Florida Reading Proficiency Standards Some of the Best in the Nation
DOE Press Office (850) 245-0413
Florida Reading Proficiency Standards Some of the Best in the Nation
~ National report ranks Florida's reading proficiency standards higher than the majority of other states ~TALLAHASSEE - A new report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicates that Florida has some of the strongest reading standards in the country. The Mapping State Proficiency Standards onto the NAEP Scales report compares each state's reading and mathematics proficiency standards against national proficiency standards to see how closely they match up. According to the report, Florida's eighth grade reading proficiency standards are the second highest in the nation, and only 12 states have higher proficiency standards in fourth grade.
"Florida set a high bar for reading very early on and this latest NAEP report helps to reflect the positive impact of that decision," said Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson. "With our Next Generation reading standards now firmly in place we should expect even greater things in the years ahead."
The report uses a method called "mapping" to take each state's proficiency standards and place them on a common scale so they can be accurately compared. The common scale in this report is the NAEP reading and mathematics proficiency standards, widely considered the gold standard for the nation.
Florida experienced more moderate rankings in mathematics, primarily due to newly updated mathematics standards not being fully captured in this NAEP report. In fourth grade, Florida's mathematics proficiency standards were ranked 15th in the nation, and its eighth grade ranking was 26th.
Florida continues to be a national leader in setting high standards for student achievement. Over the past several years the state has been involved in developing, adopting and implementing Next Generation curriculum standards designed to prepare students for college and career. Florida's commitment to higher standards and increased expectations for students has resulted in significant academic progress as measured by both state and national assessments.
To view the report, visit http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies/statemapping/.