American children do much better identifying the correct answers to simple scientific tasks than using evidence from their experiments to explain those answers.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress, often called the Nation’s Report Card, asked students in grades four, eight and 12 to perform actual experiments to apply principles they learn in the classroom on a practical level. The results of the 2009 tests were released Tuesday.

Recommended Stories

Academic decline demands education reform

In Arkansas and beyond, conservatives are strengthening our education systems

Louisiana achieves top reading gains while spending far less per student