Better Science Scores for Washington Students

(Seattle Times) Washington fourth- and eighth-grade students scored higher than the national average on a federal science test in 2015. In Washington, 42 percent of fourth-graders scored at or above proficient, compared with the national average of 37 percent. For eighth-grade students, the rate for those at or above proficient was 38 percent, 5 percentage points higher than the national average.

Washington was one of 21 states where student performance exceeded the national average for fourth-graders, and one of 22 for eighth-graders. Washington’s students also scored higher than they did in 2009, the last time they took the test. In 2009, 35 percent of fourth-graders and 34 percent of eighth-graders scored at or above proficient High School Seniors also took the test, but those scores aren’t available for each state. Among high-school seniors, those who had access to scientific tools like microscopes or thermometers scored 37 points higher than students without access.