When students take the Mississippi Curriculum Test – SecondEdition for the first time this year, the state will get a moreaccurate picture of where they fall nationally because the new testis designed more closely to National Assessment of EducationalProgress standards, county superintendents said.

The NAEP is often referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card.” Itwas established as a biennial test under the No Child Left BehindAct and assesses educational progress in reading and math forstudents in grades four and eight. Participation is a requirementof any school receiving federal Title I funds.

NAEP results released last week show Mississippi is improving,but still lags behind most states in test results. The NAEP testswere administered nationwide from January through March of thisyear among selected students from selected school districts.

“I understand about random sampling, but I’m a little concernedabout how valid a picture that really paints,” said BrookhavenSchool District Superintendent Lea Barrett.

NAEP results showed that the average scale score of fourth-gradestudents in reading increased by four points while eighth grademath saw a three-point rise. There was also a one point increase infourth-grade math, but a one point decrease in eighth-gradereading.

For the complete story and more local news, become a subscriberto The DAILY LEADER. Contact The DAILY LEADER at 601-833-6961 tosubscribe today!