The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills are reported for third-, fifth- and eighth-graders. Iowa Tests of Educational Development are reported for 11th-graders. The tests are required under U-PASS, the state testing and reporting requirements that aim to hold schools accountable for student achievement.

The Iowa Tests show how Utah students achieve next to those in a nationally representative student group in reading, language, math, social studies and science. Scores are expressed in percentiles — not percentages — with 50 being the mean score. A score in the 60th percentile, for example, means students outscored 60 percent of students in the norm group.

Utah's overall composite scores, along with scores in reading, language, math, social studies and science subtests, remain stable from last year and above national averages.

White students scored solidly in the 60 ranges.

Yet composite results for African-American students range from the 39th to 51st percentiles in tested grades.

American Indian student results range between the 35th and 45th percentiles.

Hispanics range from the 36th to the 43rd percentiles.

Pacific Islanders scored between the 43rd and 52nd percentiles.

Immigrants categorized as English language learners scored in the 37th through 43rd percentiles, depending on the grades tested.

Students with disabilities scored in the 25th through 42nd percentiles.

"Is that gap between subgroups closing? No, it's not," Park said.

Michael Clara, advocate for ethnic minority students, called results discouraging and worth acting on, not hiding from.

"I look at it as part of the camouflaging that occurs . . . but when you look at the numbers, you don't need somebody to tell you there's a gap," he said. "We need to see it because that's how we know where we need to improve."

Students took the exams last fall. Results are dated December 2005.

They were posted online (www.schools.utah.gov/eval/Info_IOWA.asp) just this week, and not presented to the State Board of Education.

While the board typically gets a full testing overview in December, chairman Kim Burningham said the packed agenda allowed for only one test presentation — American College Test report — because it led to discussion on another item, the proposed Regents' diploma.

"The reason it (the Iowa results) didn't come out was me," said Burningham, who was unaware of results until Friday. "There is nothing meant (by) it."

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