Boston 8th-Graders Score Below Peers In Science

There is mixed news about the performance of Boston Public Schools students in a national science exam.

Boston eighth-graders scored below their peers in other urban areas on the exam, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Education.

Fourth-graders outperformed students nationwide, not just urban areas. Still, only 44 percent of them scored at or above basic levels.

Superintendent Carol Johnson says the results show too many students are struggling.

"We were below the other urban districts — not by very much — but still not in the top group," Johnson said. "And so I think it speaks to how important it is for us to really focus on the instructional work at the middle grades."

Johnson says her plan to boost performance includes more classroom time and more professional development for teachers.