New NAEP results for Kentucky also disappoint – Grade 4 Math

The results from the 2019 administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests in Grades 4 and 8 reading and mathematics are out, and I am just starting to dig into the voluminous data that is now posted in the online NAEP Data Explorer web tool (which is the data source for the graph shown below).In this next blog I look at both the NAEP and Kentucky’s own KPREP test results for the overall average performance for all public school students from the 2012-13 school term to the new results for 2018-19 in Grade 4 math. Note that KPREP is given annually, but the NAEP is only given every other year.

As you can see, KPREP tells us Kentucky’s math performance increased from 43.9% proficiency to 46.7% proficiency in this time period. However, the 2018-19 school term’s KPREP proficiency rate is notably lower than in almost every other year, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18. Only the 2016-17 rate was lower.

But, the NAEP paints a different picture. On this national assessment, Kentucky’s fourth grade math performance has been totally flat, as close as we can tell due to the statistical sampling errors in NAEP scores which render small differences as nothing more than ties.

So, as of the present, Kentucky’s fourth grade math performance is generally unchanged for more than half a decade. Also, well under half of the state’s fourth graders are performing at what NAEP deems to be a proficient level for the fourth grade.

I have more coming in a few minutes, so check back soon.