2017 NAEP Scores

April 12, 2018

This week, results from the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) became available. NAEP is administered every two years and serves as a common metric for states and selected urban districts. In 2017, Charlotte fourth grade math proficiency rates ranked second out of the selected urban districts and exceeded North Carolina and nation averages (below).

Overall, 46% of fourth graders in Charlotte are performing on grade level in math. For Economically Disadvantaged Students (EDS) however, 29% are on grade level. In 2017, fourth grade math proficiency rates fell for both EDS and non-EDS peers in Charlotte (below).

There is a 30% gap between proficiency rates for EDS and non-EDS peers in Charlotte (above). The proficiency gap between black students and white students in Charlotte is larger than the gap between EDS and non-EDS peers (below).

Addressing the need for math proficiency must start early. Without foundational math skills, scores decline as difficulty increases (below). Many students leave eighth grade below grade level in math and unprepared for Math I (algebra), a high school graduation requirement.

Heart’s volunteers, donors, and school partners are addressing this critical need for math proficiency at the foundational level. With just a few more weeks of tutoring left this school year, we are looking forward to sharing 2017/18 program results on our blog in June!

Read more analysis on 2017 NAEP scores from the Charlotte Observer here.