Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on the Release of the NAEP Science Report Card

Related Resources
	NAEP - 2009 Science: The Nation's Report Card

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan issued the following statement on The Nation's Report Card: Science 2009, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) at Grades 4, 8, and 12:

"The results released today show that our nation's students aren't learning at a rate that will maintain America's role as an international leader in the sciences. When only 1 or 2 percent of children score at the advanced levels on NAEP, the next generation will not be ready to be world-class inventors, doctors, and engineers.

"The 2009 NAEP science assessment created a new framework, so it's not possible to compare scores to earlier tests. But the results show that schools need to urgently accelerate student learning in the sciences.

"President Obama is committed to improving achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). He has made a call for all hands on deck to parents, teachers, administrators, academics, local leaders, and the private sector to work together to advance science and mathematics education, and has set a goal to recruit 10,000 new science and mathematics teachers over the next two years. Our nation's long-term economic prosperity depends on providing a world-class education to all students, especially in mathematics and science."