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Grades Going Up!
Have you noticed that you're doing better in math and reading? The Department of Education sure has. Its annual report card, which just came out, showed fourth and eighth graders have been improving test scores in math and reading since 1990.
Math and reading skills are tested every year in all 50 states. Over 700,000 kids took those tests last winter and the news was good. The percentage of fourth graders who tested proficient was three times higher than it was in 1990. The state of Massachusetts had the highest scores. Other states that improved their scores included Florida and North Carolina. But not every state did better this time. In Oklahoma, for example, test scores were lower in reading and math.
Nationwide, in the Math tests, boys and girls did almost equally well. The boys scored 2 points higher in both 4th and 8th grades. In reading the scores weren't quite as close. Fourth grade girls scored 7 points higher, and in eighth grade they scored 10 points higher than boys.
Some experts say that the reading and math test results are good, but they're worried that more time is spent preparing for tests in those subjects. So less time may be spent on other important subjects like history and science. Still, everyone agrees that better test scores is great news.
I'm Ben and that's what happened in our nation this week.
Let's play the pinpoint game and locate the states mentioned in my story.
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