(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser highlighted significant gains made by District of Columbia public school students. On the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), fourth grade students in the District of Columbia posted significant gains in reading and math, while reading and math scores for eighth grade students remained statistically even with 2013 results. Moreover, DC achieved the biggest gains of any state in fourth grade reading, with an average scale score increase of seven points between 2013 and 2015. In math, fourth graders increased their scores by three points in that same timeframe.

“The hard work of our students and educators is remarkable,” said Mayor Bowser. “I am proud of the progress being made across our public schools as we prepare our students for college and career. We are seeing the result of the investments we are making for our families and I look forward to our students’ continued success.”

The District’s Tyler Elementary School in Ward 6 was selected by the Department of Education as the site for the national release of the 2015 NAEP. The District was one of only three states to see improvements in fourth grade math and one of 13 states to improve in fourth grade reading. Eighth grade reading and math results remained consistent with 2013 results in the District. Twenty-two states saw significant declines in math and eight other states saw significant declines in reading.

“Congratulations to our students and educators on these spectacular gains,” said Deputy Mayor for Education Jennifer Niles. “This increase in NAEP scores, jump in graduation rates, and growth in enrollment give us the momentum we need to drive toward providing a world class education to all of our students.”    

NAEP is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics and is the largest nationally representative continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in several subject areas. NAEP is commonly referred to as the “Nation’s Report Card,” and provides a clear picture of student academic progress over time. The NAEP release highlights statewide results for the District of Columbia that include District of Columbia (DCPS) students and public charter school students, as well as DCPS’s results on the NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA).
Additional information, along with complete results of “The Nation’s Report Card: Reading and Mathematics 2015,” is available for review and can be downloaded from www.nationsreportcard.gov.