Cities Lag on Science

Recently released results from the National Assessment of Educational Prospect (NAEP) tests reveal significant opportunities for cities to beef-up their science education programs. According to the New York Times, the results show that, "At least half of eighth graders tested in science failed to demonstrate even a basic understanding of the subject in 9 of 10 major cities, and fourth graders, the only other group tested, fared little better....Student performance in urban public schools was not only poor but also far short of science scores in the nation as a whole." At the eighth grade level, "Among the 10 cities, only in Austin were the eighth graders who lacked a basic understanding in the minority, and just barely there." Advocacy groups are calling for action: "The results prompted the Council of the Great City Schools, which represents the nation’s largest school districts, to call for national standards in science, and in reading and math as well."

The problem, however, is not with cities themselves per se: "'The results suggested that performance was influenced more by the disparities associated with race and income than by whether students attended school in cities or in other settings, said Darvin M. Winick, chairman of the National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees the test."

  

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