HARRISBURG – Sixty-four percent of Pennsylvania high school students enter 12th grade without the science skills necessary to succeed in the high-tech global economy, according to science scores released today as part of the 2008 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment.
Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak said the lack of academic readiness among our high school students puts the commonwealth at a competitive disadvantage.
“We are sending the large majority of our students to college or into the workforce without the tools to compete in our science-rich world,” Secretary Zahorchak said. “This is further evidence that local high school graduation requirements and local assessments, which are currently under the control of school boards, are not ensuring that our graduates are ready for college or careers.”
He urged policy-makers, students, parents, educators and members of the business community to back statewide high school graduation requirements, accompanied by additional supports to students and educators, as a vital tool for student achievement that will build a capable workforce and spur economic growth.
Results also were released nationally today for the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which assesses the math and science achievement of 4th and 8th grade students from around the world. The TIMSS results show U.S. students continue to trail their peers in many other nations when it comes to science proficiency.
The number of countries scoring above the U.S. in science has grown since the last TIMSS results in 2003. This year, U.S. 4th graders scored behind students in seven countries, compared to four countries in 2003. U.S. 8th graders scored behind students in 10 countries this year, compared to seven countries in 2003.
Countries that surpassed the United States include Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, England and the Russian Federation.
“At the elementary and middle school levels, U.S. students are trailing their international peers in science,” Secretary Zahorchak said. “And by the time they reach high school, half as many students are on grade level in science in Pennsylvania compared to our elementary schools. That means we are putting our future graduates at an unforgivable double disadvantage.”
This marks the first year science results have been tabulated as part of the PSSA, which has tested students in math, reading and writing since 2002. Science results will now be released annually.
Statewide, 81.5 percent of 4th grade students scored at grade level in science, but performance falls to 52.7 percent at grade level in the 8th grade and only 35.7 percent at grade level in the 11th grade.
“The elementary school results are extremely encouraging and validate the work of Pennsylvania educators in the early grades,” Secretary Zahorchak said. “They also reinforce the enormous challenge we face in preparing our high school students to compete on a global playing field.”
The science achievement data show that boosting high school achievement is a statewide issue, Secretary Zahorchak said. The majority of 11th graders scored below grade level in 85 percent of Pennsylvania school districts.
Secretary Zahorchak said the data indicate Pennsylvania needs to make its high school science instruction more rigorous and engaging as part of a broader effort to better prepare our graduates to compete in a high-skills global workforce. Pennsylvania’s solutions include:
· Enrolling more high school students in college courses in science and other academic subjects.
· Creating Classrooms for the Future that use technology to transform teaching and learning in high schools.
· Ensuring that all school districts have adequate resources to offer a strong curriculum and help struggling students.
· Proposing new statewide high school graduation requirements to make sure that every student is ready for college or the workforce when they receive their diploma.