ACCORDING to the just-released results of the 2007 US National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) writing assessment, more US middle and high school students have mastered basic writing skills needed to express ideas or share information, The New York Times has reported.
More than 165,000 8th- and 12th-graders participated in the representative sample writing assessment administered by the National Center for Education Statistics of the US Department of Education in 2007. The assessment is designed to measure whether students can communicate effectively by asking them to complete two 25-minute sections, each featuring one writing task intended to measure how well they can write for different audiences and their ability to narrate, persuade, or inform.
The percentage of students performing at or above the basic level of achievement in writing has risen in both grades since previous assessments in 2002, increasing from 85 to 88 percent at 8th grade and from 74 to 82 percent at 12th grade. However, there has been no change in the percentage of students reaching the higher proficiency level at either grade. Only small proportions — 33 percent of 8th graders and 24 percent of 12th graders — show proficiency, meaning they use proper spelling and grammar, as well as the more sophisticated skills required to write a school essay or explain complex information.
US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings highlighted the results of NAEP writing assessment, commending educators and students for the significant progress made under the No Child Left Behind policy.“In this global economy, the ability to write well, whether it is for narrative, informative or persuasive purposes, is a skill required to succeed in many of our nation’s high-growth industries,” Spellings said.
