California Scores Ranked Low in National Report Card

Listen to the full audio story

Download the MP3

The report is known as the National Report Card. It analyzes math and reading scores of fourth and eighth graders. The state of California ranks fifth from the bottom. Alabama, Louisiana, the District of Columbia, and Mississippi were the only states ranked below California.

Only twenty-five percent of California's fourth graders received proficiency in reading. Math scores were a bit higher, around thirty-four percent. A quarter of eighth graders were proficient in both math and reading. The 2011 scores were about the same as two years ago.

Some educators think the tests don't account for English learners. They argue that the sample size is too small to show California's progress. Hawaii was the only state to increase its score over the past two years. About three and a half percent in math and two and a half percent in reading.

Overall scores in every other state have improved by an average of one point for both grades since 2009.

Smitha Bondade, Annenberg Radio News.