Things you won't read in a statehouse news release!

America is obsessed with rankings and ratings. I suppose it is our sports-mad culture that is the culprit.

In any case, here are some statistics you won't read in a statehouse news release. Mostly because they are generally positive, and that's not the agenda these days.

Click here if you wish to read the actual pdf document on Indiana or any document from any state in the US.

NAEP report card: (1=best, 51 = worst)

Indiana is....
16th out of 50 states and DC in 4th grade reading
15th out of 50 states and DC in 4th grade math
23rd out of 50 states and DC in 8th grade reading
20th out of 50 states and DC in 8th grade math

Achievement Gap: (1=best, 51=worst)

Indiana is....
20th out of 50 states and DC in reading gap between poor 4th graders and affluent 4th graders
20th out of 50 states and DC in reading gap between white and African-American 4th graders
3rd out of 50 states and DC in reading gap between white and Latino 4th graders

Certification of Secondary Teachers in Core Academic Areas (1=best, 51=worst)

Indiana is....
2nd out of 50 states and DC in % of secondary school classes in core academic subjects taught by qualified instructors

Tomorrow: Where Indiana could improve,