In Cornhusker football terms, Nebraska's school kids are winning at home and losing away, according to an annual report on student achievement.
More Nebraska elementary and secondary students demonstrated their proficiency on the state's own academic standards last year, with the greatest overall gain in reading.
But there are signs that Nebraska kids slipped relative to their peers on national math and reading tests.
The Nebraska Department of Education issued its annual State Report Card Monday showing what officials described as “incremental” improvement in proficiency in the state's core academic subjects.
The report is a comprehensive compilation of local and national tests taken by students across the state last school year.
Statewide, the biggest overall proficiency gains came in reading, where the number of students judged proficient on state standards climbed from 90 percent to 93 percent.
In math, the number of students deemed proficient crept up 2 percentage points to 92 percent. Science was up by the same margin to 89 percent.
Writing proficiency stayed flat at 93 percent.
Proficiency is measured through state and local assessments given during the 2008-09 school year. Proficiency means that students achieve competency for their grade level -- it does not mean they scored exemplary on the tests.
Omaha Public Schools reported greater proficiency in all age groups in reading, math, science and writing, with the exception of a half-a-percent dip in 11th-grade writing.
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