Reading Performance
The ability to read is fundamental to virtually all aspects of education. When students cannot read well,
TABLE 7.2
College enrollment rates of high school completers, by race/ethniciy, 1960–2001
[Numbers in thousands]
| High school completers1 | Enrolled in college2 | |||||||||||||
| Hispanic3 | ||||||||||||||
| Total | White, non-Hispanic | Black, non-Hispanic3 | Percent | |||||||||||
| Year | Total | White, non-Hispanic | Black, non-Hispanic | Hispanic3 | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Annual | 3-year moving average | |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | |
| 1960 | 1,679 (44) | 1,565 (45) | —— | —— | 758 (41) | 45.1 (2.1) | 717 (40) | 45.8 (2.2) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1961 | 1,763 (46) | 1,612 (47) | —— | —— | 847 (43) | 48.0 (2.1) | 798 (42) | 49.5 (2.2) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1962 | 1,838 (44) | 1,660 (45) | —— | —— | 900 (43) | 49.0 (2.0) | 840 (42) | 50.6 (2.2) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1963 | 1,741 (44) | 1,615 (45) | —— | —— | 784 (42) | 45.0 (2.1) | 736 (41) | 45.6 (2.2) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1964 | 2,145 (43) | 1,964 (45) | —— | —— | 1,037 (46) | 48.3 (1.9) | 967 (45) | 49.2 (2.0) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1965 | 2,659 (48) | 2,417 (51) | —— | —— | 1,354 (51) | 50.9 (1.7) | 1,249 (50) | 51.7 (1.8) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1966 | 2,612 (45) | 2,403 (48) | —— | —— | 1,309 (50) | 50.1 (1.7) | 1,243 (50) | 51.7 (1.8) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1967 | 2,525 (38) | 2,267 (40) | —— | —— | 1,311 (41) | 51.9 (1.4) | 1,202 (40) | 53.0 (1.5) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1968 | 2,606 (37) | 2,303 (40) | —— | —— | 1,444 (42) | 55.4 (1.4) | 1,304 (41) | 56.6 (1.5) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1969 | 2,842 (40) | 2,538 (43) | —— | —— | 1,516 (44) | 53.3 (1.3) | 1,402 (43) | 55.2 (1.4) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1970 | 2,758 (39) | 2,461 (42) | —— | —— | 1,427 (42) | 51.7 (1.4) | 1,280 (41) | 52.0 (1.4) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1971 | 2,875 (39) | 2,596 (42) | —— | —— | 1,538 (43) | 53.5 (1.3) | 1,402 (43) | 54.0 (1.4) | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | |
| 1972 | 2,964 (39) | 2,520 (43) | 316 (28) | 101 (20) | 1,459 (43) | 49.2 (1.3) | 1,252 (42) | 49.7 (1.4) | 141 (19) | 44.6 (4.6) | 46 (13) | 45.0 (9.7) | —— | |
| 1973 | 3,058 (39) | 2,590 (44) | 324 (29) | 119 (21) | 1,424 (43) | 46.6 (1.3) | 1,238 (42) | 47.8 (1.4) | 105 (17) | 32.5 (4.3) | 64 (16) | 54.1 (9.0) | 48.7 (5.3) | |
| 1974 | 3,101 (40) | 2,620 (44) | 325 (29) | 121 (21) | 1,475 (44) | 47.6 (1.3) | 1,236 (42) | 47.2 (1.4) | 154 (20) | 47.2 (4.6) | 57 (15) | 46.9 (8.9) | 33.7 (6.0) | |
| 1975 | 3,185 (40) | 2,701 (45) | 302 (23) | 132 (22) | 1,615 (45) | 50.7 (1.3) | 1,381 (44) | 51.1 (1.4) | 126 (15) | 41.7 (4.0) | 77 (17) | 58.0 (8.4) | 36.9 (5.6) | |
| 1976 | 2,986 (43) | 2,492 (46) | 290 (23) | 152 (24) | 1,458 (44) | 48.8 (1.3) | 1,217 (42) | 48.8 (1.4) | 129 (16) | 44.4 (4.1) | 80 (17) | 52.7 (8.0) | 53.8 (4.7) | |
| 1977 | 3,141 (42) | 2,618 (46) | 325 (29) | 155 (24) | 1,590 (46) | 50.6 (1.3) | 1,331 (44) | 50.8 (1.4) | 161 (21) | 49.5 (4.7) | 79 (17) | 50.8 (8.0) | 48.5 (4.7) | |
| 1978 | 3,163 (42) | 2,615 (46) | 345 (30) | 135 (23) | 1,585 (46) | 50.1 (1.3) | 1,321 (44) | 50.5 (1.4) | 160 (21) | 46.4 (4.5) | 56 (15) | 42.0 (8.4) | 45.9 (4.7) | |
| 1979 | 3,160 (42) | 2,629 (46) | 319 (29) | 155 (24) | 1,559 (46) | 49.3 (1.3) | 1,313 (44) | 49.9 (1.4) | 149 (20) | 46.7 (4.7) | 70 (16) | 45.0 (7.9) | 46.4 (4.8) | |
| 1980 | 3,088 (42) | 2,554 (46) | 350 (30) | 130 (22) | 1,523 (45) | 49.3 (1.3) | 1,273 (43) | 49.8 (1.4) | 149 (20) | 42.7 (4.4) | 68 (16) | 52.3 (8.7) | 49.8 (4.8) | |
| 1981 | 3,056 (42) | 2,490 (46) | 349 (30) | 146 (24) | 1,648 (46) | 53.9 (1.3) | 1,367 (44) | 54.9 (1.4) | 149 (20) | 42.7 (4.4) | 76 (17) | 52.1 (8.2) | 49.2 (4.7) | |
| 1982 | 3,100 (42) | 2,474 (48) | 382 (33) | 173 (27) | 1,569 (47) | 50.6 (1.4) | 1,303 (45) | 52.7 (1.5) | 137 (20) | 35.8 (4.3) | 75 (18) | 43.2 (8.0) | 49.8 (4.9) | |
| 1983 | 2,963 (41) | 2,363 (47) | 390 (33) | 138 (24) | 1,562 (47) | 52.7 (1.4) | 1,301 (45) | 55.0 (1.6) | 149 (21) | 38.2 (4.3) | 75 (18) | 54.2 (9.0) | 47.3 (4.7) | |
| 1984 | 3,012 (38) | 2,331 (45) | 433 (35) | 187 (28) | 1,663 (46) | 55.2 (1.4) | 1,375 (45) | 59.0 (1.5) | 172 (23) | 39.8 (4.1) | 83 (19) | 44.3 (7.7) | 49.9 (4.9) | |
| 1985 | 2,668 (41) | 2,104 (46) | 332 (31) | 141 (27) | 1,540 (45) | 57.7 (1.4) | 1,264 (44) | 60.1 (1.6) | 140 (20) | 42.2 (4.8) | 72 (19) | 51.0 (9.8) | 46.5 (5.2) | |
| 1986 | 2,786 (39) | 2,146 (45) | 378 (32) | 169 (29) | 1,498 (45) | 53.8 (1.4) | 1,219 (43) | 56.8 (1.6) | 140 (20) | 36.9 (4.4) | 74 (20) | 44.0 (8.9) | 42.9 (5.2) | |
| 1987 | 2,647 (42) | 2,040 (46) | 333 (31) | 176 (30) | 1,503 (46) | 56.8 (1.5) | 1,195 (43) | 58.6 (1.7) | 174 (23) | 52.2 (4.8) | 59 (18) | 33.5 (8.3) | 44.9 (5.0) | |
| 1988 | 2,673 (47) | 2,013 (51) | 378 (36) | 179 (36) | 1,575 (50) | 58.9 (1.6) | 1,230 (48) | 61.1 (1.8) | 168 (24) | 44.4 (4.9) | 102 (27) | 57.1 (10.1) | 48.6 (6.0) | |
| 1989 | 2,450 (50) | 1,889 (52) | 332 (34) | 168 (35) | 1,460 (50) | 59.6 (1.6) | 1,147 (47) | 60.7 (1.9) | 177 (25) | 53.4 (5.3) | 93 (26) | 55.1 (10.5) | 51.6 (6.3) | |
| 1990 | 2,362 (44) | 1,819 (47) | 331 (32) | 121 (26) | 1,420 (46) | 60.1 (1.6) | 1,147 (44) | 63.0 (1.8) | 155 (23) | 46.8 (5.1) | 52 (17) | 42.7 (10.8) | 51.7 (5.7) | |
| 1991 | 2,276 (44) | 1,727 (47) | 310 (31) | 154 (29) | 1,423 (46) | 62.5 (1.6) | 1,129 (44) | 65.4 (1.8) | 144 (22) | 46.4 (5.2) | 88 (22) | 57.2 (9.6) | 51.6 (5.5) | |
| 1992 | 2,397 (42) | 1,724 (46) | 354 (33) | 198 (33) | 1,483 (46) | 61.9 (1.6) | 1,109 (43) | 64.3 (1.8) | 171 (24) | 48.2 (4.9) | 109 (25) | 55.0 (8.5) | 58.1 (5.0) | |
| 1993 | 2,342 (44) | 1,719 (47) | 304 (31) | 201 (33) | 1,467 (46) | 62.6 (1.6) | 1,082 (43) | 62.9 (1.9) | 169 (23) | 55.6 (5.3) | 125 (26) | 62.2 (8.2) | 55.4 (5.0) | |
| 1994 | 2,517 (39) | 1,915 (43) | 316 (27) | 178 (22) | 1,559 (43) | 61.9 (1.4) | 1,236 (42) | 64.5 (1.6) | 161 (19) | 50.8 (4.4) | 87 (15) | 49.1 (6.3) | 55.0 (3.2) | |
| 1995 | 2,599 (40) | 1,861 (44) | 349 (28) | 288 (27) | 1,610 (44) | 61.9 (1.4) | 1,197 (42) | 64.3 (1.6) | 179 (20) | 51.2 (4.2) | 155 (20) | 53.7 (4.9) | 51.2 (3.2) | |
| 1996 | 2,660 (41) | 1,875 (46) | 406 (31) | 227 (25) | 1,729 (46) | 65.0 (1.4) | 1,264 (44) | 67.4 (1.7) | 227 (24) | 56.0 (4.0) | 115 (18) | 50.8 (5.8) | 56.7 (3.0) | |
| 1997 | 2,769 (42) | 1,909 (47) | 384 (30) | 336 (31) | 1,856 (47) | 67.0 (1.4) | 1,301 (45) | 68.2 (1.6) | 225 (24) | 58.5 (4.1) | 220 (25) | 65.6 (4.5) | 54.6 (2.9) | |
| 1998 | 2,810 (44) | 1,980 (48) | 386 (31) | 314 (30) | 1,844 (48) | 65.6 (1.4) | 1,357 (46) | 68.5 (1.6) | 239 (25) | 61.9 (4.0) | 149 (21) | 47.4 (4.9) | 51.8 (2.8) | |
| 1999 | 2,897 (43) | 1,978 (48) | 436 (32) | 329 (30) | 1,822 (48) | 62.9 (1.4) | 1,311 (46) | 66.3 (1.6) | 257 (25) | 58.9 (3.9) | 139 (20) | 42.3 (4.8) | 47.5 (2.8) | |
| 2000 | 2,756 (45) | 1,938 (49) | 393 (31) | 300 (29) | 1,745 (48) | 63.3 (1.4) | 1,272 (45) | 65.7 (1.7) | 216 (23) | 54.9 (4.1) | 159 (22) | 52.9 (5.0) | 49.0 (3.0) | |
| 2001 | 2,545 (47) | 1,832 (49) | 379 (30) | 241 (26) | 1,569 (48) | 61.7 (1.5) | 1,176 (44) | 64.2 (1.7) | 207 (23) | 54.6 (4.2) | 124 (19) | 51.7 (5.6) | —— | |
| —Not available. | ||||||||||||||
| 1Individuals age 16 to 24 who graduated from high school or completed a GED during the preceding 12 months. | ||||||||||||||
| 2Enrollment in college as of October of each year for individuals age 16 to 24 who completed high school during the preceding 12 months. | ||||||||||||||
| 3Due to the small sample size, data are subject to relatively large sampling errors. | ||||||||||||||
| Note: Data are based upon sample surveys of the civilian population. High school graduate data in this table differ from figures appearing in other tables because of varying survey procedures and coverage. High school graduates include GED recipients. Standard errors appear in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: "Table 183. College Enrollment Rates of High School Completers, by Race/Ethniciy: 1960 to 2001," in "Postsecondary Education," Digest of Education Statistics, 2002, National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, DC, 2002 [Online] http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d02/tables/dt183.asp [accessed May 14, 2004] | ||||||||||||||
they usually cannot succeed in other subject areas and will eventually have additional problems in a society requiring increasingly sophisticated job skills.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) compared reading proficiency for nine-, thirteen-, and seventeen-year-olds from 1980 to 1999. Average reading ability for African-American students was lower in 1999 than in 1980 for nine-year-olds, but higher than it was in 1980 for thirteen- and seventeen-year-olds. Hispanic students in all three age groups improved their scores between 1980 and 1999. African-American and Hispanic students in all three age groups scored lower than white students throughout the period. For most of those same years, Hispanic students scored better than African-American
TABLE 7.3
Percentage distribution of Hispanic students in grades K–12, by language spoken at home and grade, 1999
| Grade enrolled | Total | Spoke mostly English at home | Spoke English and Spanish equally at home | Spoke mostly Spanish at home | Spoke English and other language equally/spoke other language |
| Total | 100.0 | 57.2 | 17.0 | 25.1 | 0.7 |
| K–5 | 100.0 | 54.8 | 16.2 | 28.2 | 0.8 |
| 6–8 | 100.0 | 58.2 | 20.1 | 20.6 | 1.0 |
| 9–12 | 100.0 | 61.5 | 15.9 | 22.4 | 0.2 |
| Note: Percentages may not add to 100.0 due to rounding. | |||||
| SOURCE: "Table 6-2. Percentage Distribution of Hispanic Students in Grades K–12, by Language Spoken at Home and Grade: 1999," in The Condition of Education 2001, National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, DC, 2001 | |||||
TABLE 7.4
Percentage of children ages 3–5 who were enrolled in center-based early childhood care and education programs characteristics: Selected years 1991–2001
| Characteristic | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1996 | 1999 | 2001 |
| Total* | 52.8 | 52.7 | 55.1 | 55.0 | 59.7 | 56.4 |
| Age | ||||||
| 3 | 42.3 | 40.4 | 40.7 | 42.1 | 45.7 | 43.0 |
| 4 | 60.4 | 62.2 | 64.7 | 63.2 | 69.6 | 66.2 |
| 5 | 63.9 | 65.7 | 74.5 | 72.8 | 76.5 | 72.8 |
| Sex | ||||||
| Male | 52.4 | 52.5 | 55.0 | 55.0 | 60.8 | 53.6 |
| Female | 53.2 | 52.9 | 55.2 | 54.9 | 58.6 | 59.2 |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||||
| White | 54.0 | 53.5 | 56.9 | 57.1 | 60.0 | 59.0 |
| Black | 58.3 | 57.3 | 59.5 | 64.7 | 73.2 | 63.7 |
| Hispanic | 38.8 | 42.8 | 37.4 | 39.4 | 44.2 | 39.8 |
| Poverty status | ||||||
| Below poverty | 44.2 | 43.3 | 45.1 | 43.8 | 51.4 | 46.7 |
| At or above poverty | 55.7 | 56.0 | 58.8 | 59.1 | 62.3 | 59.1 |
| Poverty status and race/ethnicity Below poverty | ||||||
| White | 41.0 | 39.6 | 43.4 | 39.4 | 43.2 | 46.1 |
| Black | 55.4 | 53.2 | 54.9 | 60.9 | 72.2 | 60.1 |
| Hispanic | 34.4 | 37.2 | 30.1 | 32.6 | 41.2 | 36.2 |
| At or above poverty | ||||||
| White | 56.4 | 56.0 | 59.6 | 60.3 | 62.6 | 60.8 |
| Black | 61.8 | 62.6 | 66.1 | 69.0 | 74.1 | 66.2 |
| Hispanic | 42.2 | 48.1 | 43.8 | 45.1 | 46.8 | 42.4 |
| Family type | ||||||
| Two parents | 53.7 | 52.1 | 54.9 | 53.8 | 58.8 | 56.5 |
| One or no parent | 49.7 | 54.2 | 55.6 | 57.9 | 61.9 | 56.1 |
| Mother's education | ||||||
| Less than high school | 31.5 | 33.1 | 34.8 | 37.3 | 40.3 | 38.3 |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 45.8 | 43.2 | 47.6 | 49.0 | 51.7 | 47.1 |
| Some college, including vocational/technical | 60.2 | 60.3 | 56.8 | 57.8 | 62.9 | 62.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 71.9 | 73.4 | 74.5 | 73.0 | 73.9 | 69.5 |
| Mother's employment status | ||||||
| Worked 35 hours or more per week | 59.3 | 61.3 | 60.2 | 63.1 | 64.8 | 62.9 |
| Worked less than 35 hours per week | 58.0 | 56.7 | 62.1 | 64.4 | 64.0 | 61.4 |
| Looking for work | 43.2 | 48.1 | 51.8 | 46.9 | 54.6 | 46.9 |
| Not in labor force | 45.3 | 44.2 | 46.5 | 43.1 | 52.2 | 46.8 |
| *Children from racial/ethnic groups other than white, black, and Hispanic are included in the totals but not shown separately. | ||||||
| Note: Estimates are based on children who had not entered kindergarten. Center-based programs include day care centers, Head Start, preschool, nursery school, prekindergarten, and other early childhood programs. Children without mothers in the home are not included in estimates concerning mother's education or mother's employment status. | ||||||
| SOURCE: "Table 1-1. Percentage of Children Ages 3–5 Who Were Enrolled in Center-Based Early Childhood Care and Education Programs Characteristics: Selected Years 1991–2001," in The Condition of Education 2003, National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, DC, 2003 [Online] http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/2002025.pdf [accessed March 11, 2004] | ||||||
TABLE 7.5
Percentage distribution of first-time kindergartners according to the frequency with which teachers reported they persist at tasks, are eager to learn new things, and pay attention well, by child and family characteristics, fall 1998
| Persist at tasks | Eager to learn | Pay attention | ||||
| Characteristic | Never/sometimes | Often/very often | Never/sometimes | Often/very often | Never/sometimes | Often/very often |
| Total | 29 | 71 | 25 | 75 | 34 | 66 |
| Sex | ||||||
| Male | 35 | 65 | 29 | 71 | 42 | 58 |
| Female | 22 | 78 | 22 | 78 | 26 | 74 |
| Mother's highest education level | ||||||
| Less than high school | 39 | 61 | 38 | 62 | 45 | 55 |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 30 | 70 | 28 | 72 | 36 | 64 |
| Some college, including vocational/technical | 27 | 73 | 22 | 78 | 32 | 68 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21 | 79 | 17 | 83 | 25 | 75 |
| Child's race-ethnicity | ||||||
| White | 25 | 75 | 22 | 78 | 30 | 70 |
| Black | 38 | 62 | 34 | 66 | 45 | 55 |
| Asian | 19 | 81 | 20 | 80 | 29 | 71 |
| Hispanic | 33 | 67 | 30 | 70 | 38 | 62 |
| Note: Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding. | ||||||
| SOURCE: "Table 26-1. Percentage Distribution of First-Time Kindergartners According to the Frequency with Which Teachers Reported They Persist at Tasks, Are Eager to Learn New Things, and Pay Attention Well, by Child and Family Characteristics: Fall 1998," in The Condition of Education 2000, National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, DC, 2000 | ||||||
students did in reading performance for all three age groups, as well. (See Table 7.7.)
Mathematics Performance
In a time when science and technology are considered vital to the nation's economy and position in the international community, education observers have been concerned about the generally poor American performance in mathematics and science. Since 1971 the NAEP has tested students to determine their mathematical knowledge, skills, and aptitudes.
In 1999 white students scored higher than African-American and Hispanic students at ages nine, thirteen, and seventeen in mathematics. African-American students also scored lower than Hispanic students in those same age groups. (See Table 7.8.)
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