Utah 8th graders rank first among nationwide science scores

ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — According to a national assessment, Utah eight graders scored the highest in the nation for science proficiency.
The Spectrum of St. George reports (http://bit.ly/2j1Uzjm ) that the National Assessment of Educational Progress ranked Utah first for eighth-grade science, with students scoring 13 points above the national average.
The nation’s average science score is 153, and Utah rose to the top at a 166 average score.
Utah eighth graders scored a 50 percent proficiency score overall, a higher score than any other state. Nationally, NAEP reported that only 33 percent of eighth grade students were at or above science proficiency.
The report card comes despite the fact that the U.S. Census Bureau ranks Utah last in the country for money spent per K-12 student.