Arizona Legislature Begins Special Session, Schools Hold Steady

On Wednesday, the Arizona Legislature began a Special Session to discuss the settlement with schools in the Cave Creek V. DeWit lawsuit at the same time the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released fourth and eighth grade math and reading results from the 2015 administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

The Special Session was called in part due to political pressure to increase funding for Arizona’s schools based on the claim that lack of funding is hurting performance. Scores for Arizona students did not change significantly in any of the subject/grade level combinations tested, while national scores dipped in both fourth and eighth grade math and in eighth grade reading.

The NAEP assessment, the Nation’s Report Card, is a common yardstick that tests what America’s students know and can do in various subject areas.

“It is a testament to the hard work of Arizona teachers and students that NAEP scores have remained stable given the many significant changes to our state’s education system in recent years,” said Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas. “Our schools should absolutely be commended for the steadiness seen in these results.

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Douglas indicated that the NAEP scores showed significant declines for the first time since the test began in the early 1990s possibly as a result of the implementation of Common Core. “As a state, we must ask ourselves if this downward trend is related to the disruption caused by the one-size-fits-all education ‘improvements’ many states across the country have adopted,” stated Douglas. “Are changes like national standards and common assessments really the answer, or are they part of the problem?”

Arizona is now statistically similar to the national average in both grade 8 reading and math, which was not the case in 2013. Arizona students also maintained the progress seen in the 2013 fourth grade math results and have made slight (though not statistically significant) gains in both grade 4 reading and math and grade 8 reading, according to the ADE.

Read NAEP trend summary here

Arizona Compared to Other States

In 2015, fourth grade math students in Arizona scored higher than seven other states or jurisdictions, lower than 25 and were not statistically different than 19. Arizona’s eighth grade math scores were higher than 16 other states or jurisdictions, lower than 13 and statistically the same as 22.

Arizona’s reading scores for 2015 in fourth grade were higher than one state/jurisdiction, lower than 36 and not significantly different than 14. Eighth grade showed Arizona higher than nine states/jurisdictions, lower than 28 and not significantly different than 14.

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2013 vs. 2015 Scores

Arizona Proficiency Rates

The percentage of Arizona students who performed at or above proficiency in fourth grade math was 38 percent. Those who performed at or above basic level was 79 percent.

• The percentage of Arizona students who performed at or above proficiency in eighth grade math was 35 percent. Those who performed at or above basic level was 72 percent.
• The percentage of Arizona students who performed at or above proficiency in fourth grade reading was 30 percent. Those who performed at or above basic level was 62 percent.
• The percentage of Arizona students who performed at or above proficiency in eighth grade reading was 31 percent. Those who performed at or above basic level was 74 percent.

Arizona Demographic Breakdowns Average Scale Scores

(All grade levels and subject assessments are on different scales)

Read the 2015 NAEP Mathematics and Reading overview here..