deportation Fears
School and district leaders describe a chaotic time amid changes to federal immigration policies.
9 min read
A line of school children with obscured faces board a school bus on their way to school.
E+/Getty
School & District Management Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About The Superintendent Persona?
The superintendent plays a crucial role in purchasing decisions. Test your knowledge of this key buyer persona and see how your results stack up with your peers.