Fotosearch Test Taking 26734All along, the powers that be have said American kids come in either above or below the all-mighty grade level mark when it comes to academic performance–but not apparently on it. Really. Meanwhile, it was also determined that just 5% to 15% of our students scored in at that “above” range. Yikes, right?!

But then Johns Hopkins researchers recently went to work analyzing performance results in three key states to definitively answer the question: “How many students perform above grade level?” and targeted three states:

  1. Florida because it opted out of the Common Core State Standards adopted by most states in one form or another.
  2. Wisconsin because it adopted the Common Core but not its related SBAC  online assessment’s adaptive features, which is known there as the Badger Exam.
  3. California because it went all in for the Common Core and its related SBAC online assessment.

And here’s what they discovered:

  • In Wisconsin,  32% of 3rd graders and 45% of 8th graders scored 1+ years above grade level in English/Language Arts. When it came to math, 38% of 3rd graders and 26% of 8th graders did so. Plus, more than 33% of the 8th graders scored at or above the 11th grade proficiency level.
  • As for performance on the SBAC in California, 21% of 3rd graders and 37% of 8th graders scored 1+ years above grade level in English/Language Arts; 19% of 3rd graders and 34% of 8th graders did so in math.
  • And in Florida that has not relied whatsoever on the Common Core, 30% of 3rd graders and 42% of 8th graders scored 1+ years above grade level; 36% of 3rd graders and 38% of 7th graders did so in math. Eighth grade scores were not available.

The researchers’ conclusion: Our kids are far better off academically than that previous 5% to 15% figure.

Another interesting take-away: California, with its Common Core curriculum and related standardized test, by no means outdid the other two states…