CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s average scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress have improved a bit.
Fourth grade students in West Virginia who took the NAEP in 2017 showed slight improvements in reading and math, according to data released Tuesday by the National Center for Educational Statistics.
NAEP is also referred to as The Nation’s Report Card. The tests are administered every other year.
The data says more than 32 percent of students scored at or above proficiency in reading, which is up from 29.97 percent in 2015. Nearly 35 percent of students scored at or above proficiency in math, compared to 32.57 percent in 2015.
West Virginia now ranks 37th in the nation for the number of fourth graders who scored at or above the proficiency level in reading. The state ranks 40th for the number of fourth graders who scored at or above the proficiency level in math.
“Our educators have stood firm in asking us for consistency in our standards and I know we will continue to see improvements among students as they receive consistent, high-quality standards,” State School Superintendent Dr. Steven Paine said in a news release. “I believe our students are on the right track in large part because our teachers are delivering our standards with high quality.”
Math scores continue to be a concern for West Virginia students. The percent of students at or above the proficiency level in math falls below the national average in both fourth and eighth grade.
“Today’s release confirms what we already know – there is still work to be done, especially in the area of math,” Paine said. “These results reinforce the need to attract certified, high quality math teachers throughout the state.”
To view the complete list of NAEP results, CLICK HERE.