Elementary school children have made gains in science, based on the first national test in five years, but students inmiddle and high school have not escaped their rut.
The lackluster performance by older children underscores the deep concern among political and business leaders who see eroding science achievement as a threat to the U.S. economy. But, the test is not required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
“The scores weren?t very surprising,” said Mary Thurlow, coordinator for science at the Maryland Department of Education.
“Our fourth-grade scores went up. Students at that age have a very high interest in science.”
But that wasn?t the case for eighth-graders, a trend that appears nationwide.
“There is a concern in all content areas for middle schoolers,” Thurlow said.
Scores weren?t reported for high-schoolers in Maryland, said Bill Reinhard, a spokesman for the state Department of Education, who explained that the test was taken by a small sample of students throughout the country.
To keep high school students interested in science, Reinhard said a new science, technology, engineering and mathematics academy is in the planning stage. The location of the academy has not been determined.
“They somehow lose that spark as they continue on through school, and we want to fan that flame and keep them interested,” he said.
Also, during the 2006-07 school year, Thurlow said students in grades five and eight will participate in a science pilot test that will be included as part of the Maryland School Assessments.
The 2005 science scores are from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federal test given periodically in a range of topics. It is considered the best measure of how students perform over time and of how one state stacks up against another.
Reinhard said the Maryland matched the national trend of black and Hispanic students in fourth grade, narrowing their achievement gap with students onthe test.
In addition, Maryland is consistent with the racial gap not shrinking in eighth grade in other states. He said more work needs to be done.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Testing numbers
The National Center for Education Statistics, an arm of the Education Department, administers the test. A national sample of more than 300,000 students took the test in 2005. For more information, visit www.nationsreportcard.gov.
Source: Associated Press
