State's Scores on 'Nation's Report Card' Remain Far Short of Goal

Oklahoma has a long way to go to reach one of its major educational targets.   

The goal is to be ranked in the top 20 states on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also called the “Nation’s Report Card.”  

The Sooner State is currently 42nd in fourth- and eighth-grade reading, 39th in fourth-grade math and 40th in eighth-grade math, according the latest NAEP report, which was released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Education.  

Oklahoma’s only improved category, compared to 2017, was eighth-grade math, but the uptick was not statistically significant. Eighth-grade reading scores dropped three points this year, while fourth-grade math and reading scores held steady. 

Nationally, reading scores for both fourth and eighth graders declined. The only state with a significant increase in fourth-grade reading scores between 2017 and 2019 was Mississippi, which has a third-grade retention policy and has beefed up its literacy training for teachers based on the science of reading. 

In math, U.S. fourth graders’ scores improved slightly; among eighth graders, scores declined.  The exams– given every other year to a sampling of fourth and eighth grade students nationwide – are considered the best tool to compare student achievement across states. Approximately 8,900 Oklahoma students at 250 schools in 190 districts were tested this year. 

Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister on Wednesday said Oklahoma’s scores are in line with national trends.  

“We are encouraged to see improvement in eighth–grade math scores after strengthening our academic standards,” she said. “Oklahoma students can compete academically with other students in the nation, but we have more ground to gain.”

'Nation's Report Card' Rankings

Search by state. Re-order table by clicking on a column heading.

Jurisdiction	4th Grade Reading	8th Grade Reading	4th Grade Math	8th Grade Math
Dept. of Defense	1	1	1	2
Massachusetts	2	2	3	1
New Jersey	3	3	6	3
Wyoming	4	17	7	10
Utah	5	7	11	19
Colorado	6	9	17	20
Florida	7	23	5	37
Connecticut	8	4	14	11
New Hampshire	9	6	9	6
Virginia	10	35	4	8
Pennsylvania	11	19	10	17
Idaho	12	11	16	12
Minnesota	13	21	2	4
Nebraska	14	20	12	18
South Dakota	15	28	20	7
Ohio	16	10	21	14
Vermont	17	5	32	9
Indiana	18	13	8	15
Montana	19	15	22	22
North Carolina	20	30	19	23
Maine	21	14	23	25
North Dakota	22	25	15	16
Kentucky	23	26	31	38
Iowa	24	33	25	27
Rhode Island	25	34	29	42
Maryland	26	18	34	31
Wisconsin	27	8	18	5
Washington	28	12	27	13
New York	29	36	41	29
Mississippi	30	46	24	48
Kansas	31	27	28	26
Tennessee	32	31	26	32
Michigan	33	29	43	30
Illinois	34	16	38	24
Missouri	35	24	35	28
Georgia	36	32	36	36
Oregon	37	22	42	35
Delaware	38	37	30	39
Nevada	39	44	44	47
Hawaii	40	43	33	44
California	41	40	45	43
Oklahoma	42	42	39	40
Texas	43	47	13	34
South Carolina	44	39	40	41
Arizona	45	38	37	33
Arkansas	46	41	47	45
District of Columbia	47	52	46	51
West Virginia	48	48	49	49
Alabama	49	49	52	53
Louisiana	50	45	50	50
New Mexico	51	51	51	52
Alaska	52	50	48	46
Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2019

Oklahoma’s goal to be among the top 20 states in NAEP scores is written into its eight-year, comprehensive education plan, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Education in 2018. It was created by the state Education Department with input from stakeholders like parents, educators, lawmakers and community members.

NAEP is also the yardstick often used to measure whether Oklahoma’s third-grade retention law is working. The law requires third-grade students who can’t prove they are proficient readers to repeat the grade.

Scores in 2015 improved, which Hofmeister attributed to the policy. But in 2017 reading scores dipped four points. Hofmeister said a lack of resources and the teacher shortage led to the decline. This year, scores held steady.

For fiscal 2019-20, the state allocated additional dollars to support struggling readers in kindergarten through third grade. The department is asking for a small increase in funding for 2020-21 to train teachers on the science of reading. 

“Our kids do not have to be struggling readers,” Hofmeister said. “Extensive research shows us how the brain learns to read, and many classrooms across Oklahoma and the nation are still teaching reading strategies that have been discredited and could even make it harder for students to learn to read.”  

Education leaders in recent years have focused efforts on stemming the state’s stubborn teacher shortage, including back-to-back years of teacher pay raises. But the number of emergency certified teachers in classrooms continues to climb, with 3,000 approved so far this school year. Last year was a record 3,038.

Reach reporter Jennifer Palmer at jpalmer@oklahomawatch.org.

State’s Scores on ‘Nation’s Report Card’ Remain Far Short of Goal

'Nation's Report Card' Rankings

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