This year, 18 urban school districts participated in the voluntary NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA). Math results were released today, and student performance in Cleveland might be the only thing in that city more depressing than the Browns.??
Whether you're wondering how Cleveland compares to its peer cities, or whether students have made academic improvements since TUDA was first administered in 2003 (as many cities' students have), the stats on both fronts are discouraging.
Among the 10 cities that have participated in TUDA since 2003, Cleveland is the only district whose scores have not seen an increase in either fourth or eighth grade.?? Compared to the other 17 cities, Cleveland ranks second to last (next only to Detroit) in 4th grade, and fourth to last in 8th grade (behind Detroit, DC, and Milwaukee). While we've lamented before that Ohio's NAEP scores are low (45 and 36 percent of 4th and 8th graders scored proficient or above, respectively), Cleveland's scores are even more painful in comparison: only eight percent of both 4th and 8th graders in the city scored proficient or higher.
Average scores for eighth-grade public school students in NAEP mathematics (five lowest scoring cities) - 2009
Average scores for fourth-grade public school students in NAEP mathematics (five lowest scoring cities) - 2009
Source: NAEP TUDA 2009 Math Results
Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eugene Sanders is preparing to unveil a district "transformation plan" in January.?? As he crafts his plan, we hope he's working from a new playbook - sidelining what hasn't worked in his district and embracing bold reforms.
-By Emmy Partin, Jamie Davies O'Leary, and Eric Ulas