Eighth-grade students improve writing scores

PROVIDENCE – About one of three Rhode Island students attained proficiency on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2007 Grade 8 writing test, according to results released April 3 by the National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education.
State education officials said these results marked a steady improvement in writing scores since the current form of the test, sometimes referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card,” was first administered in 1998. The results show that 32 percent of Rhode Island students achieved proficiency, up by 7 percentage points since 1998 and up by 3 points since the previous administration of the test, in 2002, according to the R.I. Department of Education.
Rhode Island has moved from 1 point below the national average to 1 point above the national average, and it is one of 19 states to show significant improvement since 2002. &#8226