Report Card 2007: Frequently Asked Questions

General
About the Categories

General

Why didn't the Chamber create an overall grade for each state?: Evaluating each state's educational effectiveness is an enormously complex task, and giving one summative grade would have masked much of the variation in education delivery and outcomes among the states.
Back to top
Why didn't the Chamber use pluses and minuses with the grades?: We used whole grades because we wanted to be clear about each state's standing.
Back to top
Why did the Chamber grade on a curve, and why was a quintile curve used instead of a specific threshold for states to meet?: We wanted to highlight the vast differences in state performance, so we graded on a curve in six categories: Academic Achievement; Academic Achievement of Low-Income and Minority Students; Return on Investment; Truth in Advertising About Student Proficiency; Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness; and Data Quality.
When we used a curve, we largely employed a quintile approach: Broadly speaking, we gave the top 10 states an A, the next 10 a B, the next 11 a C, the next 10 a D, and the bottom 10 an F. We believe that grading on a quintile curve is a fair and reliable way to rank the states.
Back to top
Why didn't the Chamber grade all of the categories in the same way? Why weren't all the categories graded on a curve?: Three of the categories—Rigor of Standards, 21st Century Teaching Force, and Flexibility in Management and Policy—were not graded on a curve because the data used reflect the presence or absence of state-level policies that in most cases are not associated with a numerical value. This enabled the existence of ties and did not lend itself to a curved grade distribution. While we would have liked to have graded all the states against a standard, there would have been far too many states with Ds and Fs.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; NAEP results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use NAEP achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," NAEP examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. NAEP is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced NAEP assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to 4th and 8th graders at least once every two years. Many NAEP tests are also administered in the 12th grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While NAEP is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," NAEP examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. NAEP is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced NAEP assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to 4th and 8th graders at least once every two years. Many NAEP tests are also administered in the 12th grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While NAEP is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We will consider doing this report every two to three years. We do not think that significant changes will occur from year to year that will warrant doing this report annually. Many of the sources that we used are other studies that are not issued annually. However, we plan to do in-depth follow-up work that looks closely at the inpidual indicators in this report.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; NAEP results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use NAEP achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," NAEP examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. NAEP is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced NAEP assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to 4th and 8th graders at least once every two years. Many NAEP tests are also administered in the 12th grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While NAEP is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," NAEP examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. NAEP is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced NAEP assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to 4th and 8th graders at least once every two years. Many NAEP tests are also administered in the 12th grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While NAEP is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We will consider doing this report every two to three years. We do not think that significant changes will occur from year to year that will warrant doing this report annually. Many of the sources that we used are other studies that are not issued annually. However, we plan to do in-depth follow-up work that looks closely at the inpidual indicators in this report.
Back to top; In some categories, all states with the same grade have the same numerical score; in these instances, states are listed alphabetically. In other categories states with the same grade have different numerical scores. In these cases, the states are ranked from highest to lowest depending on how well they performed on that measure.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We will consider doing this report every two to three years. We do not think that significant changes will occur from year to year that will warrant doing this report annually. Many of the sources that we used are other studies that are not issued annually. However, we plan to do in-depth follow-up work that looks closely at the indicators in this report.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; In some categories, all states with the same grade have the same numerical score; in these instances, states are listed alphabetically. In other categories states with the same grade have different numerical scores. In these cases, the states are ranked from highest to lowest depending on how well they performed on that measure.
Back to top; Three of the categories—Rigor of Standards, Century Teaching Force, and Flexibility in Management and Policy—were not graded on a curve because the data used reflect the presence or absence of state-level policies that in most cases are not associated with a numerical value. This enabled the existence of ties and did not lend itself to a curved grade distribution. While we would have liked to have graded all the states against a standard, there would have been far too many states with and .
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We will consider doing this report every two to three years. We do not think that significant changes will occur from year to year that will warrant doing this report annually. Many of the sources that we used are other studies that are not issued annually. However, we plan to do in-depth follow-up work that looks closely at the indicators in this report.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We will consider doing this report every two to three years. We do not think that significant changes will occur from year to year that will warrant doing this report annually. Many of the sources that we used are other studies that are not issued annually. However, we plan to do in-depth follow-up work that looks closely at the indicators in this report.
Back to top; In some categories, all states with the same grade have the same numerical score; in these instances, states are listed alphabetically. In other categories states with the same grade have different numerical scores. In these cases, the states are ranked from highest to lowest depending on how well they performed on that measure.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We will consider doing this report every two to three years. We do not think that significant changes will occur from year to year that will warrant doing this report annually. Many of the sources that we used are other studies that are not issued annually. However, we plan to do in-depth follow-up work that looks closely at the indicators in this report.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; We will work with state leaders to share what is in this report, to identify what lagging states can learn from their high-performing peers, and how leaders can continue to improve.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top; Known as "the nation's report card," examines students' academic ability and is the only source of comparable state-by-state performance data. is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in multiple subjects including reading, math, science, and writing. The tests are administered at regular intervals.
The two most widely referenced assessments are reading and math, which are administered in every state and Washington, DC, to and graders at least once every two years. Many tests are also administered in the grade, but the results are not provided on a state-by-state basis. While is not an ideal metric for student performance—some critics have questioned its design and some states have complained that it does not reflect their own standards and curricula—it is the best tool we have today for measuring student achievement across the states.
Back to top; results are reported as either scale scores (a numeric value) or achievement levels: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. Researchers and policymakers frequently use achievement levels to report on students' knowledge and skills.
Back to top; We looked at the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level because this level indicates that the students have a firm grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at grade level. Students scoring at the basic level have only partially mastered the necessary knowledge and skills.
Back to top

About the Categories:

Academic Achievement

We calculated the score for each state by averaging together into a "NAEP index" the percentage of 4th and 8th grade students scoring at or above the proficient level on math and reading on the 2005 NAEP. We then ranked the states on their index scores using a quintile curve: the top 10 states received an A, the next 10 received a B, the next 11 received a C, the next 10 a D, and the bottom 10 an F. While states may have scored above average on one or two NAEP assessments, we used the overall index score to grade the states.
Back to top
Our state academic assessment tests show that our kids are doing really well. Why did the Chamber give my state an F on Academic Achievement?: Under federal law, each state sets its own proficiency level on state exams. While some states grade their students against high proficiency standards, others use lower standards that make the performance of their students appear more impressive. For the report card, we relied on the achievement results from NAEP, which is the only source of comparable performance data among the 50 states and Washington, DC.
Back to top

Academic Achievement of Low-Income and Minority Students

If a state served its low-income and minority students well, it earned high grades in this category—whether or not it is typically thought to be a "poor" or "minority" state. Moreover, although states like Wyoming are often portrayed in popular accounts as relatively homogeneous, the evidence shows that they have significant populations of low-income students and may have sizeable populations of minority students as well. The results for this category were determined solely by how well such states were educating these populations of children.
Back to top; We did not look at achievement gaps between subgroups. We believe that the most important question in judging the performance of minority and low-income students is what percentage score at or above the proficient level, not how much distance there is between African-American, Hispanic, low-income, and other subgroups.
Back to top; The information on the percentage of African American, Hispanic, and low-income students displayed in the tables was not used to grade the states. It is provided for informational purposes only.
Back to top
In the Academic Achievement of Low-Income and Minority Students table, the Chamber listed the percentage of minority and low-income students in each state. Did the Chamber grade a state more favorably if it had higher minority or low-income enrollment?: Low-Income and Minority Students category?

Return on Investment

In the business world, return on investment is a measure of the amount of benefit received, relative to the amount of expenditures, or investment. For the report card, we sought to measure the achievement that various states are producing relative to their educational expenditures, while controlling for student poverty, the percentage of students with special needs, and cost of living.
Back to top
If my state gets an A on Achievement, how could it get a D on Return on Investment?: A state received a high grade in this category if it had high achievement and low spending. States that had high achievement and high spending tended to receive lower grades as did states with low achievement and high spending.
Back to top

Truth in Advertising About Student Proficiency

If my state gets an A on Truth in Advertising About Student Proficiency, how could it get a D on Achievement?: States with a low grade in the Academic Achievement category earned a high grade in the Truth in Advertising category if state proficiency results closely reflected NAEP proficiency results. Again, as noted, NAEP may not be the ideal benchmark for student achievement—but it is the best benchmark that is currently available. When a state's results more closely reflect its NAEP results, it suggests that the state is accurately reporting what students know and can do. Conversely, some states report very high levels of student achievement, but compared to the NAEP, this data appears to be largely a product of grade inflation.
Note: This category does not evaluate state tests nor does it grade states on the performance of their students. Instead, the evaluation looks at how truthfully a state reports student proficiency.
Back to top

Rigor of Standards

To evaluate state academic standards, we relied on the work of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, a Washington-based think tank, which evaluated the quality and rigor of each state's science, math, and English standards. Fordham gives letter grades to each state's academic standards, and we converted those grades into numerical ones to calculate our grades.

Since there was no way to ensure that the state would implement a policy, we did not give states credit if they reported that they planned to execute policy a but had not yet done so.

Since there was no way to ensure that the state would implement a policy, we did not give states credit if they reported that they planned to execute policy but had not yet done so.

Since there was no way to ensure that the state would implement a policy, we did not give states credit if they reported that they planned to execute policy a but had not yet done so.

Since there was no way to ensure that the state would implement a policy, we did not give states credit if they reported that they planned to execute policy but had not yet done so.

Since there was no way to ensure that the state would implement a policy, we did not give states credit if they reported that they planned to execute policy a but had not yet done so.

Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness

The business community is clear about what students should know and be able to do. The American Diploma Project, for instance, has clear benchmarks that define the knowledge needed for a student to graduate high school. In short, students must possess a combination of academic and applied skills including the ability to read, write, communicate (in English and another language), calculate, problem solve, and work in groups. Still, we do not know nearly enough about how well students are doing on these standards. Also, the lack of reliable and available data on state performance is alarming and created serious challenges in evaluating results on a state-by-state basis.

AP English Language, and AP U.S. History, by piding the number of students who scored a 3 or above on the exam in 2005 by the total number of public school 11th and 12th graders in each state during the 2004–2005 school year. (The AP exam is reported on a 5-point scale with a score of 3 or above indicating that the student passed and is qualified to receive college credit.) We then averaged the four indicators into a single indicator, weighting for the number of students who took each exam.

We created a quotient for each of the following exams, AP Biology, AP Calculus AB,

Official state graduation rate data are notoriously unreliable. So we relied on an estimated four-year cohort graduation rate measure created by Christopher Swanson, the research director of Education Week. This estimate is widely used and relies on grade-by-grade enrollment counts from the Common Core of Data, a data set captured by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, to approximate how many 9th graders graduate four years later. To improve the quality of graduation rate data, the National Governors Association has established the Graduation Counts Compact with all 50 states and Washington,

DC.

English

Language, and AP U.S. History, by piding the number of students who scored a 3 or above on the exam in 2005 by the total number of public school 11th and 12th graders in each state during the 2004–2005 school year. (The AP exam is reported on a 5-point scale with a score of 3 or above indicating that the student passed and is qualified to receive college credit.) We then averaged the four indicators into a single indicator, weighting for the number of students who took each exam.

DC.

The

business

community is clear about what students should know and be able to do. The American Diploma Project, for instance, has clear benchmarks that define the knowledge needed for a student to graduate high school. In short, students must possess a combination of academic and applied skills including the ability to read, write, communicate (in English and another language), calculate, problem solve, and work in groups. Still, we do not know nearly enough about how well students are doing on these standards. Also, the lack of reliable and available data on state performance is alarming and created serious challenges in evaluating results on a state-by-state basis.

We created a quotient for each of the following exams, AP Biology, AP Calculus AB,

DC.

English

21st Century Teaching Force

We reject the premise that credentialing is a reliable measure of teacher quality. To raise the capacity of the teaching force, we believe that states need to open up additional pathways into the profession while maintaining checks on quality.

Since there was no way to ensure that the state would implement a policy or scale up a pilot, we did not give states credit if they reported that they had a pilot program or that they planned to execute policy but had not yet done so.

Author Peter Drucker coined the term knowledge worker in the 1950s, and it means a person who works primarily with information and uses knowledge and problem solving skills in his or her work. According to some estimates, knowledge workers outnumber other workers by 4-to-1.

Student achievement is the primary indicator of academic success, and the achievement-based categories are among the cornerstones of this report card. At the same time, states control the policies and conditions that influence student achievement, and we graded the states on the policies that we believe are central to establishing an effective delivery system and increasing student outcomes. If a state earns a high grade in a single category, it does not necessarily mean that the state will show improvement in student achievement this year or next. State education systems are immensely complex, and we approached this project knowing that there was no magic school reform bullet.

Flexibility in Management and Policy

To examine principal control and flexibility, we relied on data from the Schools and Staff Survey, a research initiative overseen by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. We used data from the principal questionnaire, which asks "How much actual influence do you think each group or person has on decisions concerning the following activities?" Then it lists two items—"hiring new full-time teachers" and "deciding how your school budget will be spent"—and asks principals to rank the items along a scale: minor influence, moderate influence, major influence, and no influence. We looked only at principals who reported a major degree of influence.
Back to top
The Flexibility in Management and Policy category refers to virtual schools. What is a virtual school?: A virtual school is a school that provides either some or all of its academic instruction over the Internet.
Back to top

Data Quality

A teacher identifier system allows state officials to match teachers to their students' achievement and is a key tool in understanding teacher effectiveness and student performance.
Back to top
What is a unique statewide student identifier as referred to in the Data Quality category?: A unique statewide student identifier is a single number that is assigned to a student and stays with that student as he or she progresses through each grade level of their education. While providing for student privacy, the number allows state officials to follow students as they move through school and helps educators track dropout and graduation rates as well as student achievement for inpidual students. In an effective school system, this identifier would be used to inpidualize support for student learning from year to year and is not simply used as a tool for state reporting of student-level information.
Back to top

Categories:

Report Card 2007: Frequently Asked Questions

General

About the Categories:

Academic Achievement

Academic Achievement of Low-Income and Minority Students

Return on Investment

Truth in Advertising About Student Proficiency

Rigor of Standards

Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness

21st Century Teaching Force

Flexibility in Management and Policy

Data Quality

Chamber Links

Featured Projects/Events

Subscribe for Updates

Member Benefits

E-mail: