The Educated Reporter: 'Nation's Report Card:' Urban Districts Making Long-Range Gains

The Educated Reporter: 'Nation's Report Card:' Urban Districts Making Long-Range Gains:

'Nation's Report Card:' Urban Districts Making Long-Range Gains

Results are out today for the 21 urban school districts that participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as “The Nation’s Report Card,” and there are encouraging 10-year trends of overall improvement in reading and math in grades 4 and 8. At the same time, gaps persist among students from low-income families and their more affluent peers, for English language learners, and for many minority students when compared with their Asian and white classmates. (For a breakdown of the results, check out my EWA colleague Mikhail Zinshteyn’s overview.)

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