Lost in the political and emotional debates about the "No Child Left Behind" program and "Common Core" standards, is the surprising difference in educational expectations across the country. Each state has set it's own proficency standards in reading and math by grade level.

While many papers discuss the state-by-state differences in educational outcomes, this paper examines the differences in what each state expects a proficient student to demonstrate by fourth and eighth grades in those subjects. What it found was that what passes for proficiency in each state could vary by as much as three grade levels from another state! See how your state compares.

Why does it matter? Your child could be doing great according to your school, and your state. But someday, if they have to compete with someone successfully educated in a state with higher education standards, they will be at a disadvantage.