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SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell released the following statement regarding the release of two new reports by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP): The Nation's Report Card: 12th Grade Reading and Mathematics 2005 and The Nations Report Card: America's High School Graduates [http://nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_grade12_2005/s0201.asp] (Outside Source).

"While the data released on this latest national assessment of high school seniors is not specific to California, the decline in reading scores and persistent achievement gaps it shows underscore two of my highest priorities for California schools. We must increase rigor for all students, particularly in our middle and high schools, and focus as never before on closing the achievement gaps that threaten the future of our state.        

"I was particularly struck by the finding in this report that showed a dramatic decline in scores for reading for literary experience. This particular measure of reading skill is down 11 points since 1992. Reading for literary experience includes more questions about plot, setting, character development and issues of the writer's craft. This may suggest that students are not getting enough experience reading for pleasure outside the classroom or discussing literature in the classroom.

"Schools report their seniors are taking more rigorous courses and are getting better grades, yet the NAEP results indicate that there are persistent disparities in performance on these tests. I encourage districts to review these results and assure that they are offering enough sufficiently rigorous courses, and that the grades accurately reflect student performance."