Florida performed among the top states in the nation in reading and math in 2013 based on the Nation’s Report Card, compiled by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). A new, visual depiction of the data, released today by the “Learn More. Go Further.” initiative, highlights Florida students’ performance, including ranking first in the nation among fourth-grade Hispanic readers and low-income readers.

The Nation’s Report Card is the only assessment of fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math in which all 50 states and the District of Columbia participate, allowing an accurate comparison of Florida student achievement with that of other states. The NAEP is a congressionally authorized project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in various subject areas.

According to the NAEP report, Florida students rank:

• 2^nd among fourth-grade readers with disabilities
• 5^th among fourth-graders with disabilities in math and eighth-graders with disabilities in reading
• 4^th among Hispanic fourth graders in math
• 10^th among eighth graders with disabilities in math and African American eighth-graders in reading
• 13^th among African American eighth graders in math

“Florida is gaining ground faster than other states on many measures of success, yet many Floridians don’t know it,” said Faye Adams, a third-grade teacher in Florida for more than ten years and a volunteer for the “Learn More. Go Further.” initiative. “It’s important for Floridians to know what’s working so that we can build on those successes.”

A recent survey found that one-third of parents incorrectly believe that the quality of Florida’s education system has gotten worse and only eight percent of parents statewide think Florida schools are above average compared to other states.

The data also highlights that Florida is improving at a greater rate than other states. Florida’s eighth-grade math improvement was three times greater than that of other states. Florida’s improvement in fourth-grade math and reading and eighth-grade reading was twice the national average.

The results crossed every demographic, with Florida outperforming the nation in fourth-grade reading among white, Hispanic, and African American fourth graders, and among low-income students and children with disabilities. And Florida was the only state to narrow the achievement gap in fourth and eighth-grade reading and math between white and African American students since 2011.

The Nation’s Report Card also shines a spotlight on how low-income students in charter schools are progressing relative to their peers. In Florida, 45 percent of low-income students in charter schools scored proficient or better in fourth grade reading compared to 31 percent in traditional schools. A similar difference was apparent for math performance as well: 39 percent of low-income students in charter schools scored proficient or better in eighth-grade reading compared to 26 percent in traditional schools.

The “Learn More. Go Further.” initiative was recently launched by the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd) to elevate public awareness of Florida’s educational successes since implementing higher standards and greater accountability 15 years ago, starting with Florida’s A+ Plan.

Florida’s Results on the 2013 Nation’s Report Card: Measuring Florida’s Education Progress provides a simple visual portrayal of the following highlights:

To learn more, visit fl.learnmoregofurther.org.