Math and reading scores for Arkansas' fourth- and eighth-graders in 2013 are below the national average, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress results released Thursday.
About 2,700 students in grades four and eight at 160 school districts participated in the assessment — also known as the "Nation's Report Card" — which occurs every two years, state education department officials said in a statement.
Both math and reading scores for Arkansas's eighth-grade students were at least 4 percent below the national average, according to the report. Arkansas' fourth-graders were also below the national average in math and reading scores in receiving proficient in the assessments by at least 2 percent.
However, the report states that Arkansas's eighth-graders average reading score improved by at least 2 percent from 2011.
"The increase in Arkansas' eighth-grade reading scores can be attributed to the hard work of our teachers," Arkansas Education Department Commissioner Tom Kimbrell said. "There is still work to do, though, as we strive to increase our scores among other states in the nation."
Read more in Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.