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SAN DIEGO – Last year’s eighth graders in San Diego Unified scored higher than the national average for large city school districts in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) writing test, according to results released today as part of the “Nation’s Report Card.”
San Diego Unified’s eighth graders scored 147 on the test, which beat the average of other large city districts, including those in Atlanta, Boston, Houston and New York City.
Nationally, student in all districts averaged 154; in California, 148.
“While we’re pleased our students performed well in comparison with their peers, especially our African American students, we still see achievement gaps persist,” said Dr. Terry Grier, Superintendent, San Diego Unified. “We need to work even harder to address this.”
The test found that 27 percent of San Diego Unified’s students were proficient or advanced in writing, second among large school districts. Seventy-nine percent tested at basic or above. Students’ writing skills were tested in the areas of persuasive, narrative and informative writing styles.
The test is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Education. It selects the schools and students. In San Diego Unified, 1,381 students in 32 middle schools were tested, out of approximately 10,000 eighth grade students.
As part of the Center’s Trial Urban District Assessment program, San Diego Unified was invited to participate for 2007. The program is examining test scores at the district level at several districts around the nation. For more information on the test and full nationwide results, go to www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.
