Statement by Antonia Cortese, Executive Vice President,
 American Federation of Teachers, on the 2007 NAEP Writing Results

The federal government released results today from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2007 Writing Assessment. This is the third national writing assessment in a series, following tests in 1998 and 2002. Today’s report contains test results for eighth- and 12th-grade students nationally, and for eighth-graders in participating states and urban districts. Nationally, the results show significantly higher scores for both eighth- and 12th-graders since 1998 and 2002. Scores for most racial and demographic groups also are up in both grades, as are scores for many states and urban districts. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Students from varied backgrounds and parts of the country are writing better, and that is reason to cheer. Educators, students and parents deserve praise for the hard work that has led to these encouraging gains. Writing is one of the most important skills students can learn. It is essential for creative expression, analytical thinking, effective persuasion and success in today’s information-age economy.

While more improvement is needed, it's heartening to learn that this skill isn't being lost in an age when text messaging is ubiquitous. This is a testament to educators, who are keeping a focus on higher-order thinking, despite pressures to devote time and attention to drill-and-kill preparation for standardized tests. 

America's urban districts deserve special praise. Large cities overall increased their eighth-grade writing scores at a faster pace than the national average, with Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles leading the way. Boston and New York also had impressive results, with lower-income students in those cities doing better than their peers in other large cities. We must keep investing in urban schools so they have the resources and support to build on these results, to narrow achievement gaps further, and to take student learning to even higher levels.

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