Updated 10:45 a.m. - The 2011 4th and 8th grade reading and math scores were released today by the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Colorado 4th graders showed “no significant change” in math or reading, while 8th grade math and reading scores increased from 2009.
Scores for Colorado kids are higher than those in most states, a fact emphasized in the Department of Education news release.
Go to NAEP for full details on math scores and on reading.
NAEP periodically gives standard nationwide tests to representative groups of students to provide snapshots of student performance.
This item was changed to correct an incorrect description of 8th grade math results.
What’s churning:
The Colorado Department of Education has opened public comment on its planned application to the federal government for a waiver from parts of the federal No Child Left Behind law.
Many states are seeking such waivers after federal education officials announced the program in September.
The key element of the Colorado request would allow the state and school districts to use only the state system of accrediting and rating schools and districts. Districts currently are rated using both that system and the NCLB system.
The state system relies significantly on student academic growth over time and has the goal of all students being proficient by 10th grade and college and workforce ready by high school graduation. The NCLB system rates the average yearly progress of schools, focusing on annual test scores, and has the goal of all students being proficient by 2014.
The Colorado application also will include a request for more flexibility in using federal funds to help a broader range of struggling schools and more flexibility to use federal money for programs to improve educator effectiveness.
Use this page on the CDE website for more information, a link to the draft waiver request and an email address to which you can send comments. The deadline for commenting is 4 p.m. on Nov. 7. Comments will be considered when department officials finalize the application, which must be submitted by Nov. 14. Comments also will accompany the application that’s sent to Washington. A decision is expected early next year.
What’s on tap:
TODAY
Election Day
Gov. John Hickenlooper’s proposed 2012-13 state budget will be released at 1 p.m. and a story will be posted on EdNews then.
Douglas County school board members are scheduled for a brief public meeting from 5:50 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at the district administration building, 620 Wilcox St. in Castle Rock. Agenda
