Minority Students Make Gains at Grade 4; Black Students Make Gains at Grade 8

• At grade 4, White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander students had higher average science scores and higher percentages of students at or above Basic in 2005 than in previous assessment years. The gaps between White students and their Black and Hispanic counterparts have closed—the White–Black gap was smaller than in either previous assessment, and the White–Hispanic gap was smaller than in 2000.
• At grade 8, Black students had higher average science scores and higher percentages of students at or above Basic in 2005 than in 1996. The score gaps between White students and their Black and Hispanic peers remain unchanged from previous assessment years.
• At grade 12, average science scores for each of the racial/ethnic groups have not changed significantly over the period of the three assessments. Significant gaps persist between White students and their Black and Hispanic peers. The White–Black student score gap widened between 2000 and 2005. The White–Hispanic student score gap was not significantly different from either previous assessment.