Part of Geri's quest is an effort to deepen her pianistic talent beyond a level that critics consider merely creditable or proficient.

In the 2006-2007 school year only 29.3% were considered proficient in reading and 8.61% were proficient in mathematics.

But results of the federal government's tests were startlingly different: only 21 percent of Tennessee's eighth graders were considered proficient in math.

The mayor's explanation is likely to offer little consolation to teachers and parents of students who once were considered proficient and now are deemed behind.

I know," she said, "that you are considered more proficient than any other gentleman with a wide range of weapons.

He worked in several different genres, including musicals and jidaigeki (period dramas), but was considered most proficient within the thriller genre.

Students that score above 40% are considered proficient on this standardized test, which is used to compare Humboldt students to their national classmates.

In 2002, 31 percent of black students were considered proficient in math, for example, while 65 percent of white students met that standard.

In 2005, 59.5 percent of city fourth graders were considered proficient in English, while 77.4 percent were in math.

Thus, native speakers of a language can be fluent without being considered proficient.