WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Student performance in large-city schools is improving, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan wrote in assessment results released Thursday.
Referring to statistics in the National Assessment Governing Board's 2013 Trial Urban District Assessment, Duncan said "student performance in large cities continues to improve and ... large-city schools nationwide are improving at a faster pace than the nation as a whole."
He noted urban students scored at or above the designation of "proficient" in fourth grade math, fourth grade reading, eighth grade math and eighth grade reading in higher numbers than in a 2009 assessment.
Duncan said city-to-city gaps persist, noting Charlotte, N.C. and Austin, Texas, had the greatest improvements, while Detroit and Cleveland had two least.
