CONTACT: Michelle Hudgins   (202) 822-7823

May 24, 2006

2005 NAEP Science Scores Point to Mixed Progress 

NEA President Calls Scores 'Mostly Disappointing' Due to Problems with NCLB 

WASHINGTON -- Results of the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress in science released today reaffirm that narrowing curriculums can have adverse academic effects.  The increased emphasis on No Child Left Behind has forced school districts to discontinue programs and cut time spent on sciences, social studies, arts and other subjects that provide students with a well-rounded education.

“The NAEP scores are mostly disappointing and indicate some of the problems with the No Child Left Behind law,” said Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association.  “Schools are moving toward a one-size-fits-all, teach-to-the-test approach that leaves our children without the necessary skills to thrive in a global society.  If we continue to neglect the cornerstone subjects, like science, our children will not be able to compete in the future.”

The NAEP results reveal that test scores are up for fourth-graders, and eighth-graders showed no overall improvement.  Although the average scores for 12th-grade students were not drastically different from 2000, they dropped from 1996.  The 2005 results show that achievement gaps between Black and Hispanic students and white students were narrowed slightly for fourth-graders.  However, the gap between white and Black 12th-graders grew larger over the same time period. 

Although NCLB mandates that states start testing in science in the 2007-08 school year, the results from such tests will not count toward Adequate Yearly Progress, which measures student achievement in reading/language arts and math.  Educators believe recent calls for the inclusion of science as part of AYP are ill-advised: adding science assessments to AYP will simply make it much more difficult for schools to meet AYP targets.  Independent studies already predict that more than 90 percent of public schools eventually will fail to meet federal standards and likely will face severe sanctions that hamper efforts to improve student achievement.

Pressure to meet these standards and a continued lack of resources are stumbling blocks for schools across the country.  NCLB has led many schools to all but eliminate science in many classrooms, as under-funded schools have been forced to divert resources to reading and math. 

“How can students be expected to meet science requirements without the benefit of appropriate classroom instruction in the subject?” asks Weaver.  “It’s shortsighted to push subjects to the back-burner when we need to provide students with a diverse curriculum for future success.  Until we make a commitment to delivering a balanced education to all our children, our schools will continue to struggle and our students will be left behind.”

Under NCLB, states are required to conduct NAEP assessments in reading and math every two years for fourth- and eighth-grade students.  State participation in the science assessment is voluntary.  Visit www.NEA.org for a list of key questions about NAEP and No Child Left Behind. 

To view the NAEP report: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard . 

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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.8  million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.