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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 428 381 CS 013 510 AUTHOR Ballator, Nada; Jerry, Laura TITLE NAEP 1998 Reading State Report for Virgin Islands. INSTITUTION National Assessment of Educational Progress, Princeton, NJ.; Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ. SPONS AGENCY National Center for Education Statistics (ED), Washington, DC. REPORT NO NCES-1999-460-VI PUB DATE 1999-03-00 NOTE 63p.; "In collaboration with Alfred Rogers." For the entire report covering the nation and the states, see CS 013 460. For the 44 separate reports for 40 states, Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense Dependents Schools, and Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools, see CS 013 466-509. AVAILABLE FROM ED Pubs, P.O. Box, Jessup, MD 20794-1398; Tel: 877-433-7827 (Toll Free); online ordering: Web site: http://www.ed.gov/edpubs.html. Full report online: Web site: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pubs/stt1998/1999460.sh tml (pdf format) PUB TYPE Numerical/Quantitative Data (110) -- Reports - Research (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Comparative Analysis; Elementary Education; *Grade 4; *Grade 8; *National Competency Tests; Private Schools; Public Schools; *Reading Achievement; Reading Research; *Standardized Tests; *Student Evaluation; Tables (Data); Test Results IDENTIFIERS National Assessment of Educational Progress; State Reading Assessments; *Virgin Islands ABSTRACT The 1998 NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) state level reading assessment measured fourth- and eighth-grade students' reading proficiency in situations that involved reading for three purposes: reading for literary experience, reading to gain information, and reading to perform a task (grade 8 only). This report describes the reading proficiency of Virgin Islands fourth- and eighth-grade public and nonpublic school students and compares their overall performance to students in the nation (using data from the NAEP national assessments). The distribution of reading results and reading achievement level results are provided for subpopulations of students (gender, race/ethnicity, students' reports of parents' highest educational level, free/reduced-price lunch program eligibility, and type of location). The average reading proficiency of fourth-grade public school students in Virgin Islands on the NAEP reading scale was 178 compared to 215 nationwide; 207 compared to 233 for fourth-grade nonpublic school students; 264 compared to 281 for eighth-grade nonpublic school students; and 233 compared to 261 nationwide for eighth-grade public school students. (RS) _ A \- A, t 410' r+4 Ps NffAV THE31Aw4,Dx riEltt Krea aimila r., s)k- L16, Lni VAIL itirRalqrs.,W,IREntm 1-ET :fr-1:111 E . 0#7P- Ti IRWIN 1111 - 00 Oa U.S. Dtpartment of Edwation coffkeWf EducationaPResearch and Improvement, NCES 1 Sri What is The Nation's Report Card? THE NATION'S REPORT CAR1), the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. Since 1969, assessments have been conducted periodically in reading, mathematics, science, writing, history, geography, and other fields. By making objective information on student performance available to policymakers at the national,state, and local levels, NAEP is an integral part of our nation's evaluation of the condition and progress of education. Only information related to academic achievement is collected under this program. NAEP guarantees the privacy of individual students and their families. NAEP is a congressionally mandated project of the National Center for Education Statistics, the U.S. Department of Education. The Commissioner of Education Statistics is responsible, by law, for carrying out the NAEP project through competitive awards to qualified organizations. NAEP reports directly to the Commissioner, who is also responsible for providing continuing reviews, including validation studies and solicitation of public comment, on NAEP's conduct and usefulness. In 1988, Congress established the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) to formulate policy guidelines for NAEP. The Board is responsible for selecting the subject areas to be assessed from among those included in the National Education Goals; for setting appropriate student performance levels; for developing assessment objectives and test specifications through a national consensus approach; for designing the assessment methodology; for developing guidelines for reporting and disseminating NAEP results; for developing standards and procedures for interstate, regional, and national comparisons; for determining the appropriateness of test items and ensuring they are free from bias; and for taking actions to improve the form and use of the National Assessment. The National Assessment Governing Board Mark D. Musick, Chair President Southern Regional Education Board Atlanta, Georgia Michael T. Nettles, Vice Chair Professor of Education & Public Policy University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan and Director Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute United Negro College Fund Moses Barnes Secondary School Principal Fort Lauderdale, Florida Melanie A. Campbell Fourth-Grade Teacher Topeka, Kansas Honorable Wilmer S. Cody Commissioner of Education State of Kentucky Frankfort, Kentucky Edward Donley Former Chairman Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. Allentown, Pe n nsylvani a Honorable John M. Engler Governor of Michigan Lansing, Michigan Thomas H. Fisher Director, Student Assessment Services Florida Department of Education Tallahassee, Florida Michael J. Guerra Executive Director National Catholic Education Association Secondary School Department Washington, DC Edward H. Haertel Professor, School of Education Stanford University Stanford, California Juanita Haugen Local School Board President Pleasanton, California Carole Kennedy Elementary School Principal Columbia, Missouri Honorable Nancy Kopp Maryland House of Delegates Bethesda, Maryland Honorable William J. Moloney Commissioner of Education State of Colorado Denver, Colorado Mitsugi Nakashima First Vice-Chairperson Hawaii State Board of Education Honolulu, Hawaii Debra Paulson Eighth-Grade Mathematics Teacher El Paso, Texas Honorable Norma Paulus Former Superintendent of Public Instruction Oregon State Department of Education Salem, Oregon Honorable Jo Ann Pottorff Kansas House of Representatives Wichita, Kansas Diane Ravitch Senior Research Scholar New York University New York, New York Honorable Roy Romer (Member Designate) Former Governor of Colorado Denver, Colorado John H. Stevens Executive Director Texas Business and Education Coalition Austin, Texas Adam Urbanski President Rochester Teachers Association Rochester, New York Deborah Voltz Assistant Professor Department of Special Education University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky Marilyn A. Whirry Twelfth-Grade English Teacher Manhattan Beach, California Dennie Palmer Wolf Senior Research Associate Harvard Graduate School of Education Cambridge, Massachusetts C. Kent McGuire (Ex-Officio) Assistant Secretary of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement U.S. Department of Education Washington, DC Roy Truby Executive Director, NAGB Washington, DC NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS NAEP 1998 il REPORT FOR VIRGIN ISLANDS I Nada Ballator Laura Jerry In collaboration with Alfred Rogers March 1999 U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement NCES 1999-460 VI 4 U.S. Department of Education Richard W. Riley Secretary Office of Educational Research and Improvement C. Kent McGuire Assistant Secretary National Center for Education Statistics Pascal D. Forgione, Jr. Commissioner Assessment Division Peggy G. Carr Associate Commissioner Ma rc h 1999 SUGGESTED CITATION U.S. Department of Education. Office of Educational Research and Improvement. National Center for Education Statistics. The NAEP 1998 Reading Report for Virgin Islands, NCES 1999-460 VI, by N. Ballator and L. Jerry. Washington, DC: 1999. FOR MORE INFORMATION Content contact: Sheida White 202-219-1675 To obtain single copies of this report, while supplies last, or ordering information on other U.S. Department of Education products, call toll free I-877-4ED PUBS (877-433-7827), or write: Education Publications Center (Ell Pubs) U.S. Department of Education P.O. Box 1398 Jessup, MD 20794-1398 TTY/TDD 1-877-576-7734 FAX 301-470-1244 Online ordering via the Internet: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html Copies also are available in alternate formats upon request. This report also is available on the World Wide Web: http://nces.ed.gov/naep. The work upon which this publication is based was performed for the National Center for Education Statistics, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, by Educational Testing Service. Table of Contents Section 1 Overview of the NAEP Reading Assessment 1 What Is NAEP? 1 What Is Reported Here? 1 How Are Results Reported? 2 Reading Scale Score Results for Public School Students 4 Achievement Level Results for Public School Students 6 Comparisons Between the Virgin Islands and Other Participating Jurisdictions 8 What Was Assessed? 12 What Should Students Be Able to Do? 13 Who Was Assessed? 15 How Are Performance Differences Reported? 16 Section 2 Overall Reading Performance and Performance by Demographic Characteristics 17 Students' Overall Scale Scores 18 Overall Results in Terms of Achievement Levels 20 Gender 22 Race/Ethnicity 26 Students' Reports of Parents' Highest Education Level 30 Free/Reduced-Price Lunch Program Eligibility 34 Type of School 38 Appendix A Where to Find More Information 43 Appendix B Figures from Section 1 47 Acknowledgments 55 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands SECTION 1 Overview of the NAEP Reading Assessment What Is NAEP? The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various academic subjects. NAEP is authorized by Congress and directed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), an independent body, provides policy guidance for NAEP. The NAEP assessments are administered to representative samples of students at the national level as well as at the state level for those states that want to participate. To ensure comparability in a particular subject across all jurisdictions, NCES has established guidelines for school and student participation rates. These guidelines, as well as other technical aspects of the assessment, are detailed in the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card.' The 1998 NAEP program included state-level assessments in reading at grades 4 and 8 and in writing at grade 8, and national-level assessments in civics, reading, and writing at grades 4, 8, and 12. This report and its companion, the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card, provide a first look at the results of the NAEP 1998 reading assessment. The Reading Report Card offers additional state-level data. Each participating jurisdiction receives its own customized State Report identical in format to this one. Summary data tables providing information for all jurisdictions for which results are reported in 1998 are available at http://nces.ed.gov/naep/, the NAEP Web site. What Is Reported Here? The NAEP reading assessment has been administered at the state level three times: in public schools at grade 4 in 1992, in public and nonpublic schools at grade 4 in 1994, and in public and nonpublic schools at grades 4 and 8 in 1998. The Virgin Islands participated in the 1998 NAEP reading assessment at grades 4 and 8. Both public and nonpublic schools participated. The Virgin Islands also partipated in the 1992 reading assessment. The Virgin Islands' public and nonpublic school results for 1998 and public school results for 1992 are presented here, along with national results for comparison. This report has two sections. This Overview provides basic information on NAEP and the overall results for public schools in graphic form. It describes the assessment, the sample of students assessed, the metrics for reporting student performance, and how the differences in performance are reported. The second section, Overall Reading Performance and Performance by Demographic Characteristics, reports findings for the entire public school population at grades 4 and 8 as well as for the population broken out by major demographic categories and school type. This information is presented in data tables. Donahue, P. L., Voelkl, K. E., Campbell, J. R., and Mazzeo, J. (1999). The NAEP 1998 reading report card for the nation and the states (NCES Publication No. 1999-500). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands In addition, this report has two appendices. Appendix A, Where to Find More Information, describes the data available on the Web and provides information on sources of related data. Appendix B, Figures from Section 1, displays full-page replicas of Figures 1-5. The demographic data provided in this report are only a small portion of the data available from the several hundred questions asked of students, teachers, and school principals in order to provide context for NAEP results. Overall results for all student and school variables for public school students in each participating jurisdiction are available in summary data tables at the NAEP Web site. How Are Results Reported? In this report, as in other NAEP reports, only those results based on preestablished minimum sample sizes are reported. For details, see the forthcoming NAEP 1998 Technical Report. The results are reported in terms of two metrics, descriptions of which follow and details of which can be found in the Reading Report Card. Average NAEP reading scale scores are reported for all students or for subgroups of students. Percentages of students in each achievement level; that is, the students' scale scores place them into three categories: at or above the Basic level, at or above the Proficient level, and at the Advanced level. Also reported are the percentages of students whose scores are below the Basic level. The bulleted statements in the text as well as the symbols in the tables are based on the results of statistical tests of the data. The reader is cautioned to rely on the results of these statistical tests rather than on the apparent magnitude of any difference in scale scores or percentages in making inferences from the data. The NAEP Reading Scale Students' responses to the NAEP 1998 reading assessment were analyzed to determine the percentages of students responding correctly to each multiple-choice question or in each of several score categories for constructed-response questions (requiring a short or long written answer). Three scales were developed, one for each of the three purposes for reading: reading for literary experience; reading to gain information; and reading to petform a task (grades 8 and 12 only). The purposes for reading are described fully in the companion Reading Report Card and in the Reading Framework for the National Assessment of Educational Progress,' both available on the Web (see Appendix A). Student performance by each of the purposes for reading appears in the percentile data tables at the NAEP Web site. The scales summarize results across all three grades. The scale for each of the purposes for reading ranges from 0 to 500 and is linked to its corresponding scale from 1992 and 1994. An overall composite scale was developed by weighting each of the three subscales based on its relative importance in the NAEP reading framework. This composite scale is the metric used to present the average scale scores and selected percentiles in this and other reports. 8 2 National Assessment Governing Board. (1993). Reading framework for the National Assessment of Educational Progress: 1992-1998. Washington, DC: Author. 2 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands The Reading Achievement Levels In addition to the NAEP reading scale, results are also reported in terms of the reading achievement levels authorized by the NAEP legislation' and adopted by the National Assessment Governing Board. The achievement levels are performance standards based on the collective judgments about what students should be expected to know and to do. Viewing students' performance from this perspective provides some insight into the adequacy of students' knowledge and skills and the extent to which they achieved expected levels of performance. The Board reviewed and adopted the recommended achievement levels derived from the judgments of a broadly representative panel that included teachers, education specialists, and members of the general public. For each grade tested, the Board has adopted three achievement levels: Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. For reporting purposes, the achievement level cut scores for each grade represent the boundaries between four ranges on the NAEP reading scale: below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. The policy definitions of the achievement levels are shown below. The text of the descriptions of expected reading performance at each achievement level at grades 4 and 8 can be found under the heading What Should Students Be Able to Do? later in this section. The cut scores that divide the achievement levels can be found in the footnotes of the tables in Section 2. Definitions of the achievement levels Basic Partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade Proficient Solid academic performance for each grade assessed. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real- world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject matter. Advanced Superior performance The NAEP legislation requires that the achievement levels be used on a developmental basis until the Commissioner of Education Statistics determines, as the result of a congressionally mandated evaluation by one or more nationally recognized evaluation organizations, that the achievement levels are "reasonable, valid, and informative to the public." Upon review of the available information, the Commissioner of Education Statistics agrees with the National Academy's recommendation that caution needs to be exercised in the use of the current achievement levels, since in the opinion of the Academy "... appropriate validity evidence for the cut scores is lacking; and the process has produced unreasonable results."' Therefore, the Commissioner concludes that these achievement levels should continue to be considered developmental and should continue to be interpreted and used with caution. The Reading Report Card contains further information on the developmental status of the achievement levels. The Commissioner and the Governing Board believe that the achievement levels are useful for reporting trends in the educational achievement of students in the United States. 3 The National Education Statistics Act of 1994 requires that the National Assessment Governing Board develop "appropriate student performance levels" for reporting NAEP results. Pe lligrino, J. W., Jones, L. R., and Mitchell, K. J. (Eds.). (1999). Grading the nation's report card: Evaluating NAEP and transforming the assessment of educational progress (p. 182). Committee on the Evaluation of the National and State Assessments of Educational Progress, Board on Testing and Assessment, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 9 3 The Virgin Islands Reading Scale Score Results for Public School Students Figure 1 on the following page shows graphically the Virgin Islands' performance in terms of average scale scores as compared to that of the nation. Note that only a small portion of the NAEP reading scale, which actually ranges from 0 to 500, is represented on the vertical axis. Public School Students, Grade 4 In 1998, the average reading scale score of students in the Virgin Islands was 178. This was lower than that of students across the nation (215). In the Virgin Islands, the average scale score of students was higher in 1998 (178) than in 1992 (171). However, the average scale score of fourth graders across the nation was not significantly different in 1998 (215) from that in 1992 (215). Public School Students, Grade 8 In the Virgin Islands, the average reading scale score was 233 in 1998, lower than that of students across the nation (261). The bulleted statements above give only a few of the assessment's findings. Complete notations of significant differences in overall performance for 1992 as compared to 1998 can be found in Table 1 A in Section 2. Note that the changes indicated between two particular years show differences in performance between two distinct points in time and are not meant to indicate a general trend through the intervening years. Additional information can be found in the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card and on the NAEP Web site. 4 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands How to read Figure 1 The vertical bars in Figure 1 show reading scores at grade 4 for 1992, 1994, and 1998, and at grade 8 for 1998, along only a portion of the NAEP 0-500 reading scale. The NAEP reading scale is a cross-grade scale (that is, it covers all three grades), so the difference between the performance of fourth graders and eighth graders can be observed. The reader must be sure to look at the actual scores (on top of the bars) rather than at the comparative heights of the bars when comparing performance for the two grades. (Table 1A in Section 2 also shows these scores, their associated standard errors, and the scores' distribution at selected percentiles.) The Virgin Islands' overall average scale score is followed by those for the nation. The national data come from the national sample, which is a different sample from that providing the state data. However, through linking procedures, state and national reading results are placed on the same scale. THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment FIGURE 1 Average reading scale scores for public school students at grades 4 and 8 Ek 300 280 260 240 220 200 180 0 I I Virgin Islands 215 4 178 ' e 1 g 261 233 Nation 215 O 1.4 0 171 i., z 212 Ii g o .6 a z = 2-4 Li g § 2 1992 Grade 4 1994 Grade 4 1998 Grade 4 1998 Grade 8 SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992, 1994, and 1998 Reading Assessments. 11 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 5 The Virgin Islands Achievement Level esults for Public School Students Figure 2 on the following page shows graphically the Virgin Islands' performance in terms of achievement levels (see page 3 for a description) as compared to that of the nation. Public School Students, Grade 4 In 1998, the percentage of Virgin Islands students who performed at or above the Proficient level was 8 percent. This percentage was smaller than the percentage of the nation's students who performed at the same level (29 percent). The percentage of students performing at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands was higher in 1998 (8 percent) than in 1992 (3 percent). Public School Students, Grade 8 In 1998, the percentage of students who performed at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands was 10 percent. This percentage was smaller than that of students across the nation (31 percent). The bulleted statements above give only a few of the assessment's findings. Complete notations of significant changes in overall performance for 1992 as compared with 1998 can be found in Table 1B in Section 2. How to read Figure 2 Figure 2 shows the percentages of fourth- and eighth-grade students whose scores on the NAEP reading assessment placed them into each of the three achievement levels, or into the range below the Basic achievement level. In order to place students in the achievement level categories, scale score cutpoints were set for each level at each grade in 1992, the first year of the assessment. The process of determining the achievement levels is under development; thus, they should be used and interpreted with caution. The Introduction to the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card contains further information on the developmental status of achievement levels. To assist comparisons of performance across the years or comparisons at the state and national levels, the bars are centered between the top of the Basic category and the beginning of the Proficient category. There is a vertical line representing 0 percent through this location. A visual comparison of the percentages of students performing at or above the Proficient level in the jurisdiction and the nation can be made by comparing the extension of the bars to the right of the zero axis. 12 6 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment FIGURE 2 imp Reading achievement level results for public school students at grades 4 and 8 The bars below contain estimated percentages of students in each NAEP reading achievement category. Each population of students is aligned at the point where the Proficient category begins, so that they may be compared at Proficient and above. 1998 Grade 4 1994 Grade 4 1992 Grade 4 1998 Grade 8 rprolfae7iFFTdvarroWl 1 74 1 18 a 29____If 1.1 NOT PART OF ANY REGION I 39 1 32 DID NOT PARTICIPATE NOT PART OF ANY REGION 41 1 31 21 1 7 I -21 I 83 1 14 NOT PART OF ANY REGION i AD 1 33 ai ______Iii _9_3 .1 30 NOT PART OF ANY REGION I 28 I 41 Z9 100 90 80 70 BO 50 40 30 Percent Basic and Below Basic 20 10 10 20 30 40 50 Percent Proficient and Advanced so Virgin Islands Nation Nation Virgin Islands Nation Virgin islands Nation SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992, 1994, and 1998 Reading Assessments. The text and tables in this report refer to the percentage of students who score "at or above Proficient" and "at or above Basic." These percentages are cumulative. For instance, in Table 1B in Section 2, "at or above Proficient" appears as a single percentage. In order to compare the percentage in Figures 2, 4, and 5 with that in Table 1B, the percentage appearing in the Proficient band in the figures must be added to the percentage in the Advanced band to obtain the percentage of students whose scores categorize them as "at or above Proficient." Similarly, the sum of the percentages appearing in the Basic, Proficient, and Advanced bands yields the percentage of students "at or above Basic." Figures 2, 4, and 5 allow one to compare performance by the total percentage of a given student population whose scores put the students in the broad category "at or above Proficient" (that is, simply comparing bar lengths to the right of the zero axis). Other interesting comparisons might consider the components of the bar lengths. For instance, one student population with 40 percent of its members performing at or above Proficient could have 35 percent at Proficient and 5 percent at Advanced. Another student population, also with 40 percent of its members performing at or above Proficient, might have 25 percent at Proficient and 15 percent at Advanced. In a similar manner, on the left side of the zero axis, much can be gained by comparing the percentage of students performing at the Basic level with the percentage below the Basic level. BEST COPY AMIABLE 13 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 7 The Virgin Islands Comparisons Between the Virgin Islands and Other Participating Jurisdictions In 1998, 45 states and other jurisdictions participated in the reading assessment. Of those, 43 at grade 4 and 40 at grade 8 met statistical reporting requirements for publishing their public school students' performance on the NAEP reading assessment. The maps in Figure 3 show the participating states and indicate their membership in four U.S. geographic regions. Note that the Virgin Islands and the domestic and overseas Department of Defense Education Activity schools (DoDEA/DDESS and DoDEA/DoDDS) do not belong to any of these regions. Reading results for all participating states and other jurisdictions are available at the NAEP Web site. Average scale scores: How to read Figure 3 Figure 3 presents maps comparing the Virgin Islands' overall 1998 grade 4 and grade 8 reading scale scores with those of all other participating states and jurisdictions. The different shadings are determined by whether or not the Virgin Islands' average scale score is significantly different (in a statistical sense) from that of each of the other participants in the 1998 NAEP state reading assessment. States that did not participate in 1998, or that did not meet reporting guidelines, are also represented in the maps. Achievement levels: How to read Figures 4 and 5 Figures 4 and 5 permit comparisons of all participants in the NAEP state assessment, in terms of percentages of public school students performing at or above the Proficient level as well as those performing at the Basic level and below. As with Figure 3, the participating jurisdictions are arranged into categories reflecting student performance compared to that in the Virgin Islands. The jurisdictions are grouped by whether the percentage of their students with scores at or above the Proficient level (including Advanced) was higher than, not significantly different from, or lower than the percentage in the Virgin Islands. Note that the arrangement of the states and other jurisdictions within each category is alphabetical; statistical comparisons among the jurisdictions in each of the three groups are not included here. These figures are available in color at the NAEP Web site. In the companion Reading Report Card, there are additional data tables as well as multiple comparison charts permitting comparison of each participating jurisdiction with all others. 14 8 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT A 4 A 8 The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 199e State Assessment FIGURE 3 The Virgin Islands' 1998 average reading scale score compared to those for other participating jurisdictions for public school students at grades 4 and 8 FA. Target state State has higher average scale score than target state State is not significantly different from target state in average scale score r---1 State has lower average scale score than target state EM] State did not meet minimum participation rate guidelines State did not participate In the NAEP 1998 Reading State Assessment I I Differences between states and other jurisdictions may be paffially explained by other factors not included in this figure. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. 1 * 1 Target state State has higher average scale score than target state State is not significantly different from target state in average scale score F-1 State has lower average scale score than target state nn State did not meet minimum participation rate guidelines State did not participate In the NAEP 1998 Reading State Assessment I I I I Differences between states and other jurisdictions may be partially explained by other factors not included in this figure. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 1. 5 EST COPY AI/AMBLE 9 1 72 1 The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment FIGURE 4 Achievement levels for reading: Comparing the percentage of public school students at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands with those in other participating jurisdictions at grade 4 in 1998 '2k The bars below contain estimated percentages of students in each NAEP reading achievement category. Each population of students is aligned at the point where the Proficient category begins, so that they may be compared at Proficient and above. Below Flask I, Basic I Proficient Advancedl Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DoDENDDESS DoDENDoDDS Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Carolina Oklahoma Oregon Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia VIRGIN ISLANDS 100 47 45 52 at 22 43 35 ao Higher than target state 32 31 17_5_1 32 19 __al 1 28 _as 32 35-IL] 32 33 24 1 36 46 45 55 30 37 31 1 31 I 28 35 1 37 34 52 14 31 JL.1 29 27 37 39 32 16 51 27 37 28 B I 22 7 36 35 29 8 1 1 31 1 1 52 37 27 47 25 48 33 28_,241 30 15_21 34 36 29 32 17 41 37 31 1 30 18 41 33 24 sI 34 22 ifl 36 25 IsI 33 23 5 1 25 7 1 1 1 34 1 39 35 45 42 37 38 36 37 38 28 35 33 33 34 34 18 41 20_11.1 24 sI 34 24 5 1 34 33 38 35 28d 74 18 18 24__LSLI Not different from target state 7 31 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 90 SO 70 BO 50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 GO Percent Basic and Below Basic Percent Proficient and Advanced Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DoDEA/DDESS DoDEA/DoDDS Florida Georgia Hawaii owa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Carolina Oklahoma Oregon Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Differences between states and other jurisdictions may be partially explained by other factors not included in this figure. District of Columbia VIRGIN ISLANDS SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment ol' Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 1.6 10 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT Proficient Advanced/ The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment FIGURE 5 Achievement levels for reading: Comparing the percentage of public school students at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands with those in other participating jurisdictions at grade 8 in 1998 'F:t The bars below contain estimated percentages of students in each NAEP reading achievement category. Each population of students is aligned at the point where the Proficient category begins, so that they may be compared at Proficient and above. Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DoDEA/DDESS DoDEA/DoDDS Florida Georgia Hawaii Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nevada New Mexico New York North Carolina Oklahoma Oregon Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia VIRGIN ISLANDS I Below Basic I 34 Basic Higher than target state 45 20 27 I 45 32 I 45 35 24 42 22 21 46 28 16 I 40 38 41 41 23 22 1 I 20 I 41 31 44 33 40 42 22 43 24 41 18 I 19 i 46 26 45 46 33 27 17 16 I 42 38 28 41 27 [ 1 20 44 [ 19 1 44 33 1sF 35 39 42 18 47 28 [ 17 [ 45 31 30 36 45 23 22 24 L 20 I 22 46 23 44 32 45 29 51 28 45 31 321 44 28 43 21 29 24 45 25 23 48 27 22 I 23 I [ 25 1 46 29 45 30 45 30 47 26 21 46 31 24 I 47 27 Not different from target state 56 32 11 9 100 053 50 70 60 SO 40 30 20 10 10 20 30 40 50 60 Percent Basic and Below Basic Percent Proficient and Advanced Differences between states and other jurisdictions may be partially explained by other factors not included in this figure. Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DoDEA/DDESS DoDEA/DoDDS Florida Georgia Hawaii Kansas Kentucky ouisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nevada New Mexico New York North Carolina Oklahoma Oregon Rhode Island outh Carolina ennessee exas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia VIRGIN ISLANDS SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. JEST COPT AVAILABLE 1 7 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT I I The Virgin Islands What Was Assessed? The subject area content for each NAEP assessment is developed through a congressionally mandated national consensus process directed by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB). The objectives for each NAEP assessment are described in a framework document that delineates the important content and process areas to be measured, as well as the types of exercises to be included in the assessment. The Reading Framework for the 1992 and 1994 NAEP reading assessments also guided the 1998 reading assessment. This framework was developed under the auspices of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Reflecting current theories of reading, the Reading Framework describes reading as a complex interaction among the reader, the text, and the context of the reading situation. According to this interactive view of reading, readers use different strategies and processes depending on the type of text being read and the purposes for reading it. The framework specifies that students be assessed in reading for three different purposes: reading for literary experience, reading to gain information, and reading to perform a task. The last purpose is not assessed at grade 4. In order to measure students' abilities to read for different purposes, the assessment is composed of three different types of texts, each associated with one purpose for reading. While responding to text, readers take different approaches in order to understand what is being read. The comprehension process typically involves changing stances, or orientations toward the text. The framework describes four reading stances: initial understanding, developing an interpretation, personal response, and critical stance. These stances are not intended-to represent a sequential routine of reading abilities nor are they considered hierarchical; rather, they describe reading processes that all readers use at any level of development. The assessment contains reading materials that were drawn from sources commonly available to students in and out of school. These authentic materials were considered to be representative of the types of reading experiences typically encountered by students. Each student in the state assessment was asked to complete two 25-minute blocks, each consisting of a reading passage and associated comprehension questions at the appropriate grade level. A combination of multiple-choice and constructed-response questions was used to assess students' understanding of the passages. The passages and associated items followed a distribution specified by the framework. Distribution of items by purpose for reading as specified by the Reading Framework Purpose Grade 4 Grade 8 For literary experience 55% 40% To gain information 45% 40% To perform a task (none) 20% I s 12 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands What Should Students Be 1bfle to Do? The following grade-specific achievement level descriptions focus on the interaction of the reader, the text, and the context. The achievement level descriptions reflect what readers performing at each achievement level should be able to do. The achievement levels are cumulative from Basic to Proficient to Advanced. Each level builds on the previous level such that knowledge at the Proficient level presumes mastery of the Basic level, and knowledge at the Advanced level presumes mastery of both the Basic and Proficient levels. THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment FIGURE 6A mep Levels of Reading Achievenwnt at Grade 4 BASIC LEVEL (208) Fourth-grade students performing at the Basic level should demonstrate an understanding of the overall meaning of what they read. When reading text appropriate for fourth graders, they should be able to make relatively obvious connections between the text and their own experiences and extend the ideas in the text by making simple inferences. PROFICIENT LEVEL (238) Fourth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should be able to demonstrate an overall understanding of the text, providing inferential as well as literal information. When reading text appropriate to fourth grade, they should be able to extend the ideas in the text by making inferences, drawing conclusions, and making connections to their own experiences. The connection between the text and what the student infers should be clear. ADVANCED LEVEL (268) Fourth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should be able to generalize about topics in the reading selection and demonstrate an awareness of how authors compose and use literary devices. When reading text appropriate to fourth grade, they should be able to judge text critically and, in general, give thorough answers that indicate careful thought. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 1 9 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 13 The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT FIGURE 66 CARD 1998 '...A- Levels of Reading Achievement at Grade 8 State Assessment BASIC LEVEL (243) Eighth-grade students performing at the Basic level should demonstrate a literal understanding of what they read and be able to make some interpretations. When reading text appropriate to eighth grade, they should be able to identify specific aspects of the text that reflect the overall meaning, extend the ideas in the text by making simple inferences, recognize and relate interpretations and connections among ideas in the text to personal experience, and draw conclusions based on the text. PROFICIENT LEVEL (281) Eighth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should be able to show an overall understanding of the text, including inferential as well as literal information. When reading text appropriate to eighth grade, they should be able to extend the ideas in the text by making clear inferences from it, by drawing conclusions, and by making connections to their own experiencesincluding other reading experiences. Proficient eighth graders should be able to identify some of the devices authors use in composing text. ADVANCED LEVEL (323) Eighth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should be able to describe the more abstract themes and ideas of the overall text. When reading text appropriate to eighth grade, they should be able to analyze both meaning and form and support their analyses explicitly with examples from the text; they should be able to extend text information by relating it to their experiences and to world events. At this level, student responses should be thorough, thoughtful, and extensive. BESI GO AVAILABLE 20 14 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands Who Was ssessed? Selection of Schools and Students For the NAEP state assessment, participating schools within a given jurisdiction, and students in those schools, were selected using probability sampling methods. These methods are described in the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card. The Virgin Islands' Participation The overall participation rate for schools and students must meet guidelines established by NCES and NAGB in order for assessment results to be reported publicly. The NAEP state assessment in reading was administered in public schools at grade 4 in 1992, in public and nonpublic schools at grade 4 in 1994, and in public and nonpublic schools at grades 4 and 8 in 1998. The Virgin Islands participated in the NAEP reading assessments in 1992 and 1998 at grade 4 and met the minimum guidelines for publication of its public school results in both years. The Virgin Islands also satisfied the criteria for reporting nonpublic school results at grade 4 in 1998. At grade 8 in 1998, the Virgin Islands met the criteria for reporting both public and nonpublic school results. Details on participation rates and guidelines for all participating jurisdictions can be found in Appendix A of the Reading Report Card. Possible Sources of Bias in Reported Results Within a certain state sample that meets the guidelines for publication of results, there still may exist possible sources of bias of the results due to nonparticipation of selected schools or due to nonparticipation of certain student groups. These possible sources of bias are indicated by notations and are specified and described in Appendix A of the Reading Report Card. The Virgin Islands' public schools did not receive any notations to indicate the possibility of bias. Participation by Students with Disabilities or Who Are Learning English NAEP endeavors to assess all students selected in the randomized sampling process including students with disabilities (SD) as well as students who are beginning to learn English and are classified by their schools as limited English proficient (LEP). Although the guidelines used to classify students into these two categories vary from state to state, NAEP criteria for inclusion standardize the selection of students. The recent Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should bring further consistency to classification criteria. The percentages of students classified as SD or LEP in all participating states and jurisdictions are available at the NAEP Web site in the all-jurisdiction summary data tables (SDTs). Participation guidelines specify levels of SD/LEP student nonparticipation that put the sample at risk for nonresponse bias; however, no jurisdiction failed to meet these guidelines for the 1998 reading assessment. NAEP offers certain accommodations for SD or LEP students who need them (for example, large print test booklets or extended time), as described in the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card and in a special report to follow. However, school personnel make the ultimate decision as to whether or not a particular student should take the assessment and whether accommodations are needed. The following table shows the percentage of students in the Virgin Islands who were classified as SD or LEP in 1998 and also the percentage of those students who were excluded from NAEP at the discretion of school personnel. 21 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 15 The Virgin Islands Students in the Virgin Islands who are classified as limited English proficient (LEP) or having disabilities, 1998 Percentage of students who are: Grade 4 School Type Public Nonpublic Classified as LEP 6% 0% Excluded from the assessment due to LEP 4% 0% Classified as students with disabilities 5% 0% Excluded from the assessment due to disability 4% 0% Grade 8 Classified as LEP 3% 0% Excluded from the assessment due to LEP 3% 0% Classified as students with disabilities 2% 0% Excluded from the assessment due to disability 2% 0% SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. How Are Performance Differences Reported? Because the percentages of students and the average reading scale scores presented in this report are based on samplesrather than on the entire population of fourth or eighth graders in a jurisdictionthe numbers reported are necessarily estimates. As such, they are subject to sampling error, a measure of uncertainty reflected in the standard error' of the estimate. When the percentages or average scale scores of certain groups are compared, it is essential to take the standard error into account rather than to rely solely on observed similarities or differences. The comparisons discussed in this report are based on statistical tests that consider both the magnitude of the differences between the averages or percentages and the standard errors of those statistics. The statistical tests determine whether the evidencebased on the data from the groups in the sampleis strong enough to conclude that there is an actual difference in the averages or percentages for those groups in the population. If the evidence is strong (i.e., the difference is statistically significant), the report describes the group averages or percentages as being different (e.g., one group performed higher than or lower than another group) regardless of whether the sample averages or percentages appear to be about the same or not. If the evidence is not sufficiently strong (i.e., the difference is not statistically significant), the averages or percentages are described as being not significantly differentagain, regardless of whether the sample averages or sample percentages appear to be about the same or widely discrepant. In this report, statements that compare groups or years by using terms such as "higher" or "no significant difference" (e.g., "females scored higher than males" or "scores in 1998 were not significantly different from 1992") are based on the results of statistical tests. Change over time that is statistically significant is indicated in the tables. The reader is cautioned to rely on the results of the statistical tests (as expressed in the bulleted text or as indicated in the tables) rather than on the apparent magnitude of any difference in scale scores or percentages in making inferences from the data. The statistical tests are discussed in greater detail in the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card and the forthcoming NAEP 1998 Technical Report. 22 5 Standard errors measure the uncertainty that another sample drawn from the same population could have yielded somewhat different results. 16 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands SECTION 2 Overall eading Performance and Perf rmance by emographic Characteristics Since its inception in 1969, NAEP's mission has been to collect, analyze, and produce valid and reliable information about the academic performance of students in the United States in various learning areas. In 1990, the mission of NAEP was expanded to provide state-by-state results on academic achievement. To provide reports with each state's data, the computer-generated reporting system was developed; this report was produced using that system. From 1990 through 1996, NAEP provided state reports with a variety of variables chosen for their general interest to most states. Because of new Internet capabilities, and with the approval of the state NAEP representatives, the 1998 state reports are tailored to provide information of most immediate need to all states. Consequently, results are reported here by total population and broken out by major demographic variables only. State NAEP results on the Internet provide resources for customized reports not possible in the past. Reported in this section are the results for student performance overall as well as disaggregated by the main demographic variables usually reported by NAEP: Gender Race/ethnicity Highest level of parental education (grade 8 only) Eligibility for the free or reduced-price school lunch program Type of school (public compared to nonpublic, where available) Each of these variables is reported first by average scale score and selected percentiles and then by percentages of students at or above each achievement level. The reader is cautioned against making inferences about the performance of students in these groups, or about the effectiveness of the National School Lunch Program or types of school control, because there are generally many other factors involved that are not discussed here and possibly not addressed by NAEP. 23 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 17 The Virgin Islands Students' Overall Scale Scores Table 1 A shows the overall performance of the Virgin Islands' public school students, as well as the overall performance for the nation. The first column of results gives the average scale score on the NAEP 0-500 reading scale. The columns to the right show the score at each of the selected percentiles. This arrangement permits a more detailed view of performance along the distribution of lowest to highest scores, with the score at each percentile as a demarcation pointfor each percentile, that percentage of scores falls below the score at that percentile. For instance, 75 percent of the student scores fall below the score shown at the 75th percentile. If, for a particular jurisdiction, the score at the 75th percentile is equal to the national average, 25 percent of its students performed better than the national average. A jurisdiction might also compare the score at its 25th percentile for the current year to that of a previous year to see what change has occurred for students who scored in the lower quartile. In terms of the average NAEP reading scale score for the Virgin Islands' public school students, Table 1 A shows the following. Public School Students, Grade 4 In 1998, the average reading scale score for students in the Virgin Islands was 178. This was lower than that of fourth graders in public schools across the nation (215). In the Virgin Islands, the average scale score of students was higher in 1998 (178) than in 1992 (171). However, the average scale score of fourth graders across the nation was not significantly different in 1998 (215) from that in 1992 (215). Public School Students, Grade 8 In 1998, the average scale score of students in the Virgin Islands was 233, lower than that of eighth graders in public schools nationwide (261). 24 18 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment TABLE lA Rvep Average school reading scale scores and selected percentiles for public students: 1992 and 1998 Average Scale score distribution scale 10th 25th 50th 75th 90th score percentile percentile percentile percentile percentile Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 178 ( 1.9)0 119 ( 4.0) 149 ( 2.6) 180 ( 1.6)0 209 ( 2.3)0 233 ( 4.4)0 Nation 215 ( 0.8) 165 ( 2.2) 192 ( 1.1) 218 ( 0.9) 242 ( 1.0) 261 ( 1.3) 1992 Virgin Islands 171 ( 1.7) 123 ( 3.2) 147 ( 2.3) 171 ( 1.6) 197 ( 3.0) 219 ( 2.3) Nation 215 ( 1.0) 168 ( 1.9) 192 ( 1.0) 217 ( 1.7) 240 ( 1.3) 259 ( 2.3) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 233 ( 2.9) 185 (11.7) 210 ( 3.1) 234 ( 5.0) 258 ( 4.4) 280 ( 5.1) Nation 261 ( 0.8) 215 ( 1.6) 239 ( 1.3) 264 ( 1.1) 286 ( 0.8) 304 ( 1.2) The NAEP reading scale ranges from 0 to 500. The standard errors of the statistics in the table appear in parentheses. If the notation »(«) appears, it signifies that the 1998 value was significantly higher (lower) than the value for 1992 at about the 95 percent confidence level. *** Sample size is insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992 and 1998 Reading Assessments. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 25 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 19 The Virgin Islands Overall Results in Terms of Achievement Levels Table 1B presents the percentages of students who performed below Basic, at or above Basic, at or above Proficient, and at Advanced levels. Because the percentages in the levels are cumulative from Basic to Proficient to Advanced, they sum to more than 100 percent. Only the percentage of students at or above Basic (which includes Proficient and Advanced) plus the percentage of students below Basic will always sum to 100 percent. Table 1B indicates the following in terms of achievement levels attained by the Virgin Islands' public school students. Public School Students, Grade 4 In 1998, the percentage of Virgin Islands students who performed at or above the Proficient level was 8 percent. This was smaller than the percentage of the nation's public school students who performed at the same level (29 percent). The percentage of students performing at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands was higher in 1998 (8 percent) than in 1992 (3 percent). The percentage of students in the Virgin Islands who performed at or above the Basic level in 1998 (26 percent) was smaller than that for the nation's public school students (61 percent). Public School Students, Grade 8 The percentage of students in the Virgin Islands who performed at or above the Proficient level in 1998 was 10 percent. This percentage was smaller than that of public school students across the nation (31 percent). In 1998, the percentage of students who performed at or above the Basic level in the Virgin Islands was 40 percent. This percentage was smaller than that of public school students nationwide (72 percent). Th 20 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment TABLE 1B map Percentages of public school students attaining achievement levels: 1992 and 1998 Below Basic At or Above Basic At or Proficient Above Advanced Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 74 ( 1.8). 26 ( 1.8)» 8 ( 1.3)» 2 ( 0.4) Nation 39 ( 1.0) 61 ( 1.0) 29 ( 0.9) 6 ( 0.5) 1992 Virgin Islands 83 ( 1.5) 17 ( 1.5) 3 ( 0.7) 0() Nation 40 ( 1.1) 60 ( 1.1) 27 ( 1.3) 6 ( 0.6) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 60 ( 3.7) 40 ( 3.7) 10 ( 2.5) 1 (****) Nation 28 ( 0.9) 72 ( 0.9) 31 ( 0.9) 2 ( 0.4) The achievement levels correspond to the following points on the NAEP reading scale at grade 4 (and 8): Basic, 208-237 (243-280); Proficient, 238-267 (281-322); and Advanced, 268 (323) and above. The standard errors of the statistics in the table appear in parentheses. If the notation ),(<,) appears, it signifies that the 1998 value was significantly higher (lower) than the value for 1992 at about the 95 percent confidence level. *** Sample size is insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. **** Standard error estimates cannot be accurately determined. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992 and 1998 Reading Assessments. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 27 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 21 The Virgin Islands Gender This report focuses on trend differences, for example, whether females' performance has improved since 1992. The indicators of significant differences that appear in the tables come from a comparison of performance by males or females over time. Another issue covered in many studies and by comparisons below (but not in the tables) is that of differences in performance between males and females. Several studies show that females outperform males in development of literacy at the elementary and middle school grades; reports documenting or surveying gender differences in reading include NAEP 1996 Trends in Academic Progress' and The Condition of Education.' Table 2A shows scale scores for public school fourth and eighth graders by gender in the Virgin Islands and the nation. Scale Score Results by Gender In terms of average reading scale scores for the Virgin Islands' public school students, Table 2A shows the following. Public School Students, Grade 4 In the Virgin Islands, male students' average scale score was 169 in 1998. This was lower than that of females (186). In 1998, male students in the Virgin Islands had an average scale score in reading (169) that was lower than that of fourth-grade males across the nation (212). Similarly, females in the Virgin Islands had an average score (186) that was lower than that of females nationwide (218). The average reading scale score of the Virgin Islands' fourth-grade males did not differ significantly in 1998 (169) from that in 1992 (164). However, the average scale score of female students was higher in 1998 (186) than in 1992 (179). Public School Students, Grade 8 In 1998 in the Virgin Islands, male students' average scale score was 229. This did not differ significantly from that of females (236). The average reading scale score of males in the Virgin Islands (229) was lower than that of males across the nation (255) in 1998. Similarly, Virgin Islands females' average scale score (236) was lower than that of females nationwide (268). 28 6 Campbell, J., Voelkl, K., & Donahue, P. (1997). NAEP 1996 trends in academic progress (NCES Publication No. 97-985). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. 7 For instance, see Indicator 20: U.S. Department of Education. (1996). The condition of education 1996 (NCES Publication No. 96-304). Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and Improvement. 22 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S TABLE 2A REPORT CARD 1998 map Average reading scale scores and selected percentiles for public school students by gender: 1992 and 1998 State Assessment Percentage of total population Average scale score Scale score distribution 10th percentile 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile 90th percentile Males Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands Nation 1992 Virgin Islands Nation Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation Females Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands Nation 1992 Virgin Islands Nation Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation 47 ( 1.3). 50 ( 0.7) 52 ( 1.7) 51 ( 0.7) 48 ( 1.9) 51 ( 0.5) 53 ( 1.3). 50 ( 0.7) 48 ( 1.7) 49 ( 0.7) 52 ( 1.9) 49 ( 0.5) 169 ( 5.0) 212 ( 1.2) 164 ( 1.9) 211 ( 1.3) 229 ( 3.2) 255 ( 1.0) 186 ( 2.1). 218 ( 0.8) 179 ( 2.1) 219 ( 1.1) 236 ( 3.4) 268 ( 1.0) 108 ( 8.1) 140 ( 6.2) 171 ( 5.1) 202 ( 4.5). 226 ( 4.3). 161 ( 2.8) 188 ( 1.3) 215 ( 1.1) 240 ( 1.9) 259 ( 1.4) 117 ( 4.1) 140 ( 3.2) 164 ( 2.7) 189 ( 2.9) 213 ( 2.2) 163 ( 2.1) 188 ( 1.9) 213 ( 1.4) 237 ( 2.0) 256 ( 2.4) 179 ( 3.6) 206 ( 4.8) 230 ( 3.5) 255 ( 5.7) 276 ( 6.2) 207 ( 2.4) 232 ( 1.7) 257 ( 1.0) 280 ( 0.9) 297 ( 1.3) 130 ( 3.9) 159 ( 2.1) 188 ( 2.7). 215 ( 2.5)» 237 ( 3.5) 170 ( 1.7) 195 ( 1.5) 221 ( 1.0) 244 ( 1.2) 263 ( 1.1) 133 ( 2.5) 156 ( 2.7) 179 ( 1.2) 202 ( 1.9) 225 ( 4.8) 173 ( 2.1) 197 ( 2.0) 221 ( 1.1) 243 ( 1.6) 262 ( 1.7) 192 ( 7.1) 213 ( 4.3) 236 ( 4.2) 261 ( 3.3) 283 ( 5.7) 225 ( 1.6) 248 ( 1.1) 271 ( 1.2) 291 ( 1.4) 308 ( 1.5) The NAEP reading scale ranges from 0 to 500. The standard errors of the statistics in the table appear in parentheses. If the notation ),(0) appears, it signifies that the 1998 value was significantly higher (lower) than the value for 1992 at about the 95 percent confidence level. *** Sample size is insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. **** Standard error estimates cannot be accurately determined. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992 and 1998 Reading Assessments. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 9 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 23 The Virgin Islands Achievement Level Results by Gender As shown in Table 2B, the following is true of achievement levels attained by the Virgin Islands' public school students. Public School Students, Grade 4 In 1998, 6 percent of males and 10 percent of females performed at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands. These percentages were not significantly different. The percentage of males in the Virgin Islands who were at or above the Proficient level in 1998 (6 percent) was smaller than that of males in the nation (27 percent). The percentage of females in the Virgin Islands at or above this level in 1998 (10 percent) was smaller than that of the nation's females (31 percent). The percentages of both males and females performing at or above the Proficient level were higher in 1998 than in 1992. Public School Students, Grade 8 In 1998, 8 percent of males and 11 percent of females in the Virgin Islands performed at or above the Proficient level. These percentages were not significantly different. In 1998, the percentage of males at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands (8 percent) was smaller than that of males in the nation (24 percent). The percentage of females in the Virgin Islands performing at or above the Proficient level in 1998 (11 percent) was smaller than that of females nationwide (37 percent). 24 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment TABLE 28 mep Percentages of public school students attaining achievement levels by gender: 1992 and 1998 Belo Basic At or Above Basic At or Proficient Above Advanced Males Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 80 ( 3.6) 20 ( 3.6) 6 ( 1.7) 1 ( 0.5) Nation 43 ( 1.5) 57 ( 1.5) 27 ( 1.3) 6 ( 0.7) 1992 Virgin Islands 87 ( 1.7) 13 ( 1.7) 2 ( 0.6) 0 (****) Nation 44 ( 1.7) 56 ( 1.7) 24 ( 1.5) 5 ( 0.7) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 63 ( 4.2) 37 ( 4.2) 8 ( 2.8) 1 ( 0.5) Nation 35 ( 1.2) 65 ( 1.2) 24 ( 1.0) 1 ( 0.3) Females Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands Nation 69 ( 36 ( 3.0),, 1.1) 31 ( 64 ( 3.0)" 1.1) 10 ( 31 ( 1.6),, 1.1) 2 7 ( 0.7) ( 0.6) 1992 Virgin Islands 80 ( 2.1) 20 ( 2.1) 5 ( 1.2) 0 (-1 Nation 35 ( 1.5) 65 ( 1.5) 30 ( 1.5) 7 ( 0.9) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 57 ( 4.5) 43 ( 4.5) 11 ( 2.9) 0 (-1 Nation 21 ( 0.9) 79 ( 0.9) 37 ( 1.3) 3 ( 0.6) The achievement levels correspond to the following points on the NAEP reading scale at grade 4 (and 8): Basic, 208-237 (243-280); Proficient, 238-267 (281-322); and Advanced, 268 (323) and above. The standard errors of the statistics in the table appear in parentheses. If the notation »(«) appears, it signifies that the 1998 value was significantly higher (lower) than the value for 1992 at about the 95 percent confidence level. *** Sample size is insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. **** Standard error estimates cannot be accurately determined. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992 and 1998 Reading Assessments. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 3 1 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 25 The Virgin Islands Race/Ethnicity As part of the background questionnaire administered with the assessment, students were asked to identify the racial/ethnic subgroup that best described them. The five mutually exclusive categories were White, Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian. This information was the primary contributor to the classifications appearing below. For details of the derivation of this variable, see the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card. Table 3A shows scale scores for public school students by racial and ethnic background in the Virgin Islands and the nation. Only the race/ethnicity categories with sufficient membership to meet reporting requirements in the Virgin Islands are reported. Scale Score Results by Race/Ethnicity In terms of average reading scale scores for the Virgin Islands' public school students, Table 3A indicates the following. Public School Students, Grade 4 In 1998, Black students in the Virgin Islands had an average scale score that was higher than that of Hispanic students. The average scale score of Black and Hispanic students in the Virgin Islands did not differ significantly in 1998 from in 1992. Public School Students, Grade 8 In 1998, Black students in the Virgin Islands had an average scale score that was not significantly different from that of Hispanic students. 3 2 26 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S , TABLE 3A REPORT CARD 1998 mep Average reading scale scores and selected percentiles for public school students by race/ethnicity: 1992 and 1998 State AssessTent Percentage of total population Average scale score Scale score distribution 10th percentile 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile 90th percentile Black Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands Nation 1992 Virgin Islands Nation Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation Hispanic Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands Nation 1992 Virgin Islands Nation Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation 75 ( 1.6) 16 ( 0.4) 76 ( 1.4) 17 ( 0.4) 79 ( 1.5) 15 ( 0.3) 19 ( 1.5) 14 ( 0.5)ii 20 ( 1.5) 10 ( 0.3) 18 ( 1.5) 14 ( 0.3) 181 ( 2.0) 193 ( 1.8) 174 ( 1.9) 192 ( 1.6) 234 ( 4.2) 241 ( 1.6) 168 ( 4.1) 195 ( 1.9) 157 ( 4.0) 199 ( 2.2) 230 ( 6.0) 243 ( 2.1) 124 ( 7.5) 153 ( 3.6) 183 ( 1.9) 211 ( 2.3)ii 234 ( 2.9),, 145 ( 5.1) 170 ( 5.0) 195 ( 2.0) 218 ( 2.2) 237 ( 1.8) 129 ( 5.0) 151 ( 3.0) 175 ( 2.6) 199 ( 1.3) 220 ( 2.5) 148 ( 3.5) 169 ( 3.0) 193 ( 2.0) 215 ( 2.6) 235 ( 2.2) 189 ( 4.8) 212 ( 4.2) 235 ( 4.3) 258 ( 5.3) 279 ( 8.0) 200 ( 2.2) 220 ( 1.8) 243 ( 2.0) 265 ( 2.2) 283 ( 1.7) 102 (18.1) 138 ( 2.3) 170 ( 5.0) 202 ( 5.1) 226 ( 5.1) 145 ( 2.7) 170 ( 3.0) 196 ( 2.2) 222 ( 2.0) 242 ( 2.4) 109 ( 8.3) 131 ( 6.7) 156 ( 4.5) 181 ( 7.3) 207 ( 7.8) 151 ( 4.2) 175 ( 2.4) 200 ( 3.7) 225 ( 3.9) 245 ( 2.4) 176 (10.2) 205 ( 9.9) 231 ( 7.3) 259 ( 6.0) 282 ( 7.4) 195 ( 6.4) 221 ( 3.9) 245 ( 2.7) 268 ( 1.5) 286 ( 2.0) The NAEP reading scale ranges from 0 to 500. The standard errors of the statistics appear in parentheses. If the notation »(«) appears, it signifies that the 1998 value was significantly higher (lower) than the value for 1992 at about the 95 percent confidence level. *** Sample size is insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. **** Standard error estimates cannot be accurately determined. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992 and 1998 Reading Assessments. &ST CON AVAILABLE 3 3 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 27 The Virgin Islands Achievement Level Results by Race/Ethnicity Table 3B shows the following to be true of achievement levels attained by the Virgin Islands' public school students. Public School Students, Grade 4 In the Virgin Islands in 1998, the percentage of Black students performing at or above the Proficient level was not significantly different from that of Hispanic students. The percentage of Black students in the Virgin Islands performing at or above the Proficient level was greater in 1998 than in 1992. Public School Students, Grade 8 In the Virgin Islands, the percentage of Black students performing at or above the Proficient level in 1998 was not significantly different from that of Hispanic students. - 3 4 .....- --- 28 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment TABLE 3B m Percentages of public school students attaining achievement levels by race/ethnicity: 1992 and 1998 Below Basic At or Above Basic At or Proficient Above Advanced Black Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 73 ( 2.0)« 27 ( 2.0)« 8 ( 1.5). 2 ( 0.5) Nation 65 ( 1.9) 35 ( 1.9) 9 ( 1.0) 1 ( 0.5) 1992 Virgin Islands 82 ( 1.7) 18 ( 1.7) 3 ( 0.7) 0 (-1 Nation 68 ( 2.1) 32 ( 2.1) 8 ( 1.4) 1 (****) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 59 ( 5.0) 41 ( 5.0) 9 ( 3.1) 1 (****) Nation 50 ( 2.5) 50 ( 2.5) 11 ( 1.3) 0 (****) Hispanic Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 79 ( 4.2)« 21 ( 4.2). 6 ( 1.7) 1 (-1 Nation 62 ( 2.0) 38 ( 2.0) 12 ( 1.3) 2 ( 0.4) 1992 Virgin Islands 90 ( 2.6) 10 ( 2.6) 2 C.-) 0 (****) Nation 58 ( 2.1) 42 ( 2.1) 14 ( 1.8) 2 ( 1.0) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 62 ( 6.9) 38 ( 6.9) 10 ( 3.4) 1 C.-) Nation 48 ( 2.5) 52 ( 2.5) 14 ( 1.3) 0 ( 0.2) The achievement levels correspond to the following points on the NAEP reading scale at grade 4 (and 8): Basic, 208-237 (243-280); Proficient, 238-267 (281-322); and Advanced, 268 (323) and above. The standard errors of the statistics appear in parentheses. If the notation >4.) appears, it signifies that the 1998 value was significantly higher (lower) than the value for 1992 at about the 95 percent confidence level. *** Sample size is insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. **** Standard error estimates cannot be accurately determined. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992 and 1998 Reading Assessments. BEST COPYAVAILABLE 3 5 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 29 The Virgin Islands Students' Reports of Parents' Highest Education Level As part of the background questionnaire administered with the assessment, students were asked to identify the highest level of education completed by each parent. The groupings were determined by the highest educational level reported for either parent. Level of parental education has always exhibited the same general pattern in NAEP reports: the higher the level of parental education, the higher the level of student performance. This finding is borne out by other studies; for instance, see a paper by Grissmer, Kirby, Berends, and Williamson (1994) that includes findings from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) and the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS).8 Table 4A shows scale scores for public school students by parents' highest education level in the Virgin Islands and the nation. Because the format for the question was changed for grade 4, only grade 8 results are reported. The format change is described in the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card. Scale Score Results by Parents' Education In terms of average reading scale scores for the Virgin Islands' eighth-grade public school students in 1998, Table 4A indicates the following. (Note that the following discussion pertains only to those students who reported knowing the highest level of education achieved by one or both parents.) Public School Students, Grade 8 Students in the Virgin Islands who affirmed that neither parent graduated from high school had an average reading scale score that was not significantly different from those of students reporting that at least one parent graduated from high school, at least one parent had some education after high school, or at least one parent graduated from college. The average scale score for students reporting that at least one parent graduated from high school, at least one parent had some education after high school, or at least one parent graduated from college in the Virgin Islands was lower than that of similar students nationwide. The average scale score for students reporting that neither parent graduated from high school in the Virgin Islands was not significantly different from that of similar students nationwide. 3 G 8 Grissmer, D. W., Kirby, S. N., Berends, M., and Williamson, S. (1994). Student achievement and the changing American family (Publication No. MR-488-LE). Santa Monica, CA: RAND. 30 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S TABLE 4A REPORT CARD 1998 mrp Average reading scale scores and selected percentiles for public school students by parents' highest level of education: 1998 State Assessment Percentage of total population Average scale score Scale score distribution 10th percentile 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile 90th percentile Did not finish high school Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation Graduated from high school Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation Some education after high school Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation Graduated from college Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation I don't know. Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation 16 ( 1.3) 8 ( 0.4) 32 ( 1.8) 23 ( 0.6) 13 ( 1.2) 18 ( 0.5) 24 ( 1.7) 42 ( 0.9) 16 ( 1.6) 10 ( 0.4) 237 ( 4.7) 242 ( 1.9) 234 ( 4.9) 253 ( 1.3) 242 ( 7.6) 268 ( 1.4) 232 ( 4.3) 272 ( 1.0) 221 ( 9.4) 241 ( 2.0) 194 ( 8.7) 215 ( 5.3) 239 ( 7.5) 264 ( 5.2) 288 (12.3) 200 ( 1.9) 221 ( 4.0) 244 ( 3.4) 266 ( 3.4) 283 ( 2.7) 191 ( 5.9) 212 ( 4.6) 235 ( 6.7) 257 ( 5.7) 278 (12.6) 209 ( 3.2) 231 ( 2.5) 255 ( 1.7) 277 ( 1.4) 294 ( 3.3) 199 (12.9) 222 ( 7.8) 243 ( 7.1) 264 (16.6) 285 (10.6) 227 ( 3.2) 249 ( 1.5) 270 ( 1.9) 288 ( 1.4) 306 ( 2.1) 184 (13.4) 208 ( 4.0) 232 ( 5.9) 258 ( 5.2) 280 ( 7.1) 229 ( 1.7) 252 ( 0.9) 275 ( 1.0) 294 ( 1.3) 311 ( 1.8) 168 (11.3) 198 ( 9.3) 224 (12.2) 246 (12.9) 270 (10.7) 195 ( 2.2) 219 ( 2.7) 242 ( 0.9) 266 ( 2.4) 283 ( 1.6) The NAEP reading scale ranges from 0 to 500. The standard errors of the statistics in the table appear in parentheses. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 3 7 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 31 The Virgin Islands Achievement Level Results by Parents' Education In terms of achievement levels attained by the Virgin Islands' eighth-grade public school students in 1998, Table 4B shows the following. (As with the previous discussion regarding average scale scores, the following pertains only to those students who reported knowing the highest level of education achieved by at least one parent.) Public School Students, Grade 8 The percentage of students in the Virgin Islands reporting that neither parent graduated from high school who performed at or above the Proficient level was not significantly different from the corresponding percentages for students reporting that at least one parent graduated from high school, at least one parent had some education after high school, or that at least one parent graduated from college. For students reporting that at least one parent graduated from high school, at least one parent had some education after high school, or at least one parent graduated from college, the percentage who performed at or above the Proficient level was smaller in the Virgin Islands than across the nation. For students reporting that neither parent graduated from high school, the percentage who performed at or above the Proficient level was not significantly different in the Virgin Islands from that of similar students across the nation. 38 32 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment TABLE 4B row Percentages of public school students attaining achievement levels by parents' highest level of education: 1998 Below Basic At or Above Basic At or Above Proficient . Advanced Did not finish high school Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 56 ( 8.0) 44 ( 8.0) 12 ( 5.1) 0 (****) Nation 49 ( 2.5) 51 ( 2.5) 11 ( 1.5) 0 (****) Graduated from high school Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 61 ( 6.8) 39 ( 6.8) 8 ( 4.1) 0 (-1 Nation 36 ( 2.1) 64 ( 2.1) 21 ( 1.3) 1 ( 0.4) Some education after HS Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 50 ( 9.1) 50 ( 9.1) 13 ( 5.5) 1 (-1 Nation 20 ( 1.6) 80 ( 1.6) 35 ( 2.1) 2 ( 0.7) Graduated from college Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 60 ( 6.3) 40 ( 6.3) 10 ( 3.0) 1 (****) Nation 18 ( 1.0) 82 ( 1.0) 42 ( 1.5) 4 ( 0.7) I don't know. Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 71 (10.8) 29 (10.8) 6 ( 4.0) 0 (-1 Nation 51 ( 2.3) 49 ( 2.3) 12 ( 1.2) 0 (****) The achievement levels correspond to the following points on the NAEP reading scale at grade 8: Basic, 243-280; Proficient, 281-322; and Advanced, 323 and above. The standard errors of the statistics in the table appear in parentheses. **** Standard error estimates cannot be accurately determined. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 3 9 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 33 The Virgin Islands Free/Reduced-Price Lunch Program Eligibility NAEP tracks eligibility for the federal program providing free or reduced-price school lunches. The free/reduced-price lunch component of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is designed to ensure that children near or below the poverty line receive nourishing meals. This program is available to public schools, nonprofit private schools, and residential child care institutions. Eligibility is determined through the USDA's Income Eligibility Guidelines, and results for this category of students are included as an indicator of poverty. More information is available at the USDA Web site, in particular, in a question-and-answer style document called "Nutrition Program Facts" at http://www.usda.gov/fcs/cnp/schoolt2.htm. NAEP first collected information on participation in this program in 1996. NAEP collects data on student eligibility for the NSLP in five categories: eligible for reduced-price lunches, eligible for free lunches, not eligible for the NSLP, information was not available, or schools did not provide the information. Because some of these groups were small, these categories were combined into eligible, not eligible, and information not available, as reported here for groups meeting minimum sample size requirements. Scale Score Results by Eligibility for the Free/Reduced-Price Lunch Program In terms of average reading scale scores for the Virgin Islands' public school students in 1998, Table 5A shows the following. Public School Students, Grade 4 Students in the Virgin Islands eligible for free/reduced-price lunch had an average reading scale score of 179. Students in the Virgin Islands eligible for free/reduced-price lunch had an average scale score (179) that was lower than that of similar fourth-grade students in the nation (198). Public School Students, Grade 8 In the Virgin Islands, the average reading scale score of students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch was 233. Students in the Virgin Islands eligible for free/reduced-price lunch had an average scale score (233) that was lower than that of similar eighth graders nationwide (246). 4 0 34 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S TABLE 5A REPORT CARD 1998 mep Average reading scale scores and selected percentiles by free/reduced-price lunch eligibility: 1998 ..- State Assessment Percentage of total population Average scale score Scale score distribution 10th percentile 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile 90th percentile Eligible Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands Nation Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation Information not available Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands Nation Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands Nation 95 ( 0.4) 38 ( 1.3) 74 ( 1.0) 30 ( 0.8) 5 ( 0.4) 7 ( 1.9) 26 ( 1.0) 12 ( 1.9) 179 ( 2.1) 198 ( 1.2) 233 ( 3.8) 246 ( 1.3) 164 (14.1) 225 ( 4.0)1 234 ( 3.0) 265 ( 2.7) 120 ( 4.2) 150 ( 3.6) 181 ( 2.4) 210 ( 2.9) 234 ( 3.3) 150 ( 2.7) 175 ( 1.6) 200 ( 1.7) 224 ( 1.8) 243 ( 1.5) 185 ( 5.4) 209 ( 3.3) 234 ( 4.3) 259 ( 5.4) 280 ( 5.7) 201 ( 1.9) 224 ( 2.1) 248 ( 1.7) 270 ( 1.0) 288 ( 1.6) 108 (22.2) 136 (19.5) 165 (19.9) 198 (19.1) 217 (11.5) 177 ( 4.0)! 203 ( 6.0)! 227 ( 5.1)! 251 ( 4.7)! 268 ( 4.4)! 189 (11.4) 212 ( 3.9) 234 ( 5.3) 257 ( 5.3) 278 ( 7.5) 216 ( 4.4) 243 ( 3.8) 269 ( 2.8) 290 ( 3.4) 307 ( 2.4) The NAEP reading sca e ranges from 0 to 500. The standard errors of the statistics in the table appear in parentheses. ! Interpret with caution-the nature of the sample does not allow accurate determination of the variability of this statistic. **** Standard error estimates cannot be accurately determined. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 4 1 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 35 The Virgin Islands Achievement Level Results by Eligibility for the Free/Reduced-Price Lunch Program In terms of achievement levels attained by public school students in 1998, Table 5B indicates the following. Public School Students, Grade 4 O In the Virgin Islands, 8 percent of students who were eligible for the free/reduced-price lunch program performed at or above the Proficient level. o For students in the Virgin Islands who were eligible for the free/reduced-price lunch program, the percentage at or above the Proficient level (8 percent) was smaller than the corresponding percentage for their national counterparts (13 percent). Public School Students, Grade 8 In the Virgin Islands, 10 percent of students who were eligible for the free/reduced-price lunch program performed at or above the Proficient level. For students who were eligible for the free/reduced-price lunch program, the percentage at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands (10 percent) was not significantly different from the corresponding percentage for eligible students nationwide (15 percent). 4 2 36 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment TABLE 5B map Percentages of public school students attaining achievement levels by free/reduced-price lunch eligibility: 1998 Below Basic At or Above Basic At or Proficient Above Advanced Eligible Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 73 ( 2.1) 27 ( 2.1) 8 ( 1.5) 2 ( 0.5) Nation 58 ( 1.5) 42 ( 1.5) 13 ( 1.2) 1 ( 0.4) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 60 ( 4.3) 40 ( 4.3) 10 ( 2.8) 1 (****) Nation 44 ( 1.6) 56 ( 1.6) 15 ( 1.0) 0 (****) Information not available Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 83 ( 7.8) 17 ( 7.8) 4 (****) 1 (****) Nation 30 ( 4.0)! 70 ( 4.0)! 38 ( 6.3)! 10 ( 2.0)! Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 61 ( 5.2) 39 ( 5.2) 9 ( 2.4) 0 (-1 Nation 25 ( 3.1) 75 ( 3.1) 35 ( 2.9) 4 ( 0.9) The achievement levels correspond to the following points on the NAEP reading scale at grade 4 (and 8): Basic, 208-237 (243-280); Proficient, 238-267 (281-322); and Advanced, 268 (323) and above. The standard errors of the statistics in the table appear in parentheses. ! Interpret with cautionthe nature of the sample does not allow accurate determination of the variability of this statistic. **** Standard error estimates cannot be accurately determined. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 4 3 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 37 The Virgin Islands Type of School The 1994 NAEP assessment marked the first time that nonpublic school students were assessed at the state level. The Virgin Islands met the participation guidelines for reporting nonpublic school results for the reading assessment in 1998 at grades 4 and 8.9 Results are reported for nonpublic schools and also for public and nonpublic schools combined. In 1998, approximately 23 percent of fourth graders in the Virgin Islands attended nonpublic schools. For the nation, 11 percent of students at grade 4 attended nonpublic schools in 1998. At grade 8, approximately 21 percent of students in the Virgin Islands and 11 percent of students nationwide attended nonpublic schools in 1998. The reader should not make inferences about any apparent differences in performance between students attending public schools and those attending nonpublic schools. Such differences may be related to socioeconomic and sociological factors, such as the level of parental involvement in a child's education. Additional information on nonpublic schools, including disaggregation by type of nonpublic school, is in the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card. Table 6A presents scale score results for students in public schools, in nonpublic schools, and for students in public and nonpublic schools combined. Scale Score Results by Type of School In terms of average reading scale scores for the Virgin Islands' students, Table 6A provides the following information. Public and Nonpublic School Students, Grade 4 In 1998, the average scale score for students in nonpublic schools in the Virgin Islands was 207. This was higher than that for students in public schools (178). The average scale score for the Virgin Islands' nonpublic school students (207) was lower than that for students in the nation's nonpublic schools (233) in 1998. Public and Nonpublic School Students, Grade 8 The average scale score for students in nonpublic schools in the Virgin Islands was 264. This was higher than that for students in public schools (233). The average scale score for the Virgin Islands' nonpublic school students (264) was lower than that for students in the nation's nonpublic schools (281). 4 4 9 The NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card contains full information on the participation guidelines in Appendix A. The Report Card is available at http://nces.ed.gov/naep/. 38 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment TABLE 6A Ka Average reading scale scores and selected percentiles for students by type of school: 1998 . Percentage of total population Average scale score Scale score distribution 10th percentile 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile 90th percentile Public Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 77 ( 0.4) 178 ( 1.9) 119 ( 4.0) 149 ( 2.6) 180 ( 1.6) 209 ( 2.3) 233 ( 4.4) Nation 89 ( 1.2) 215 ( 0.8) 165 ( 2.2) 192 ( 1.1) 218 ( 0.9) 242 ( 1.0) 261 ( 1.3) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 79 ( 1.3) 233 ( 2.9) 185 (11.7) 210 ( 3.1) 234 ( 5.0) 258 ( 4.4) 280 ( 5.1) Nation 89 ( 1.5) 261 ( 0.8) 215 ( 1.6) 239 ( 1.3) 264 ( 1.1) 286 ( 0.8) 304 ( 1.2) Nonpublic Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 23 ( 0.4) 207 ( 2.6) 148 ( 5.4) 178 ( 3.2) 209 ( 4.1) 239 ( 4.4) 263 ( 3.5) Nation 11 ( 1.2) 233 ( 2.3) 187 ( 4.3) 211 ( 4.2) 235 ( 2.4) 256 ( 2.0) 274 ( 3.3) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 21 ( 1.3) 264 ( 3.9) 214 ( 7.6) 240 ( 6.5) 265 ( 4.8) 291 ( 6.9) 314 ( 4.6) Nation 11 ( 1.5) 281 ( 1.6) 245 ( 4.1) 264 ( 2.1) 284 ( 1.4) 300 ( 1.8) 315 ( 1.6) Combined Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 100 (-1 185 ( 1.7) 124 ( 4.8) 154 ( 2.4) 186 ( 1.6) 217 ( 2.8) 242 ( 3.4) Nation 100 (****) 217 ( 0.8) 167 ( 1.6) 193 ( 0.9) 220 ( 1.0) 244 ( 0.9) 263 ( 1.0) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 100 (-1 240 ( 2.7) 189 ( 1.4) 214 ( 3.2) 240 ( 3.2) 266 ( 3.4) 290 ( 4.0) Nation 100 Cm) 264 ( 0.8) 217 ( 1.8) 242 ( 0.8) 267 ( 0.8) 288 ( 0.6) 305 ( 1.0) The Combined sample may include students attending Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools and/or Department of Defense (DoDEA/DDESS) schools. These students are not included in either the Public or the Nonpublic sample. The NAEP reading scale ranges from 0 to 500. The standard errors of the statistics in the table appear in parentheses. ! Interpret with caution-the nature of the sample does not allow accurate determination of the variability of this statistic. *** Sample size is insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. **** Standard error estimates cannot be accurately determined. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 4 5 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 39 The Virgin Islands Achievement Level Results by Type of School In terms of achievement levels attained by the Virgin Islands' students, Table 6B shows the following. Public and Nonpublic School Students, Grade 4 In the Virgin Islands, the percentage of nonpublic school students who were at or above the Proficient level in 1998 was 26 percent. This was greater than the corresponding percentage for students in public schools (8 percent). o In 1998, the percentage of nonpublic school students at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands (26 percent) was smaller than the corresponding percentage for students in the nation's nonpublic schools (46 percent). Public and Nonpublic School Students, Grade 8 The percentage of nonpublic school students in the Virgin Islands who were at or above the Proficient level was 34 percent. This was greater than the corresponding percentage for students in public schools (10 percent). The percentage of nonpublic school students at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands (34 percent) was smaller than the corresponding percentage for students in the nation's nonpublic schools (54 percent). 46 40 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment TABLE 6B mep Percentage of students attaining achievement levels by type of school: 1998 Below Basic At or Above Basic At or Proficient Above Advanced Public Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 74 ( 1.8) 26 ( 1.8) 8 ( 1.3) 2 ( 0.4) Nation 39 ( 1.0) 61 ( 1.0) 29 ( 0.9) 6 ( 0.5) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 60 ( 3.7) 40 ( 3.7) 10 ( 2.5) 1 (****) Nation 28 ( 0.9) 72 ( 0.9) 31 ( 0.9) 2 ( 0.4) Nonpublic Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 49 ( 3.0) 51 ( 3.0) 26 ( 4.0) 8 ( 0.8) Nation 22 ( 2.6) 78 ( 2.6) 46 ( 2.9) 14 ( 1.5) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 28 ( 5.0) 72 ( 5.0) 34 ( 3.1) 6 ( 1.9) Nation 9 ( 1.8) 91 ( 1.8) 54 ( 2.4) 5 ( 0.8) Combined Grade 4 1998 Virgin Islands 68 ( 1.7) 32 ( 1.7) 12 ( 1.5) 3 ( 0.4) Nation 38 ( 0.9) 62 ( 0.9) 31 ( 0.9) 7 ( 0.5) Grade 8 1998 Virgin Islands 53 ( 3.4) 47 ( 3.4) 15 ( 2.1) 2 ( 0.4) Nation 26 ( 0.9) 74 ( 0.9) 33 ( 0.9) 3 ( 0.4) The Combined sample may include students attending Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools and/or Department of Defense (DoDEA/DDESS) schools. These students are not included in either the Public or the Nonpublic sample. The achievement levels correspond to the following points on the NAEP reading scale at grade 4 (and 8): Basic, 208-237 (243-280); Proficient, 238-267 (281-322); and Advanced, 268 (323) and above. The standard errors of the statistics in the table appear in parentheses. ! Interpret with caution-the nature of the sample does not allow accurate determination of the variability of this statistic. *** Sample size is insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. **** Standard error estimates cannot be accurately determined. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. r;csT COPY AVAILABLE 4 7 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 41 The Virgin Islands Appendix A Where to Find More Information Below are only a few suggestions for finding additional NAEP results and related information. In spring 1999, a hyperlinked version of this section will be available from the Web page that introduces the 1998 state reports, http://nces.ed.gov/naep/. Many of the reports and data files on the Web will require the use of the (free) Adobe Acrobat Reader; for tips on installing the Reader, click on the Help button. Details of the NAEP Reading Assessment For details of the assessment, refer to the companion report, the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card. Both that report and the NAEP 1998 Reading State Reports are available on the NCES Web site, http://nces.ed.gov/naep/. For details of the framework on which the reading assessment was developed, see http://www.nagb.org/. Click on the Publications button on the left, and then click on Reading Framework for the National Assessment of Educational Progress: 1992-1998. Late in 1999, technical information about the assessment will be available in the NAEP 1998 Technical Report. Until that technical report is available, many questions may be answered by searching in the Technical Report of the NAEP 1996 State Assessment Program in Mathematics, to be found at http://nces.ed.gov/naep/naep1996.html. The mathematics assessment was also on a cross-grade scale, so mathematics scaling procedures would be more similar to reading than would the scaling procedures in the science assessment (which was on a within-grade scale). Participation by All Jurisdictions in 1998 Information on each jurisdiction's participation rates for schools and students is in Appendix A of the companion report, the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card, to be found at http://nces.ed.gov/naep/. Participation rates from previous years are included in the Technical Report for the given year. Additional Results from the Reading Assessment For more findings from the 1998 reading assessments, refer to the 1998 results at http://nces.ed.gov/naep/. On the release date, the summary data tables (SDTs) at this site will include student and school variables for all jurisdictions, the nation, and the four NAEP geographic regions. In the spring of 1999, complete SDTs will be available for all jurisdictions, with all background questions cross-tabulated with the major demographic reporting variables (for instance, hours of television watched by level of parental education or limited English proficiency by race/ethnicity). Summary tables will also be available for the jurisdictions' schools and teachers. Results by the purposes for reading will also appear in summary data tables in spring 1999. 4 8 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 43 The Virgin Islands The variables reported in the State Reports may be found in the summary data tables at http://nces.ed.naep/. The variables reported here, with their labels in the tables are: Gender. This is DSEX in the data tables. Reports documenting or surveying gender differences in reading include NAEP 1996 Trends in Academic Progress at http://nces.ed.gov/naep/naep1996.html and The Condition of Education, for instance, Indicator 20 at http://nces.ed.gov/pubs/ce/c9620a01.html. Race/Ethnicity. This is DRACE in the tables. An instructive explanation of the derivation appears in Appendix A of the Reading Report Card, at http://nces.ed.gov/naep/. Students' Reports of Parents' Highest Education Level. PARED is a derived variable also described in Appendix A of the Reading Report Card. The effect of parental education is discussed in a paper by Grissmer, Kirby, Berends, and Williamson (1994) at http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR535/MR535.html. Free/Reduced-Price Lunch Program Eligibility. The variable reported here is SLUNCH1, which is a version of SLUNCH with several of the categories of SLUNCH (e.g., reduced and free) combined. A description of the program is available at http://www.usda.gov/fcs/cnp/schoolt2.htm. Type of Location. TOL3 is the label in the summary data tables. The TOL variable uses data from Common Core of Data (see http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/index.html), Private School Survey (see http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss.html), and Quality Education Data (see http://www.qeddata.com/). Type of School. SCHTYPE is the label in the tables. Note that the Nonpublic school sample includes Private and Catholic school students. BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) and DoDEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) students are in the Combined sample only. At http://nces.ed.gov/naep/, there is a Help button leading to more information on these variables, including how the derived variables were created, and other useful information about the summary data tables. 4 9 44 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands Publications from NAEP Reading Assessments NAEP also offers various special reports on reading that may be of particular interest to teachers. These may be ordered from the source at the end of this section, and some of them can be accessed and printed from the Web. Reading Framework for the National Assessment of Educational Progress: 1992-1998, from the National Assessment Governing Board (available at http://www.nagb.org/) NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card for the Nation and the States, the companion to this State Report (available at http://nces.ed.gov/naep/, the NAEP Web site) NAEP 1998 Reading Sample Questions and Student Responses: Results from Public School Students in the States and Nationwide, a forthcoming brochure with state-level results for the released items The NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card National Highlights, a brochure with student samples, covering the national and state NAEP 1998 Reading Assessment (available at the NAEP Web site) Listening to Children Read Aloud, Data from NAEP's Integrated Reading Petformance Record (IRPR) at Grade 4, results from the 1992 IRPR, a special study conducted with a subgroup of fourth graders who participated in the 1992 NAEP Reading Assessment (available in print only) Interviewing Children About their Literacy Experiences, Data from NAEP's Integrated Reading Performance Record (IRPR) at Grade 4, results from the 1992 IRPR, a special study conducted with a subgroup of fourth graders who participated in the 1992 NAEP Reading Assessment (available in print only) Students Selecting Stories: The Effects of Choice in Reading Assessment, results from the NAEP Reader Special Survey of the 1994 National Assessment of Educatiorial Progress (available at the NAEP Web site) For ordering information on these reports, write: U.S. Department of Education ED Pubs P.O. Box 1398 Jessup, MD 20794-1398 or call toll free 1-877-4 ED PUBS (1-877-433-7827) NAEP reading reports in addition to those listed above are available at http://nces.ed.gov/naep/. 5 0 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 45 The Virgin Islands Sample NAEP Questions for Classroom Use Sample reading questions and student responses from the 1994 reading assessment are now available at http://nces.ed.gov/naep/; look for the sample questions. There are also instructions at this site for copying individual items from the files on the Web into a word processor. All of the 1998 released items are available now in the Reading Report Card. The released items from the 1998 Reading Assessment will appear on the Web in the spring of 1999. Also available will be state-level results for the released items at grades 4 and 8, in a brochure suitable for distribution to schools, NAEP 1998 Sample Questions and Student Responses. 46 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT The Virgin Islands Appendix B Figures from Secfaon 1 Figures 1-5 are displayed here in full-page format, with legends and titles but without figure numbers. In each state report on the Web, these figures will appear in color. They may be printed in black-and-white or in color. NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 47 NE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment Average reading scale scores for public school students at grades 4 and 8 300 280 260 240 220 200 180 0 215 g5iii W U.0 178 261 233 I I Virgin Islands Nation 215 zo 119 W )-Z4 i 171 I. 212 zooiii W 5 5. C.)F 0 if 1.2 i I.- o o 0 z zo0 tai W Z5- 41 U.0 a.4 I-oz a. 1.- oz t z° 1992 Grade 4 1994 Grade 4 1998 Grade 4 1998 Grade 8 SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992, 1994, and 1998 Reading Assessments. 53 THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment Reading achievement level results for public school students at grades 4 and 8 The bars below contain estimated percentages of students in each NAEP reading achievement category. Each population of students is aligned at the point where the Proficient category begins, so that they may be compared at Proficient and above. 1998 Grade 4 1994 Grade 4 1992 Grade 4 1998 Grade 8 ISIL:-"'",-* Al .:11C______18_ NOT PART OF ANY REGION .; ;':,' '''!' '[..___Alit.L______,.32. DID NOT PARTICIPATE NOT PART OF ANY REGION , 31 21 4 ',111111_14.___11 NOT PART OF ANY REGION 10111113ME :.:. 21 li momintrraguL 30 9 1 savor4.1. NOT PART OF ANY REGION 1 100 90 BO 70 BO 50 40 30 20 10 Percent Basic and Below Basic 10 20 30 40 SO BO Percent Proficient and Advanced Virgin Islands Nation Nation Virgin Islands Nation Virgin Islands Nation SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Asse.ssment of Educational Progress'(NAEP), 1992, 1994, and 1998 Reading Assessments. E,ST COPY AVAHABLE 5 4 THE NATION'S REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment The Virgin Islands' 1998 average reading scale score compared to those for other participating jurisdictions for public school students at grade 4 0 GUAM Target state I State has higher average scale score than target state State is not significantly different from target state in average scale score State has lower average scale score than target state MI State did not meet minimum participation rate guidelines State did not participate in the NAEP 1998 Reading State Assessment DC DDESS DoDDS Differences between states and other jurisdictions may be partially explained by other factors not included in this figure. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. 55 T COPY AVAILABLE THE NAllOWS REPORT CARD 1998 State Assessment The Virgin Islands' 1998 average reading scale score compared to those for other participating jurisdictions for public school students at grade 8 ID 0 GUAM AZ AR SC DE kr DC NC Target state State has higher average scale score than target state State is not significantly different from target state In average scale score State has lower average scale score than target state State did not meet minimum participation rate guidelines State did not participate In the NAEP 1998 Reading State Assessment DDESS DoDDS Lt. Differences between states and other jurisdictions may be partially explained by other factors not included in this figure. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. 5 7 SST COPY AVAILA LE 5R ME MOWS REPORT CARD 1998 Slate Assessment Achievement levels for reading: Comparing the percentage of public school students at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands with those in other participating jurisdictions at grade 4 in 1998 The bars below contain estimated percentages of students in each NAEP reading achievement category. Each population of students is aligned at the point where the Proficient category begins, so that they may be compared at Proficient and above. Proficient Advanceril Higher than target state Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DoDEA/DDESS DoDEA/DoDDS Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Carolina Oklahoma Oregon Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia VIRGIN ISLANDS Basic 47 45 InErMin 31 MUM 32 WI= 28 16 35 32 35 33 38 31 31 28 37 34 27 37 32 36 35 31 33 30 36 47 32 37 MMIIMENM 1. MMIN NET!=n MMITI=11 1W111=1,11 NEE=In WWI RWIMIBIEM =MIMI =WM =TM= NIM7=1111 MTMIln N=MIIMIN MrMln M=r3MIN.I =MEM MMMENIEI 30 18 33 33 as 33 33 33 34 38 34 34 37 34 33 35 35 Not different from target state 72 1 18 18 Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DoDEA/DDESS DoDEA/DoDDS Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Carolina Oklahoma Oregon Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia VIRGIN ISLANDS 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Percent Basic and Below Basic Percent Proficient and Advanced Differences between states and other jurisdictions may be partially explained by other factors not included in this figure. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. EST COPY AVM lI ILE 5 9 24 1 THE NATION'S REPORT rtW CARD 1998 State Assessment Achievement levels for reading: Comparing the percentage of public school students at or above the Proficient level in the Virgin Islands with those in other participating jurisdictions at grade 8 in 1998 The bars below contain estimated percentages of students in each NAEP reading achievement category. Each population of students is aligned at the point where the Proficient category begins, so that they may be compared at Proficient and above. Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DoDEA/DDESS DoDEA/DoDDS Florida Georgia Hawaii Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nevada New Mexico New York North Carolina Oklahoma Oregon Rhode island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia VIRGIN ISLANDS attlorr Basic 34 Basic Proficient !Advanced! Higher than target state 27 32 36 45 20 45 26 45 22 42 21 46 28 18 40 38 141 22 1 20 35 32 41 23 41 31 , 1 44 33 II 42 22 43 24 40 41 18 I le 46 33 1 26 45 27 36 46 17 I 16 1 42 28 1 41 20 44 19 I 44 38 27 141 33 131 35 39 24 I 17 I 31 30 22 24 I 20 42 47 45 45 46 1 44 18 28 36 23 23 32 45 29 51 28 I 22 J 45 26 35 29 1 24 31 44 28 43 21 45 25 48 27 1 23 46 29 22 45 30 23 1 45 1 26 30 21 24 47 26 1 46 31 47 27 Not different from target state 56 60 32 11 30 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Percent Basic and Below Basic ' Percent Proficient and Advanced Differences between states and other jurisdictions may be partially explained by other factors not included in this figure. Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DoDEA/DDESS DoDEA/DoDDS Florida Georgia Hawaii Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nevada New Mexico New York North Carolina Oklahoma Oregon Rhode island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah irginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia WRGIN ISLANDS SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 Reading Assessment. 60 EST COPY AVAILABLE The Virgin Islands Acknowledgments The NAEP Reading Assessment has benefited from the many individuals who contributed their considerable knowledge, experience, and creativity to the NAEP 1998 Reading Assessment. Beginning with the committee members who constructed the framework, then the committees who wrote and edited the assessment items with much input from curriculum specialists, and, after the 1992 assessment, the committee meetings necessary to establish achievement level cut scores, the NAEP Reading Assessment has benefited from the contribution of hundreds of interested educators, policy makers, and other citizens. The delivery of the assessment in 1992, 1994, and 1998 involved hundreds of state and local education officialsand especially teachers and school administrators who made it possible for 225,000 fourth and eighth graders to read passages and answer questions for 50 minutes to produce results culminating in the 1998 report card of reading performance. The NAEP program at Educational Testing Service is directed by Stephen Lazer and John Mazzeo. Patricia Donahue directed the scoring operations for the Reading Assessment. The NAEP state sampling and data collection activities were conducted at Westat under the direction of Nancy Caldwell, Keith Rust, Dianne Walsh, Lisa Alton, and Leslie Wallace, with contributions from many more. Printing, distribution, scoring, and processing activities were conducted by National Computer Systems (NCS) under the direction of Brad Thayer, Patrick Bourgeacq, Charles Brungardt, Tom Huenecke, Cynthia Malott, Connie Smith, and Mathilde Kennel, with the collegial participation of others. At ETS, the complex statistical and psychometric activities necessary to report results were directed by Nancy Allen, John Barone, James Carlson, John Donoghue, and David Freund. Steve Isham, Jiahe Qian, and Lois Worthington were directly responsible for coordinating the analysis work. Edward Ku lick, Venus Leung, Bruce Kaplan, Jinming Zhang, and others contributed to special aspects of the project. Even computer-generated reports require a lot of human input in planning, writing, programming, and integrating graphics. After that, they require further assistance getting onto the Web. This computer-generated report demanded even more human input than its predecessors, for it underwent a transmogrification from a book with over 200 pages to a booklet with just over 50 pages. This transformation was due to requests from the NAEP jurisdictions for results that were easier to disseminate and the response of NCES and NAGB to these needs. Frances Stancavage of American Institutes for Research twice elicited critical input from the NAEP Network, whose members were willing to give their time and attention to producing a more useful report. In shaping the report, Al Rogers and Laura Jerry broke through the barriers imposed by the mainframe to integrate graphics. The NAEP jurisdictions continued to shape the report with several additional reviews; in the process, they helped fine-tune the new graphics. NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT 6 1 55 The Virgin Islands Throughout this process, many important editorial contributions were received from two reviewers outside the Department of Education or Educational Testing Service: Peter Mosenthal at Syracuse University and Timothy Shanahan at the University of Illinois at Chicago. From the Department of Education, the following contributed much, and read this report at several different stages: Marilyn McMillen, Chief Statistician at NCES; Janis Brown, Peggy G. Carr, Arnold Goldstein, Andrew Kolstad, Holly Spur lock, Sheida White, and Shi-Chang Wu of the Education Assessment Division; Mary Lyn Bourque, Mary Crovo, and Sharif Shakrani of the National Assessment Governing Board; Shelley Burns, Beth Young, and Kerry Gruber of various OERI departments; and Christina Kary, Qiwu Liu, Erin Massie, Anne Meek, Alan Vanneman, Mark White, and Tracey Zima of the Education Statistics Services Institute. From Educational Testing Service, much assistance was received from Nancy Allen, Jim Carlson, Hua Chang, John Donoghue, Debra Kline, Jo-Lin Liang, John Mazzeo, and Jiahe Qian. Karlene Farquharson provided editorial assistance, as did Karen Damiano, who made important contributions to all phases of the report. Karen Damiano also ensured that the report was properly printed and reached its intended audience at each review. She did this frequently with planning assistance from Barbette Tardugno. Carol Errickson, Kelly Gibson and Rod Rudder designed the covers of the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card and its companion reports. The brochure that accompanies the State Report has benefited from reviews by NCES, especially by Sheida White. The input and assistance of many who were involved in the State Report were important, especially those from Karen Damiano, John Mazzeo, and Rod Rudder. And, finally, Phil Leung and Pat O'Reilly directed the operation of putting the forty-five reading reports on the Web. 6 2 56 NAEP 1998 READING STATE REPORT United States Department of Education Washington, DC 20208-5653 Official Business Penalty for Private Use, $300 Postage and Fees Paid U.S. Department of Education Permit No. G-17 Standard Mail (A) Att ...- .6844TEs .63 U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) National Library of Education (NLE) Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) NOTICE REPRODUCTION BASIS IC This document is covered by a signed "Reproduction Release (Blanket) form (on file within the ERIC system), encompassing all or classes of documents from its source organization and, therefore, does not require a "Specific Document" Release form. This document is Federally-funded, or carries its own permission to reproduce, or is otherwise in the public domain and, therefore, may be reproduced by ERIC without a signed Reproduction Release form (either "Specific Document" or "Blanket"). EFF-089 (9/97)