At the May, 2009 SCASD Board of Education meeting, we shared information with the board about the poor, ‘D’ quality ratings that Pennsylvania Math Standards received from the Fordham Foundation.
Today, the Institute for Educational Science (IES) report “Mapping State Proficiency Standards onto NAEP Scales: 2005-2007″ (NCES #2010-456) was released. Not surprisingly, PA’s proficiency standards are below those of the National Assessment of Educational Progress standards for mathematics in both grades 4 and 8.
What does this mean? Well, if you’re judged ‘proficient’ in 4th grade mathematics in Pennsylvania with a score of 223, you wouldn’t be considered proficient in mathematics in Massachusetts or at the national level. Indeed, your 223 is closer to NAEP basic skills (214) than proficiency (249). It’s definitely time to aim and achieve higher than the PA standards.
See NAEP Studies – State Mapping for more details.
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