Writing Improves in Fourth and Eighth Grades, 12th Grade Flat, National Assessment Reports

Writing Improves in Fourth and Eighth Grades,
12^th Grade Flat, National Assessment Reports

The writing of American students in fourth and eighth grades has improved significantly since 1998, but the average writing performance of high school seniors was unchanged, according to a new report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

At all three grades, about 75 to 85 percent of students were able to reach the Basic achievement level, a standard of partial mastery for their grade that indicates at least minimal effectiveness in getting their main points across.

The proportion at Proficient rose significantly at both fourth and eighth grades. Even so, only about a quarter to 30 percent could reach the standard for Proficient writing, which requires an organized and coherent response with clear language and supporting detail.

The Nation’s Report Card: Writing 2002, released today, also includes data on NAEP’s representative-sample surveys in 43 states and six other jurisdictions. From 1998 to 2002, sixteen jurisdictions showed improvement in average writing achievement at grade 8, and none showed a significant decline. The 2002 assessment was the first in which state-level data on writing in fourth grade was collected by NAEP. There is no state-by-state NAEP testing at grade 12.

NAEP is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a principal component of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. Policy for the assessment, including its content and standards, is set by the independent, bipartisan National Assessment Governing Board. Under a law enacted by Congress last fall, the 26-member Board was given responsibility for the initial public release of NAEP reports.

"There is reason for cautious optimism that the nation’s schools are producing better young writers," said Charles E. Smith, Executive Director of the Governing Board. "The performance of fourth and eighth graders has improved in almost every category, and that’s obviously good news. Yet, despite the significant gains, more than two-thirds of the nation’s students still perform below the Proficient level. And at 12^th grade, there continues to be cause for concern."

At grade 4, based on average scores, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Delaware were the highest-performing jurisdictions. At grade 8, Connecticut, Department of Defense domestic and overseas schools, Massachusetts, and Vermont were the highest performing. Among the states, the proportion of students writing at or above the Proficient level at grade 4 ranged from 49 percent to 13 percent. The proportion reaching Proficient in eighth grade ranged from 45 percent to 13 percent.

The representative samples in the 2002 NAEP writing assessment included about 276,000 students in almost 11,000 public and private schools. Accommodations were permitted for students with disabilities and limited English proficiency. NAEP also allowed accommodations, as provided in state and district standardized testing, in 1998, which was the first time that the current writing assessment was administered.

The NAEP assessment asks students to write essays, short narratives, and letters in response to grade-appropriate writing prompts. Each student receives a booklet with two 25-minute writing tasks along with a brochure, "How to Plan for Writing." Students are given space for planning in their test booklets and are encouraged to edit and revise.

The proportion of fourth graders reaching the Basic achievement level rose from 84 percent in 1998 to 86 percent in 2002. The proportion reaching the Proficient level rose from 23 to 28 percent. The average score increased from 150 to 154.

At 8^th grade, the percentage reaching Basic was virtually unchanged at 85 percent, while the proportion at or above Proficient increased from 27 percent to 31 percent. The average score climbed from 150 in 1998 to 153 in 2002.

The percentage of 12^th graders reaching Basic fell to 74 percent, compared to 78 percent in 1998. The proportion reaching Proficient was virtually unchanged at 24 percent, while the average score of 148 showed no significant change.

The NAEP writing scale for each grade ranges from 0 to 300 points, with the average score set at 150 in 1998.

The Proficient level for each grade is defined by the Governing Board as representing "solid academic performance," which demonstrates "competency over challenging subject matter" for the grade assessed. Basic indicates partial mastery of skills that are fundamental for proficient work. Advanced denotes superior performance.

Each achievement level has a description of the writing skills and abilities students should attain, a corresponding score on the NAEP scale, and illustrative questions and answers. The writing achievement levels were adopted by the Governing Board in 1999, based on recommendations by panels of teachers, other educators, and members of the public from across the country.

Nationally, the average scores of white, black and Hispanic students increased from 1998 to 2002 at both fourth and eighth grades, while the averages for all three groups were unchanged at grade 12. The racial/ethnic gaps remained about the same except for a significant decrease in the white-black gap at grade 4.

Female students continued to outperform males. At 12^th grade, primarily because of a drop in male scores, the gap between the female and male averages widened from 19 to 25 points. This is as wide as the gap between white and black students at that grade and wider than the gap between whites and Hispanics. The proportion of 12^th-grade males reaching the Proficient level remained at 14 percent while the proportion of female students reaching Proficient rose from 29 percent in 1998 to 33 percent last year.

The Nation’s Report Card: Writing 2002 and complete data from the NAEP 2002 writing assessment are available on the Internet at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard. Additional statements and information may be obtained at http://www.nagb.org.

NAEP publications may be ordered by calling toll-free 1-877-4ED-PUBS (1-877-433-7827) or from the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Orders may also be placed through e-mail at customerservice@edpubs.org or via the Internet at http://www.edpubs.org.