Skip Navigation
Digest of Education Statistics
2002 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 127. Mathematics proficiency of 8th-graders in public schools, by state: 1990 to 2000

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                      |          Average proficiency          |   Percent attaining mathematics        |Average proficiency, by highest level of
                      |                                       |    achievement levels,\1\ 2000         | education attained by parents,\2\ 2000
       State or       |_______________________________________|________________________________________|________________________________________
      other area      |         |         |         |         |         |         | Profi-  |          | Did not |  Gradu- |Some edu- |  Gradu-
                      |         |         |         |         |         |Basic    |  cient  |Advanced  | finish  |  ated   | cation   |  ated
                      |         |         |         |         |Below    |   or    |   or    |   or     |  high   |  high   |after high| college
                      |  1990   |  1992   |   1996  |   2000  |basic    |above\3\ |above\4\ | above\5\ | school  | school  |school    |
______________________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|__________|_________|_________|__________|_________
          1           |     2   |     3   |    4    |     5   |     6   |     7   |      8  |     9    |    10   |    11   |    12    |    13
______________________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|__________|_________|_________|__________|_________
     United States ...|262 (1.4)|267 (1.0)|271 (1.2)|274 (0.8)| 35 (0.9)| 65 (0.9)| 26 (1.0)|   5 (0.5)|255 (1.4)|263 (1.2)| 279 (1.0)|286 (1.1)
                      |_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|__________|_________|_________|__________|_________
Alabama ..............|253 (1.1)|252 (1.7)|257 (2.1)|262 (1.8)| 48 (2.1)| 52 (2.1)| 16 (1.6)|   2 (0.5)|250 (2.8)|252 (2.0)| 270 (2.5)|273 (3.1)
Alaska ...............|---  --- |---  --- |278 (1.8)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
Arizona\6\ ...........|260 (1.3)|265 (1.3)|268 (1.6)|271 (1.5)| 38 (1.9)| 62 (1.9)| 21 (1.6)|   3 (0.5)|247 (4.2)|260 (2.7)| 278 (1.7)|285 (2.1)
Arkansas .............|256 (0.9)|256 (1.2)|262 (1.5)|261 (1.4)| 48 (1.9)| 52 (1.9)| 14 (1.2)|   1 (0.4)|249 (3.2)|252 (2.4)| 271 (1.8)|272 (1.6)
California\6\ ........|256 (1.3)|261 (1.7)|263 (1.9)|262 (2.0)| 48 (2.3)| 52 (2.3)| 18 (1.6)|   3 (0.6)|244 (3.1)|251 (3.1)| 270 (2.4)|281 (2.2)
                      |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
Colorado .............|267 (0.9)|272 (1.0)|276 (1.1)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
Connecticut ..........|270 (1.0)|274 (1.1)|280 (1.1)|282 (1.4)| 28 (1.3)| 72 (1.3)| 34 (1.5)|   6 (0.7)|242 (7.5)|267 (2.4)| 279 (1.9)|295 (1.2)
Delaware  ............|261 (0.9)|263 (1.0)|267 (0.9)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
District of Columbia .|231 (0.9)|235 (0.9)|233 (1.3)|234 (2.2)| 77 (2.0)| 23 (2.0)|  6 (0.8)|   1 (0.4)|223 (6.7)|225 (2.6)| 243 (3.5)|249 (3.5)
Florida ..............|255 (1.2)|260 (1.5)|264 (1.8)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
                      |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
Georgia ..............|259 (1.3)|259 (1.2)|262 (1.6)|266 (1.3)| 45 (1.7)| 55 (1.7)| 19 (1.1)|   3 (0.4)|252 (2.4)|255 (1.6)| 271 (1.8)|277 (1.6)
Hawaii ...............|251 (0.8)|257 (0.9)|262 (1.0)|263 (1.3)| 49 (1.3)| 51 (1.3)| 16 (1.3)|   2 (0.4)|248 (4.4)|247 (2.1)| 268 (1.9)|276 (1.6)
Idaho\6\ .............|271 (0.8)|275 (0.7)|---  --- |278 (1.3)| 29 (1.5)| 71 (1.5)| 27 (1.7)|   3 (0.5)|250 (6.4)|266 (2.4)| 284 (1.7)|288 (1.2)
Illinois\6\...........|261 (1.7)|---  --- |---  --- |277 (1.6)| 32 (2.1)| 68 (2.1)| 27 (1.4)|   4 (0.7)|256 (4.4)|268 (2.5)| 280 (2.0)|287 (2.1)
Indiana\6\ ...........|267 (1.2)|270 (1.1)|276 (1.4)|283 (1.4)| 24 (1.7)| 76 (1.7)| 31 (1.9)|   5 (0.7)|264 (3.2)|272 (1.7)| 288 (2.1)|293 (1.8)
                      |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
Iowa .................|278 (1.1)|283 (1.0)|284 (1.3)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
Kansas\6\ ............|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |284 (1.4)| 23 (1.7)| 77 (1.7)| 34 (1.9)|   4 (0.8)|269 (4.2)|276 (2.2)| 286 (2.3)|292 (1.7)
Kentucky .............|257 (1.2)|262 (1.1)|267 (1.1)|272 (1.4)| 37 (1.7)| 63 (1.7)| 21 (1.5)|   3 (0.5)|255 (3.5)|264 (1.5)| 275 (1.8)|284 (2.2)
Louisiana ............|246 (1.2)|250 (1.7)|252 (1.6)|259 (1.5)| 52 (1.8)| 48 (1.8)| 12 (1.2)|   1 (0.4)|251 (2.2)|250 (2.2)| 271 (1.7)|267 (2.1)
Maine\6\ .............|---  --- |279 (1.0)|284 (1.3)|284 (1.2)| 24 (1.5)| 76 (1.5)| 32 (1.4)|   6 (0.7)|267 (3.6)|272 (1.9)| 283 (2.2)|293 (1.2)
                      |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
Maryland .............|261 (1.4)|265 (1.3)|270 (2.1)|276 (1.4)| 35 (1.6)| 65 (1.6)| 29 (1.4)|   6 (0.6)|256 (3.4)|263 (1.8)| 279 (2.0)|286 (1.6)
Massachusetts ........|---  --- |273 (1.0)|278 (1.7)|283 (1.3)| 24 (1.5)| 76 (1.5)| 32 (1.3)|   6 (0.7)|261 (5.4)|271 (2.3)| 284 (1.8)|294 (1.4)
Michigan\6\ ..........|264 (1.2)|267 (1.4)|277 (1.8)|278 (1.6)| 30 (1.9)| 70 (1.9)| 28 (1.9)|   5 (0.7)|254 (5.1)|269 (1.8)| 280 (2.6)|288 (1.8)
Minnesota ............|275 (0.9)|282 (1.0)|284 (1.3)|288 (1.4)| 20 (1.8)| 80 (1.8)| 40 (1.6)|   7 (0.8)|---  --- |275 (3.1)| 293 (2.0)|296 (1.3)
Mississippi ..........|---  --- |246 (1.2)|250 (1.2)|254 (1.3)| 59 (1.6)| 41 (1.6)|  8 (0.7)|   1 (0.3)|243 (3.1)|246 (1.6)| 261 (2.0)|262 (1.8)
                      |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
Missouri .............|---  --- |271 (1.2)|273 (1.4)|274 (1.5)| 33 (2.0)| 67 (2.0)| 22 (1.4)|   2 (0.3)|259 (2.3)|265 (2.3)| 275 (1.8)|284 (1.8)
Montana\6\ ...........|280 (0.9)|---  --- |283 (1.3)|287 (1.2)| 20 (1.5)| 80 (1.5)| 37 (1.6)|   6 (0.6)|---  --- |277 (2.2)| 289 (1.8)|295 (1.6)
Nebraska .............|276 (1.0)|278 (1.1)|283 (1.0)|281 (1.1)| 26 (1.6)| 74 (1.6)| 31 (1.6)|   5 (0.7)|252 (3.1)|273 (2.0)| 285 (2.0)|289 (1.2)
Nevada ...............|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |268 (0.9)| 42 (1.1)| 58 (1.1)| 20 (0.9)|   2 (0.4)|248 (2.5)|261 (1.4)| 276 (1.5)|280 (1.2)
New Hampshire ........|273 (0.9)|278 (1.0)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
                      |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
New Jersey ...........|270 (1.1)|272 (1.6)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
New Mexico ...........|256 (0.7)|260 (0.9)|262 (1.2)|260 (1.7)| 50 (1.8)| 50 (1.8)| 13 (1.0)|   1 (0.4)|241 (3.2)|248 (2.9)| 266 (1.9)|275 (1.7)
New York\6\ ..........|261 (1.4)|266 (2.1)|270 (1.7)|276 (2.1)| 32 (2.5)| 68 (2.5)| 26 (1.9)|   4 (0.7)|253 (4.1)|270 (2.8)| 276 (2.5)|285 (2.1)
North Carolina .......|250 (1.1)|258 (1.2)|268 (1.4)|280 (1.1)| 30 (1.3)| 70 (1.3)| 30 (1.3)|   6 (0.7)|261 (2.7)|268 (1.6)| 282 (1.6)|291 (1.6)
North Dakota .........|281 (1.2)|283 (1.1)|284 (0.9)|283 (1.1)| 23 (1.4)| 77 (1.4)| 31 (1.6)|   4 (0.6)|---  --- |272 (3.7)| 282 (2.3)|289 (1.3)
                      |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
Ohio .................|264 (1.0)|268 (1.5)|---  --- |283 (1.5)| 25 (1.9)| 75 (1.9)| 31 (1.7)|   5 (0.7)|268 (3.1)|272 (1.8)| 286 (1.6)|293 (1.8)
Oklahoma .............|263 (1.3)|268 (1.1)|---  --- |272 (1.5)| 36 (1.9)| 64 (1.9)| 19 (1.2)|   2 (0.3)|255 (3.5)|264 (2.0)| 274 (1.5)|281 (1.6)
Oregon\6\ ............|271 (1.0)|---  --- |276 (1.5)|281 (1.6)| 29 (1.7)| 71 (1.7)| 32 (1.9)|   6 (0.8)|255 (4.2)|270 (3.6)| 285 (2.1)|292 (1.9)
Pennsylvania .........|266 (1.6)|271 (1.5)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
Rhode Island .........|260 (0.6)|266 (0.7)|269 (0.9)|273 (1.1)| 36 (1.1)| 64 (1.1)| 24 (1.0)|   4 (0.6)|251 (3.6)|264 (1.6)| 275 (1.5)|284 (1.4)
                      |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
South Carolina .......|---  --- |261 (1.0)|261 (1.5)|266 (1.4)| 45 (1.9)| 55 (1.9)| 18 (1.2)|   2 (0.4)|250 (3.3)|255 (1.7)| 275 (1.5)|278 (2.2)
Tennessee ..........  |---  --- |259 (1.4)|263 (1.4)|263 (1.7)| 47 (1.9)| 53 (1.9)| 17 (1.4)|   2 (0.4)|246 (3.0)|254 (2.2)| 273 (1.8)|275 (2.2)
Texas ................|258 (1.4)|265 (1.3)|270 (1.4)|275 (1.5)| 32 (1.8)| 68 (1.8)| 24 (1.4)|   3 (0.5)|259 (2.3)|267 (1.9)| 285 (1.9)|287 (1.8)
Utah .................|---  --- |274 (0.7)|277 (1.0)|275 (1.2)| 32 (1.4)| 68 (1.4)| 26 (1.2)|   3 (0.4)|248 (4.2)|263 (2.8)| 280 (1.8)|285 (1.3)
Vermont\6\ ...........|---  --- |---  --- |279 (1.0)|283 (1.1)| 25 (1.7)| 75 (1.7)| 32 (1.5)|   6 (0.6)|261 (5.6)|272 (2.3)| 279 (2.4)|293 (1.5)
                      |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
Virginia .............|264 (1.5)|268 (1.2)|270 (1.6)|277 (1.5)| 33 (2.0)| 67 (2.0)| 26 (1.5)|   5 (0.7)|257 (2.6)|261 (2.1)| 276 (2.0)|289 (1.5)
Washington............|---  --- |---  --- |276 (1.3)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
West Virginia ........|256 (1.0)|259 (1.0)|265 (1.0)|271 (1.0)| 38 (1.2)| 62 (1.2)| 18 (0.9)|   2 (0.4)|256 (2.3)|264 (1.2)| 275 (1.5)|282 (1.5)
Wisconsin.............|274 (1.3)|278 (1.5)|283 (1.5)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
Wyoming ..............|272 (0.7)|275 (0.9)|275 (0.9)|277 (1.2)| 30 (1.4)| 70 (1.4)| 25 (1.1)|   4 (0.5)|258 (4.0)|268 (2.5)| 280 (1.7)|285 (1.2)
                      |=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|==========|=========|=========|==========|=========
Department of Defense |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
 dependents schools:  |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
  Domestic schools ...|---  --- |---  --- |269 (2.3)|277 (2.3)| 33 (2.9)| 67 (2.9)| 27 (2.8)|   6 (1.4)|---  --- |272 (4.1)| 278 (2.8)|284 (3.7)
  Overseas schools ...|---  --- |---  --- |275 (0.9)|278 (1.0)| 29 (1.4)| 71 (1.4)| 27 (1.2)|   4 (0.7)|---  --- |270 (3.9)| 278 (1.7)|284 (1.6)
                      |=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|==========|=========|=========|==========|=========
    Outlying areas    |         |         |         |         |         |         |         |          |         |         |          |
American Samoa .......|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |195 (4.5)| 93 (2.1)|  7 (2.1)|  1  --- |(\7\) --- |---  --- |196 (6.7)| ---  --- |198 (4.6)
Guam .................|232 (0.7)|235 (1.0)|239 (1.7)|233 (2.2)| 76 (1.5)| 24 (1.5)|  4 (0.8)|   1 (0.3)|---  --- |225 (2.7)| 243 (7.4)|244 (2.8)
Virgin Islands .......|219 (0.9)|223 (1.1)|---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  --- |---  --- | ---  --- |---  ---
______________________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|__________|_________|_________|__________|_________

---Not available.
\1\Achievement levels are in developmental status.
\2\Excludes students who responded "I don't know" to the question about educational level of parents.
\3\This level denotes partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at the 8th grade.
\4\This level represents solid academic performance for 8th-graders. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real-world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject matter.
\5\This level signifies superior performance.
\6\Did not meet one or more of the guidelines for school participation.
\7\Percentage between 0.0 and 0.5.

NOTE: These test scores are from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Thirty-nine states, the District of Columbia, and two outlying areas participated in the 2000 State Assessment of 8th-graders and met student and school participation criteria for reporting results. Scale ranges from 0 to 500. Standard errors appear in parentheses.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), The Nations Report Card: Mathematics, 2000; prepared by Educational Testing Service; and published data, NAEP Data Tool (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata). (This table was prepared October 2001.)


2002 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest