BOSTON (Reuters) ? Hawaii was the only state in the nation where students boosted scores in both math and reading at fourth and eighth grade levels over the last two years, according to a report released on Tuesday.
Math tests showed steady improvements in the last few years and major gains over the last two decades while reading scores remained mostly unchanged, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation's Report Card.
Math and reading scores for 2011 were released in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.
"Over the past two decades major gains have occurred in mathematics achievement, but only modest improvements in reading," said David Driscoll, chairman of the National Assessment Governing Board.
Despite better math scores, progress has slowed and achievement gaps between races remain "unacceptably wide," he said.
The assessment tests, held every two years, measure progress among a national sample of students. While both public and private school students participate in the overall test, only public school scores are included in the state by state results.
In 2011, fourth and eighth graders in the U.S. posted the highest scores ever on the national assessment test, with the grade four students gaining a single point over 2009 scores and 28 points over 1990, when testing began.
Among eighth graders, average math scores climbed by a single point over 2009 and by 21 points over 1990.
In math, 40 percent of fourth graders and 35 percent of eighth graders scored at or above proficient, defined as solid academic performance, the report said.
Gains on reading assessments over the years have been less impressive.
The average reading score among fourth graders was unchanged since 2009 while the average score for eighth graders climbed by 1 point. Since 1992, both age groups have scored increases of about 5 points.
For reading, 34 percent of fourth graders scored at or above proficient, unchanged since 2009. The same number of eighth grade test-takers were considered proficient or above.
President Barack Obama has said that young people in the United States are falling behind their overseas peers in reading, math and science.
He has said far too many young people fail to finish high school and get college degrees.
Countries that out-educate the United States will eventually out-compete the U.S. work force, he said in a September radio address.
The National Assessment Governing Board, tasked with releasing the score results, said a federal study is underway across all student age groups to assess how classroom instruction can be improved.
A state breakdown of the results showed that in addition to Hawaii, Maryland was highlighted for improving reading scores for both grades.
Youngsters who read for fun more frequently scored higher, the report said, while eighth grade students taking Algebra I were also able to boost their scores.
Asian students posted higher scores in both reading and math than other racial and ethnic groups, the report said.
(Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Greg McCune)
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