MONTPELIER – Vermont's elementary and middle school students are showing improvements in their writing skills, but math scores remain virtually unchanged, according the results from the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) released today.

Proficiency scores in writing among middle school pupils jumped seven points between fall 2011 and 2012, from 59 percent to 66 percent. Elementary pupils' scores also showed improvement during the same period, rising five points to 51 percent. Writing scores among high school students dipped slightly, from 48 percent to 46 percent.

On the mathematics side, 65 percent of pupils in grades three through eight were considered proficient, unchanged from the previous year. Among high school students, proficiency scores dipped from 38 percent in 2011 to 36 percent in 2012.

NECAP uses four categories to score students' tests: proficient with distinction, proficient, partially proficient, and
substantially below proficient.