Despite intensive efforts to improve student performance, California children scored about the same on a national reading test in 2002 as they did four years ago.

California fourth-graders' average score on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, reading test rose from 202 to 206, while eighth-graders' average score fell from 252 to 250, the U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday.

County Superintendent of Schools Herbert Fischer said there's a continuing debate over how much stock to put in nationally-normed tests like the NAEP, especially when California has its own tests that are based on its curriculum and standards.

But he said it's not unreasonable to ask why California children's scores didn't increase more.

"I think it's a fair question to ask,' Fischer said. "We've spent a great deal of effort to see that our students are getting an appropriate instructional program, and our (fourth-grade score) in reading went up four points in four years. And it went up five points from '94 to '98.'

But Fischer and other officials noted that California faces some challenges, including a higher proportion of students with limited English proficiency than any other state.

California also chose to exclude fewer of its English-language learners and special-education students from the test than it has done in the past, said, Jack O'Connell, state superintendent of public instruction.

The result is that even though California has more students than any other state that could be excluded, it actually tests a higher percentage of its students than the national average.

Since special-education students and students with limited English proficiency tend to score worse on standardized tests, the practice depresses California's scores.

The test was administered in January 2002, the same month the State Board of Education adopted new instructional material in English/language arts to reflect California's standards, said Ann Bancroft, an assistant secretary for education in the administration of Gov. Gray Davis.

Nationally, fourth-graders' average score rose from 213 to 219, eighth-graders' average score rose from 263 to 264, and 12th-graders' average score fell from 290 to 287.

Separate figures for California 12th-graders were not available.

Rialto resident Charlotte Werner, whose youngest son graduated last week from Eisenhower High School in Rialto, said she thinks instruction at the school in reading and English is getting better.

She credited the Rialto Unified School District for buying a new computer program, called Renaissance Learning, which allows teachers to conduct frequent checks of whether their students are mastering skills.

The computer scores quizzes and records students' improvement over time. In some cases, the computer can spit out practice sheets for a student based on his or her test results.

"It's been an uphill battle,' Werner said. "I'm sure we're going to see some progress.'

Marie Cagle of Highland, who has a son in first grade at Thompson Elementary School in Highland, said she thinks the school does a lot to teach children how to read.

But she noted that the school is the top-scoring elementary school in the San Bernardino City Unified School District, and suggested that her child's experience may not be typical.

"You may get a different response if you go to a different school,' Cagle said.