AUSTIN – The National Center for Education Statistics today released results from the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in Reading and Mathematics, Grades 4 and 8. Commissioner of Education Mike Morath issued the following statement:

“The NAEP remains an important measure of outcomes achieved by Texas students, and helps identify areas where we can improve. Results for 2017 show that our African American, Hispanic, and white students perform in the top 10 of all states in mathematics, but reading results are lagging, as are overall averages. In consultation with parents and educators throughout the state, TEA has begun executing a long-term strategic plan to significantly improve student outcomes in Texas schools. At Governor Abbott’s direction, we have reimplemented our state’s math and reading academies, prepared the launch of math innovation zones and launched reading excellence teams in specific districts, and placed a greater emphasis on early learning. Together, we will strengthen the support we offer our teachers and improve foundational reading and math skills, with both urgency and focus.”

The NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subject areas. For more information regarding NAEP, including 2017 results in reading and mathematics, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.

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