Oklahoma has improved in three of four regular measures of academic performance since 2013.
That’s according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, data on testing performance collectively known as the nation's report card. But the assessment also highlighted some of Oklahoma's problems.
First, the good news: The state's biggest improvement is a five-point jump in average fourth-grade reading scores.
"The improvement reflects the hard work of our students and teachers in spite of the lack of resources that Oklahoma teachers and schools and districts are facing today with higher class sizes, increase in student enrollment and decrease in the number of teachers," said Oklahoma Education Association Vice President Katherine Bishop.
Oklahoma’s average fourth-grade reading score is now one point above the national average.
The nation's report card, however, also shows Oklahoma has a math gap.
Oklahoma fourth-graders’ average math score is up one point from 2013 and is the same as the national average. But eighth-graders’ average math score went down one point and is currently six points below the national average.
Bishop said as students get older, emphasizing instruction over testing becomes more important.
"They need time to increase their problem-solving skills, especially in the area of math," Bishop said. "They need time to see the relevance of how that applies to real-world application."
Bishop said changing academic standards several times in recent years hasn’t helped the state’s students, either.
And the nation’s report card showed persistent racial and economic gaps in Oklahoma fourth- and eighth-graders’ scores on reading and math tests.
There are double-digit gaps up to 23 points between white students’ and black and Hispanic students’ average test scores in all four areas. Students eligible for lunch programs are up to 21 points behind students who are not.
Bishop said part of the solution is ensuring schools have similar resources.
"The technology that they need in their school and the ability to increase time on instruction and less on testing," she said.
The performance gaps are not significantly different from 1998 for reading and from 2000 for math.
Another gap: Girls' average reading scores are six points better than boys' in fourth grade and eight points better in eighth grade.
