Students in fourth and eighth grade are making small gains in math, but high school students are falling behind in the subject, according to a national standardized test.
In The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2000, the National Assessment of Educational Progress found that 25 percent of fourth-graders scored proficient or better on the test, an improvement from 17 percent in 1992.
Eighth-graders improved as well, with 26 percent scoring at or above proficient in 2000, up from 20 percent in 1992.
But only 17 percent of high school seniors scored proficient or better in 2000, a decline from 1996.
Additionally, the so-called achievement gap between whites and minority students remains unchanged. In the 2000 test, whites scored higher, on average, than black and Hispanic students, and "the differences in scores were substantial," according to a press release.
The test tracks both state and national results. One can find customized information on the test using the data tool on the NAEP website.
States at the top of the list for the highest fourth grade math scores included Minnesota, Massachusetts, Indiana, Connecticut, Iowa, Texas, North Carolina, Kansas and Vermont. Minnesota, Montana and Kansas topped the list for highest average scores for eighth-graders.
This fall, the National Center for Education Statistics, the arm of the Department of Education that released the report, will issue the NAEP science results.
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Beam me to Chabot: Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, California, will offer several new exhibits this year that are sure to intrigue science (and science-fiction) fans.
In November, the center will unveil "Star Wars: The Art of the Star Fighter." The exhibit will showcase a full-scale, 40-foot Naboo starfighter used in the making of the most recent Star Wars film, The Phantom Menace.
In summer 2002, Chabot will open "The Lost Spacecraft," an exhibit featuring Gus Grissom's Liberty Bell 7.
Grissom became the second American in space when he manned the Mercury 4 capsule – also called "man in a can" – that was sent into space in 1961. After spending 15 minutes in space, the capsule crashed into the Atlantic Ocean and was lost at sea.
In 1999, the Liberty Bell 7 was retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean and then cleaned and restored.
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The next gadget-du-jour: Hammacher Schlemmer has announced the semifinalists in its National Search for Invention 2001 competition.
The 22 semifinalists were chosen from over 550 entries and include a car-mounted, laser-assisted parking device; a back-saving wearable floor mop; a gliding movable paint tray; a laser-assisted fishing rod; a bicycle alarm; a motorized hair styling brush; and a hands-free personal watercraft.
Winners will be announced on Sept. 11. The grand prize winner will receive a $5,000 grant, and winners in each of four categories will receive a $1,000 grant.
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A helping hand for teachers: A common complaint from teachers is that they lack the support and time to do their job well.
Now, teachers in Great Britain are getting some relief. Over the past two years, the Schools and Local Education Authorities have recruited and trained 25,000 teaching assistants and 3,000 learning mentors to assist teachers in the classroom.
The paid support staff works with pupils who need extra help. They address problems such as truancy, bullying, shyness and family conflicts.
"Working alongside teachers, learning mentors and teaching assistants are helping ensure that all pupils get the most out of their education," School Standards Minister Stephen Timms said in a statement. "Their role is essential to enable teachers to concentrate on what they do best – teaching."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
