WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	Connecticut students make greatest gains in reading (WASHINGTON-AP) _ Connecticut has the nation's highest percentage of fourth graders reading at proficient levels, according to a national reading test. State-by-state results, released Thursday, also showed the reading ability of Connecticut fourth-graders improved by 8 percent since 1994, and by 12 percent since 1992. "The results for Connecticut really are notable," said Wilmer S. Cody, the Kentucky education commissioner and a member of the National Assessment Governing Board that sets the standards for the test. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, a set of federally mandated tests in various subjects, conducted its first state-level reading testing in 1992. The national results of the 1998 reading tests, released last month, showed improvements in each of the three tested grade levels _ fourth, eighth and 12th _ from the 1994 tests. Public and private school students were tested. The state results _ which cover only public schools _ also showed improvement. Average reading scores increased significantly in nine states, and there were no significant declines. Even so, Connecticut was the only state where more than 40 percent of fourth-graders read proficiently. Connecticut had 46 percent of fourth-graders at that level followed by New Hampshire, at 38 percent. The nationwide average was just 29 percent. The proficient level reflects competency over subject matter for a given grade. Students can be scored at four levels: below basic, for the poorest performers; basic, for those meeting at least fundamental skills for their grade; proficient and advanced. For eighth-graders, just two states, Connecticut and Maine, had more than 40 percent of students reading proficiently. In both states, 42 percent were at that level. The nationwide average was 31 percent. Many more students _ 62 percent of fourth-graders and 74 percent of eighth-graders nationwide _ reached the basic level. For eighth-graders, the proportion with basic reading skills reached 80 percent in seven states, including Connecticut. Despite progress, gains in reading haven't been as widespread or consistent as those in math, Cody said. Also, there are still wide gaps in achievement by race, gender and poverty level, he said. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Connecticut students make greatest gains in reading
(WASHINGTON-AP) _ Connecticut has the nation's highest percentage of fourth graders reading at proficient levels, according to a national reading test.

State-by-state results, released Thursday, also showed the reading ability of Connecticut fourth-graders improved by 8 percent since 1994, and by 12 percent since 1992.

"The results for Connecticut really are notable," said Wilmer S. Cody, the Kentucky education commissioner and a member of the National Assessment Governing Board that sets the standards for the test.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress, a set of federally mandated tests in various subjects, conducted its first state-level reading testing in 1992.

The national results of the 1998 reading tests, released last month, showed improvements in each of the three tested grade levels _ fourth, eighth and 12th _ from the 1994 tests. Public and private school students were tested.

The state results _ which cover only public schools _ also showed improvement. Average reading scores increased significantly in nine states, and there were no significant declines.

Even so, Connecticut was the only state where more than 40 percent of fourth-graders read proficiently. Connecticut had 46 percent of fourth-graders at that level followed by New Hampshire, at 38 percent. The nationwide average was just 29 percent.

The proficient level reflects competency over subject matter for a given grade. Students can be scored at four levels: below basic, for the poorest performers; basic, for those meeting at least fundamental skills for their grade; proficient and advanced.

For eighth-graders, just two states, Connecticut and Maine, had more than 40 percent of students reading proficiently. In both states, 42 percent were at that level. The nationwide average was 31 percent.

Many more students _ 62 percent of fourth-graders and 74 percent of eighth-graders nationwide _ reached the basic level. For eighth-graders, the proportion with basic reading skills reached 80 percent in seven states, including Connecticut.

Despite progress, gains in reading haven't been as widespread or consistent as those in math, Cody said. Also, there are still wide gaps in achievement by race, gender and poverty level, he said.

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