California math, reading scores stagnate on federal exam

California student performance in math and reading has stagnated while wide achievement gaps for black, Hispanic and low-income students persist.

That’s according to results released Wednesday from The Nation’s Report Card, a federal exam comparing student achievement across the United States.

Average scores for fourth- and eighth-grade California students in math and reading were nearly the same in 2015 as in 2013.

In both tested subjects, California’s scores were five to eight points lower than the nationwide average for public school students.

Meanwhile, performance gaps between black, Hispanic and white students in reading remained as wide in 2015 as they were in 1998.

In math, the gap between black and white fourth-grade students has narrowed by about 10 points since 2000.

Nationwide, average scores for fourth- and eighth-grade math declined.