More than half of Pennsylvania and Ohio 4th and 8th grade students write at or below a basic level of comprehension, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

The assessment tested a select sample of schoolchildren across the country last winter to see how well they can write essays.

The essays were based on specific writing prompts, such as writing a short story about eating clouds for breakfast and walking on stars for fourth graders, and asks eighth graders to write about a visitor from outer space.