Repeat after me: Vermont does not look like the U.S.

The Rutland Herald reports, in a headline,

Vermont students above average                   

referring to the just-released National Assessment of Educational Progress  (NAEP) test results.  But let's compare maple syrup with maple syrup, not with sugar.

The article reports that

Vermont had the highest average scale score in the country in eighth-grade reading....at 273, above the national average of 261.

Drilling down, we find that Vermont has 2.5% non white children in its schools.  Nationally, the fraction is over 40%.

So how does Vermont do compared to the non-minority US population in 8th grade reading?

Scale scores:
US Total:   261
US black:  245
US Hispanic:  247
US White:  272
Vermont Total:  273

Like Lake Woebegone, we're slightly above average.  To me, that's the headline.  And it costs us about $3,000 extra per student to  do that well.

Comments

[Rick]

Art,

It seems that Vermont school administrators are content to emphasize that those in "poverty" (as measured by enrollment in the school lunch programs) perform worse than those from higher income households. Yet, when pressed on other "demographic" variables (esp. race) that may explain outcomes, they cry foul. What is up with that and how can this be overcome?

[Mister Guy]

Maybe it's racist argument...I dunno...