Idaho students topped the national average in a 2015 standardized science test.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress tested fourth-, eighth- and 12th-graders in science — and on Thursday morning, NAEP released state results for fourth and eighth grades. NAEP tests are not given in all schools in Idaho or elsewhere, but are instead administered to a sample of U.S. schools.
The Idaho highlights:
- The state’s fourth-grade average came in at 156 on a 300-point scale. That’s above the national average of 153. Idaho’s scores are also up slightly from 2009, when the state average came in at 154.
- Idaho’s eighth-grade marks were even better. The state’s average score was 160, ranking No. 9 nationally and topping the national average of 153. Again, Idaho showed slight improvement over time, from a 2009 average of 158 and a 2011 average of 159.