CMS Leaders Put National Report Card Scores Into Perspective

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte-Mecklenburg School leaders are reacting to a national report card that showed record low test scores in math and reading.  CMS is one of 26 school districts nationwide that participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessment.  The assessment is given every two years to students at grades 4 and 8, and approximately every four years at grade 12.

According to CMS interim superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh, the scores were not a surprise.  The superintendent points out the random sampling of students occurred in January 2022 at a time when CMS was in a transition period due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

” That was just when CMS was getting our students back into a school house. Prior to that it was a hybrid type of instruction. So the timing of the 4th graders and 8th graders occurred in January,” said Hattabaugh.

CMS leaders also point out that all 26 jurisdictions nationwide reported decreases in test scores across the board.  In fact, they say CMS actually performed better than most.

When it comes to the reading assessment, CMS placed 5th place overall in 4th grade reading.  CMS placed 4th nationwide in 8th grade reading.

When it comes to the math assessment, CMS performed the best nationwide placing first in 8th grade math.  CMS placed 5th in 4th grade math.