Schools ‘still have much work to do’

Hawaii was among 16 states whose eighth-graders saw gains on a national science test in 2011, but students in the islands continued to score well below their peers nationally, results scheduled for release today show.

For a second year, Hawaii students fared better than just one state: Mississippi.

Hawaii eighth-graders scored an average of 142 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, up 3 points from 2009, the last time the test was given.

The average score for students nationally on the science portion of the assessment, also known as the "Nation’s Report Card," was 151, up from 149 in 2009.

"Hawaii’s eighth-graders have narrowed the achievement gap with their peers across the nation in science," schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said in a statement. "While our steadfast commitment to rigorous standards-based education is paying off, we still have much work to do."

Matayoshi said the state "must improve coursework and student participation" in science, technology, engineering and math studies to boost science proficiency in all grades.

The state Department of Education has taken early steps to increase its emphasis on science education, including adding tougher science course requirements in new graduation standards.

Hawaii’s NAEP science gains come on the heels of improvements in NAEP math and reading scores for Hawaii’s fourth- and eighth-graders. Last year, Hawaii was the only state with gains in the 2011 NAEP assessment in both math and reading for all tested grades.

The science gains "add a rose to the bouquet," said Robert Hillier, NAEP state coordinator with the DOE.

However, he added, "We still have a long ways to go."

Nationally, the overall increase in the average score on the science test included greater gains for minority groups. However, a gender gap remained: Boys scored 5 points higher on average than girls in 2011.

Hawaii boys also outperformed girls on the test, getting an average score of 143, compared with 141 for girls. Also in Hawaii, disadvantaged students continued to lag behind their peers: Students eligible for free school lunch, a key indicator of poverty, received an average score of 132.

The NAEP science assessment was given to 122,000 eighth-grade students in public schools, measuring their knowledge and abilities in physical science, life science and space science. The results are reported on a 300-point scale.

The science test was updated in 2009, so comparisons to previously administered tests are unreliable.

In addition to Mississippi, Hawaii’s average score was higher than the average for Washington, D.C. It was statistically equivalent to four other states.

Some 45 percent of Hawaii eighth-graders scored "below basic" on the assessment, down from 50 percent in 2009.

That compares with 36 percent of students nationally who scored "below basic" last year.

Meanwhile, 33 percent of Hawaii eighth-graders tested at the basic level, 21 percent demonstrated "proficient" knowledge and 1 percent were "advanced."

Nationwide, 34 percent of all students performed at the basic level, 29 percent were proficient and 2 percent were advanced.

"Basic" performance denotes partial mastery of knowledge and skills tested, while "proficient" represents solid academic performance.

Hillier said that of the three areas of science tested, Hawaii students performed best in the earth and space sciences.

"We are absolutely moving strongly in the right direction," he said. "But clearly, it’s fair to say we still have a lot of work to do."