Statement by Antonia Cortese,
Executive Vice President, American Federation of Teachers,
On
Urban Students’ Performance on
 the National Assessment of Educational Progress

The AFT represents educators in most of the school districts participating in the NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment.  The results of that assessment, released today, provide good news about urban education.

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Facts, rather than stereotypes, should shape policies designed to improve our schools.  For that reason, policymakers should take note of today’s finding that disadvantaged and minority students in big-city schools generally are doing as well as their peers nationally.
 
We are committed to improving all public schools.  We challenge those who have been scapegoating urban school districts to set aside their demands for unproven education reforms and recognize that urban schools are, in many ways, comparable to other schools across the country.

The results show that eighth-grade reading scores continue to be flat, something that also was seen in the national results released earlier this fall.  It’s time to take this problem seriously.  The flatness in eighth-grade reading, when comprehension is critically important, reflects the need for greater emphasis on content in the grades preceding eighth.

The AFT urges policymakers and others to set aside the myths about urban schools and move forward with policies based on the reality of students’ performance on these tests.
 

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