FLORIDA — Results from the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) prove Florida’s unwavering commitment to keeping kids in school throughout the pandemic was worthwhile. As a result, Florida’s students are well ahead of their peers, particularly younger and educationally at-risk students.
HIGHEST RESULTS IN FLORIDA HISTORY
Florida’s 4th and 8th-grade students earned the state’s highest-ever rankings in each assessment. Additionally, at-risk students demonstrated high scores compared to the previous testing cycle, and Florida’s Hispanic, black, and disabled students scored in the top 10 in every category.
“We insisted on keeping schools open and guaranteed in-person learning in 2020 because we knew there would be widespread harm to our students if students were locked out. Today’s results once again prove that we made the right decision,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
The results of younger, at-risk students were also telling. For example, 4th grade students in Florida now rank #3 in Reading and #4 in Math – achieving top 4 in both English and Math for the first time in state history. Meanwhile, California and New York – states that kept children locked down – aren’t even in the top 30.
“If we are meant to measure our impact by how we elevate our young generation, especially those most at-risk, Florida is clearly the #1 state in the nation in elevating its young people,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “Florida’s Hispanic and black students, students with unique abilities, and students on free and reduced-price lunch massively narrowed achievement gaps and proved the value of being in school in a classroom with their peers and learning in-person from Florida’s world-class teachers.”
NATIONAL DECLINE
NAEP assessments are the only assessment taken consistently across the country, serving as the nation’s report card. The congressionally mandated assessment provides critical information about student achievement and data for improving educational practices. The current NAEP assessments were initially scheduled for 2021 but were postponed one year due to the pandemic.
Newly released results show a national decline in Reading and Mathematics for 9-year-old students (Grade 4) and America’s most vulnerable students. In many states, this decline was due to government-imposed lockdowns and school closures.
Highlights of the 2022 NAEP results, demonstrating closures in achievement gaps:
Florida is in the top 5 for average scale scores of Hispanic students across all grades and subjects:
- Grade 4 Reading – #1 (maintaining this rank since 2013)
- Grade 4 Mathematics – #2 (same as 2019)
- Grade 8 Reading – #1 (up from number 2 in 2019)
- Grade 8 Mathematics – #4 (up from 5 in 2019)
Florida is in the top 5 for average scale scores of students with disabilities across all grades and subjects
- Grade 4 Reading – #1 (up from number 2 in 2019)
- Grade 4 Mathematics – #1 (third time in a row)
- Grade 8 Reading – #2 (same as 2019)
- Grade 8 Mathematics – #4 (same since 2017)
Florida is in the top 10 for average scale scores of black students across all grades and subjects:
- Grade 4 Reading – #3 (up from 4 in 2019)
- Grade 4 Mathematics – #2 (same as 2019)
- Grade 8 Reading – #4 (up from 6 in 2019)
- Grade 8 Mathematics – #8 (up from 17 in 2019)
Students on Free and Reduced Lunch are ranked in the top 10 for average scale scores in three of four tests and improved massively on the fourth:
- Grade 4 Reading – #1 (same as 2019)
- Grade 4 Mathematics – #1 (third time in a row)
- Grade 8 Reading – #6 (down from 5 in 2019)
- Grade 8 Mathematics – #17 (up from 25 in 2019)
Florida boasts the narrowest achievement gap between students with disabilities and students without disabilities in all grades and subjects.
