Wisconsin Grade School Students Get High Rankings (Again)

Average REading and math scores, 2005

State	Grade 8 Math Score	Grade 8 Reading Score	Grade 4 Math Score	Grade 4 Reading Score		State	Grade 8 Math Score	Grade 8 Reading Score	Grade 4 Math Score	Grade 4 Reading Score
Alabama	262	252	225	208		Montana	286	269	241	225
Alaska	279	259	236	211		Nebraska	284	267	238	221
Arizona	274	255	230	207		Nevada	270	253	230	207
Arkansas	272	258	236	217		New Hampshire	285	270	246	227
California	269	250	230	207		New Jersey	284	269	244	223
Colorado	281	265	239	224		New Mexico	263	251	224	207
Connecticut	281	264	242	226		New York	280	265	238	223
Delaware	281	266	240	226		N. Carolina	282	258	241	217
Florida	274	256	239	219		North Dakota	287	270	243	225
Georgia	272	257	234	214		Ohio	283	267	242	223
Hawaii	266	249	230	210		Oklahoma	271	260	234	214
Idaho	281	264	242	222		Oregon	282	263	238	217
Illinois	278	264	233	216		Pennsylvania	281	267	241	223
Indiana	282	261	240	218		Rhode Island	272	261	233	216
Iowa	284	267	240	221		S. Carolina	281	257	238	213
Kansas	284	267	246	220		South Dakota	287	269	242	222
Kentucky	274	264	231	220		Tennessee	271	259	232	214
Louisiana	268	253	230	209		Texas	281	258	242	219
Maine	281	270	241	225		Utah	279	262	239	221
Maryland	278	261	238	220		Vermont	287	269	244	227
Massachusetts	292	274	247	231		Virginia	284	268	240	226
Michigan	277	261	238	218		Washington	285	265	242	223
Minnesota	290	268	246	225		West Virginia	269	255	231	215
Mississippi	262	251	227	204		Wisconsin	285	266	241	221
Missouri	276	265	235	221		Wyoming	282	268	243	223
U.S. Average	278	260	237	217		Wisconsin rank	7	16	14	18

Not bad for a state that ranks 16th in per capita spending and 24th in average teacher salaries.

Comments

[Ed Blume]

Makes you doubt whether spending leads to achievement.

[Paul]

Ed, it seems that Wisconsin is doing just fine given that in most instances the scoring is higher than the state's rank in spending. Do not forget that the proportion of school children living below the poverty level is a variable as well as spending. With Madison running over 40%, and with Milwaukee's numbers, the Badger State is doing very well.

[kr]

Not a smart comment Ed. What this says is our money is spent wisely. Cut the spending, cut the results. How much brain power is needed to grasp that?

[Brian]

Standardized tests measure what is least important. This is bad accountability.
Show me the tests the teachers wrote. Put them back in charge of the classroom.
Show me the portfolios of the students; their performances and exhibitions.
These are the tools nationally recognized educators like Ted Sizer and Deborah Meier tell us we should be using to measure learning.
Howard Gardner and Robert Sternberg, the two great intelligence experts in this country, have, for years, criticized the standardized testing regime in place in this country.
W. James Popham, former president of the American Educational Research Association came out of retirmement because he was outraged that the tests were being used to measure school performance.
Peter Sacks has written the great attack on standardized testing: Standardized Minds, 1999.
I'd encourage Paul to actually be progressive on accountability and start supporting portfolios, performances, and exhibitions rather than tests written by companies that take control out of the classroom and deprofessionalize teachers.

[Big Bill]

Brian, I have not the faintest idea what a "reading portfolio" would look like, nor what a "math portfolio" would look like. Letting teachers design the tests is an easy way for teachers to screw colored kids. Give them an "A" on their "portfolio" even when they don't learn anything and give 'em a social promotion. You never have to face the music that way.