States define “proficiency” very differently, write Paul Peterson and Peter Kaplan in Education Next.
Massachusetts, Tennessee and Missouri have the highest expectations, while Alabama and Georgia expect the least of their students. Texas, Michigan, Idaho, Illinois and Virginia also set a low bar.
Standards still declined in rigor in 26 states and D.C. between 2009 and 2011, while 24 states increased rigor, the study found.
The study grades the states for setting high standards, not on whether students meet those standards.
Having been graded an F in every previous report, (Tennessee) made the astounding jump to a straight A in 2011. . . state tests were made much more challenging and the percentage of students identified as proficient dropped from 90 percent or more to around 50 percent, a candid admission of the challenges the Tennessee schools faced.
West Virginia, New York, Nebraska, and Delaware also strengthened proficiency standards, while New Mexico, Washington, Hawaii, Montana, and Georgia lowered the bar.
Uneven at the Start, a new Education Trust report, looks at academic performance to predict how different states will meet the challenge of Common Core standards.
New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts show strong performance and improvement for all students — and for disadvantaged students, reports Ed Trust. Performance is weak in West Virginia and Oregon. Ohio and Wisconsin do well for students overall, but poorly for “or or more of their undeserved groups.”
Education Trust also has updated its EdWatch reports, which analyze college and career readiness and high school and college graduation rates for all groups of students in each state. The state academic performance and improvement tool shows how each state compares with the national average and with other states.