NECAP Results Show Drop In Math Achievement

(Host) Education officials released statewide assessment results this morning, raising some new concerns over math scores.

Every fall, public school students in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 are tested in the areas of reading, writing and math on the common assessment exam known as NECAP.

The 2011 results show that nearly 75 percent of Vermont students are proficient in reading, and nearly 50 percent or more are proficient in writing. But only 36 percent of 11^th graders scored at the ‘proficient' level in math.

Education Commissioner Armando Villaseca says the state is surveying schools to see what math courses students are required to take. He says the state could change the graduation requirements, to see that all students take algebra and geometry.

Villaseca says he'll also do the same for Science coursework. Assessments last spring show that only 30 percent of all 11^th grade students were proficient in the area of science.