Students in the Washington area’s Maryland suburbs showed slight improvements on the state’s standardized science tests, but most scores remained dismal while troubling gaps persisted among racial groups.
Science struggles
Eighth-graders in Montgomery and Prince George’s scored poorly on the state’s standardized science exams, and racial achievement gaps persisted.
Montgomery County eighth-graders scoring “advanced” and “basic” on Maryland’s science exams:
Race; advanced; basic
Asian; 14 percent; 13 percent
Black; 1 percent; 43 percent
White; 13 percent; 10 percent
Hispanic; 1 percent; 47 percent
Prince George’s County eighth-graders scoring “advanced” and “basic” on Maryland’s science exams:
Race; advanced; basic
Asian; 6 percent; 26 percent
Black; 1 percent; 62 percent
White; 9 percent; 27 percent
Hispanic; 0.3 percent; 65 percent
Eighth-graders in Montgomery and Prince George’s scored poorly on the state’s standardized science exams, and racial achievement gaps persisted.
Montgomery County eighth-graders scoring “advanced” and “basic” on Maryland’s science exams:
Race; advanced; basic
Asian; 14 percent; 13 percent
Black; 1 percent; 43 percent
White; 13 percent; 10 percent
Hispanic; 1 percent; 47 percent
Prince George’s County eighth-graders scoring “advanced” and “basic” on Maryland’s science exams:
Race; advanced; basic
Asian; 6 percent; 26 percent
Black; 1 percent; 62 percent
White; 9 percent; 27 percent
Hispanic; 0.3 percent; 65 percent
In Montgomery County, the percentage of students who scored “advanced” — the highest of three categories — increased three points to 13 percent among fifth-graders, and by one point to about 8 percent among eighth-graders. The percentage of students scoring “basic,” the lowest of the categories, dropped slightly to 29 percent among fifth-graders and 26 percent among eighth-graders.
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