A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

   FOR EMBARGOED RELEASE: 10 a.m. EDT         Contact:  David Thomas
   October 17, 1995                                   (202) 401-1579

"Of course, geography is a lot more than memorizing national borders or finding mountains and rivers on a map," Riley said. "Geography is a window on a very complex world, and its people, history and future. I'm encouraged by these initial results showing almost three out of four students have a basic understanding of geography, ready to move on to more complex material. But we still must do better to match the rigors of this new exam."

The test shows that, at all three grades, 70 percent of the students were at or above the "basic" level, demonstrating at least partial mastery of the subject, which prepares students to progress to a "proficient" academic level.

"About a fourth of students were at or above the 'proficient' level, while two to four percent reached the 'advanced' or superior performance level," Riley said. "And it's very important that we work harder to increase the number and percentage of students scoring at these levels."

However, the "basic, proficient, and advanced" achievement levels represent varying degrees of learning in each of the three grades.

Using the 12th grade as an example:

• "basic" means students possess a knowledge of concepts and terms commonly used in physical and human geography, as well as skills enabling them to employ applicable units of measurement and scale when solving simple locational problems using maps and globes;

• "proficient" means students have an extensive knowledge of the concepts and terminology of physical and human geography; and,

• "advanced" means students have a comprehensive understanding of geographic knowledge and concepts; apply this knowledge to case studies; and formulate hypotheses and test geographic models that demonstrate complex relationships between physical and human phenomena.

The achievement levels are set by the National Assessment Governing Board.

The 1994 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Geography: A First Look, from the Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics, highlights what students know and can do in geography in the 4th, 8th, and 12th grades nationally.

A larger 1994 NAEP geography report, with additional findings on home and school factors that may contribute to academic achievement, will be released early next year.

The 1994 world geography assessment was based on a new blueprint developed through a national consensus process involving geographers and educators from around the country.

The new assessment focused on:

• particular places on Earth, spatial patterns on the Earth's surface, and physical and human processes that shape such patterns;

• interactions between environment and society; and

• spatial variations and connections among people and places.

"The new framework for this assessment is comprehensive and so the results are more meaningful," Riley said. "Not only do the results show that most students are learning more geography, but they are getting a firm grasp on how to apply that knowledge to their everyday lives."

Students were assessed in their knowledge, understanding, and application of the subject. For example, sample test items included: Where is the world's largest tropical rain forest? (knowing/8th grade); Why are tropical rain forests located near the equator? (understanding/8th grade); and, Support the conclusion that tropical rain forests promote wide-species variation (applying/12th grade).

Other findings showed that 4th graders in the Central region outperformed those in the Northeast, Southeast, and West; that 8th graders in the Northeast and Central regions had higher average scores than those in the Southeast and West; and that among high school seniors, students in the Southeast had lower average scores than those in each of the other regions.

The latest NAEP study also reports:

• 22 percent of 4th graders, 28 percent of 8th graders, and 27 percent of 12 graders reached the proficient level;

• across all three grades, boys scored significantly higher than girls;

• nonpublic school students scored higher than public school students across all three grades, although the difference is reduced when parents' education levels are factored into the performance of nonpublic vs. public school students.

• white and Asian students scored higher than Black and Hispanic students across all three grades; and at all three grades, average scores of Hispanic students were higher than those of Black students; and,

• as in previous NAEP reports, students whose parents had more education scored higher.

Known as the Nation's Report Card, NAEP has monitored trends in academic achievement since the 1970s and is the only continuing, nationally representative assessment of academic performance. The 1994 NAEP included the first full-scale assessment of geography at grades 4, 8, and 12. Approximately 19,000 students participated in the 1994 geography assessment.

Single copies of the report are available while supplies last through the National Library of Education by calling 1-800- 424-1616.