'Nation's Report Card:' Urban Districts Making Long-Range Gains
The Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) is now in its 10th year. In a call with reporters Tuesday, Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of Great City Schools, said looking at changes in district scores between just a few cycles of the test could leave a false impression that gains are not being made.
“If you stand back from the individual tree, you will see a forest that is growing taller and getting stronger,” Casserly said.
The District of Columbia improved in reading and math in both grades – the only city of the 21 TUDA districts to do so. Los Angeles improved in three of the four subject-grade combinations, and Atlanta improved in two.
Casserly said a few of the cities “held their own” in the assessments despite