69ý

School & District Management Report Roundup

NAEP Economics Results Highlight Proficiency Gaps

By Erik W. Robelen — May 07, 2013 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

More than half of American 12th graders lack proficiency in economics, according to new results from “the nation’s report card,” with no overall change in performance when compared with results from 2006, the last time the assessment was administered.

In all, 43 percent of high school seniors scored “proficient” or above on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in economics, which covers such topics as personal finance, business, government policy, and international trade. The results were released last month.

While the average score of 12th graders held steady, the data show some improvements from 2006. For instance, the percentage of students scoring below the “basic” level decreased from 21 percent in 2006 to 18 percent six years later. The percentage of Hispanic students scoring at or above basic grew from 64 percent to 71 percent, but that growth was not considered statistically significant.

In a conference call with reporters, National Center for Education Statistics Commissioner Sean P. “Jack” Buckley suggested that Hispanic students’ improvement may be explained by improved literacy skills rather than better understanding of economics.

The data show a persistent gender gap in economics, with boys on average scoring 6 points higher than girls on the NAEP scale of 0 to 300.

The results also show big gaps by race, ethnicity, and income, consistent with the patterns across all NAEP subjects. For example, 53 percent of white students scored proficient or above, compared with just 17 percent of African-American students and 26 percent of Hispanic students. Looked at another way, four out of 10 black students scored “below basic,” as compared with one in 10 white students.

The new NAEP economics results came just a week after the Council of Economic Education issued a set of national standards for financial literacy at the K-12 level.

A version of this article appeared in the May 08, 2013 edition of Education Week as NAEP Economics Results Highlight Proficiency Gaps

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

School & District Management Spooked by Halloween, Some 69ý Ban Costumes—But Not Without Pushback
69ý are tweaking Halloween traditions to make them more inclusive to all students.
4 min read
A group of elementary school kids sitting on a curb dressed in their Halloween costumes.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management 69ý Take a $3 Billion Hit From the Culture Wars. Here’s How It Breaks Down
Culturally divisive conflicts in schools have led to increased legal and security costs, as well as staff time spent on the fallout.
4 min read
Illustration of a businessman with his hands on his head while he watches dollars being sucked down into a dark hole.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Opinion The Blind Spot More Educators Need to Recognize
A simple activity in a training session caused a chain reaction that strengthened an educator's leadership for decades to come.
5 min read
Screen Shot 2024 10 29 at 9.19.10 AM
Canva
School & District Management Opinion 9 Ways 69ý Can Improve Life for Teachers and 69ý
Educators suggest low-cost strategies to improve the education experience for teachers and learners alike.
8 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week