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


Table 131. Average proficiency in science for 8th-graders in public schools, by selected characteristics and state: 1996 and 2000

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                          |                        |                     |                                                                       |National School Lunch Program
                          |Average proficiency     |    Sex, 2000        |          Race/ethnicity, 2000                                         | eligibility, 2000
                          |                        |                     |                                                                       |
                          |________________________|_____________________|_______________________________________________________________________|_____________________________________
                          |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |Asian/       | American      |          |           |Information
          Region          | 1996       |2000       |Male      |Female    |White, non- |Black, non-    |His-        |Pacific      | Indian/       |Eligible  |Not        |not
           and            |            |           |          |          |  Hispanic  |  Hispanic     |panic       |Islander     | Alaska        |          |eligible   |available
          State           |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             | Native        |          |           |
__________________________|____________|___________|__________|__________|____________|_______________|____________|_____________|_______________|__________|___________|______________
            1             |     2      |     3     |    4     |     5    |     6      |      7        |    8       |    9        |      10       |    11    |   12      |   13
__________________________|____________|___________|__________|__________|____________|_______________|____________|_____________|_______________|__________|___________|______________
  United States ..........|  148  (0.9)| 149  (0.7)|153  (0.8)|146  (0.9)|  160  (0.8)|  121     (1.3)|  127  (1.4)|  154   (2.7)|  132     (3.4)|127  (1.1)| 160  (0.9)| 151     (2.1)
                          |____________|___________|__________|__________|____________|_______________|____________|_____________|_______________|__________|___________|______________
          Region          |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
  Northeast ..............|  149  (2.9)| 152  (1.8)|157  (2.0)|146  (2.3)|  162  (1.9)|  122     (3.3)|  128  (2.4)|  158   (4.8)|(\1\)    (\1\) |127  (2.8)| 163  (2.2)| 154 \2\ (4.3)
  Southeast ..............|  141  (1.9)| 143  (1.5)|145  (1.8)|141  (1.6)|  157  (1.3)|  120     (2.0)|  130  (3.5)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |126  (1.9)| 155  (1.4)| 137 \2\ (5.9)
  Central ................|  155  (2.7)| 157  (1.8)|159  (2.4)|154  (2.0)|  163  (1.7)|  121     (3.9)|  129  (5.4)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |135  (4.3)| 165  (1.7)| 156 \2\ (2.5)
  West ...................|  148  (2.2)| 146  (1.4)|150  (1.5)|141  (1.8)|  159  (1.5)|  123     (2.9)|  125  (1.9)|  150   (4.7)|  129 \2\ (3.9)|125  (2.1)| 156  (1.5)| 148 \2\ (4.6)
                          |============|===========|==========|==========|============|===============|============|=============|======   ======|==========|===========|==============
          State           |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
Alabama ..................|  139  (1.6)| 141  (1.9)|144  (2.1)|139  (2.0)|  154  (1.5)|  116     (2.4)|  106  (6.3)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |124  (2.2)| 153  (1.8)| 152 \2\ (4.7)
Alaska\3\ ................|  153  (1.3)| ---   --- |---   --- |---   --- |  ---   --- |  ---      --- |  ---   --- |  ---    --- |  ---      --- |---   --- | ---   --- | ---      ---
Arizona\4\  ..............|  145  (1.6)| 146  (1.6)|150  (1.9)|142  (2.0)|  159  (1.2)|  127     (4.7)   126  (2.6) (\1\)  (\1\)    137     (4.0)|127  (3.1)| 156  (1.3)| 148 \2\ (3.0)
Arkansas\3\ ..............|  144  (1.3)| 143  (1.3)|144  (1.9)|142  (1.5)|  154  (1.3)|  113     (2.2)|  118  (5.2)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |127  (2.4)| 153  (1.4)| 139 \2\(11.1)
California\4\ ............|  138  (1.7)| 132  (1.5)|136  (2.3)|129  (1.7)|  150  (1.7)|  120     (5.2)|  117  (1.7)|  147   (4.0)|(\1\)    (\1\) |113  (2.3)| 145  (2.1)| 135 \2\ (5.9)
                          |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
Colorado .................|  155  (0.9)| ---   --- |---   --- |---   --- |  ---   --- |  ---      --- |  ---   --- |  ---    --- |  ---      --- |---   --- | ---   --- | ---      ---
Connecticut ..............|  155  (1.3)| 154  (1.4)|158  (1.9)|150  (1.5)|  166  (0.9)|  122     (3.2)|  129  (3.0)|  160   (5.0)|(\1\)    (\1\) |125  (3.5)| 163  (1.3)| 147 \2\ (6.9)
Delaware  ................|  142  (0.8)| ---   --- |---   --- |---   --- |  ---   --- |  ---      --- |  ---   --- |  ---    --- |  ---      --- |---   --- | ---   --- | ---      ---
District of Columbia .....|  113  (0.7)| ---   --- |---   --- |---   --- |  ---   --- |  ---      --- |  ---   --- |  ---    --- |  ---      --- |---   --- | ---   --- | ---      ---
Florida ..................|  142  (1.6)| ---   --- |---   --- |---   --- |  ---   --- |  ---      --- |  ---   --- |  ---    --- |  ---      --- |---   --- | ---   --- | ---      ---
                          |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
Georgia ..................|  142  (1.4)| 144  (1.5)|147  (1.9)|140  (1.4)|  159  (1.7)|  123     (1.5)|  124  (4.1)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |125  (1.8)| 155  (1.9)| 145 \2\ (3.5)
Hawaii ...................|  135  (0.7)| 132  (1.2)|133  (1.6)|131  (1.4)|  149  (2.5)|  128     (3.5)|  119  (2.7)|  132   (1.4)|(\1\)    (\1\) |119  (2.1)| 142  (1.0)| 139     (4.3)
Idaho\4\ .................|  ---   --- | 159  (1.1)|162  (1.3)|155  (1.5)|  162 (1.2) |(\1\)    (\1\) |  135  (2.6)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |149  (2.1)| 164  (1.1)| 155     (3.9)
Illinois\4\ ..............|  ---   --- | 150  (1.9)|153  (2.6)|148  (1.8)|  165 (1.5) |  123     (3.4)|  131  (3.2)|  162   (3.7)|(\1\)    (\1\) |126  (2.6)| 162  (1.6)| 152 \2\ (5.5)
Indiana\4\ ...............|  153  (1.4)| 156  (1.7)|158  (1.8)|154  (1.8)|  161  (1.3)|  127 \2\ (3.4)|  132  (6.4)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |139  (3.9)| 161  (1.5)| 149 \2\ (4.6)
                          |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
Iowa\3\ ..................|  158  (1.2)| ---   --- |---   --- |---   --- |  ---   --- |  ---      --- |  ---   --- |  ---    --- |  ---      --- |---   --- | ---   --- | ---      ---
Kentucky .................|  147  (1.2)| 152  (1.3)|155  (1.7)|148  (1.3)|  155  (1.3)|  126     (2.9)|(\1\) (\1\) |(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |139  (1.7)| 160  (1.2)|(\1\)   (\1\)
Louisiana ................|  132  (1.6)| 136  (1.7)|138  (2.1)|134  (1.8)|  154  (1.4)|  113     (2.0)|  119  (4.7)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |122  (2.2)| 155  (1.8)| 133 \2\ (4.0)
Maine\4\ .................|  163  (1.0)| 160  (1.0)|163  (1.3)|157  (1.2)|  161  (1.0)|(\1\)    (\1\) |(\1\) (\1\) |(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |150  (2.1)| 163  (1.1)| 155 \2\ (2.6)
Maryland\3\ ..............|  145  (1.5)| 149  (1.3)|152  (1.5)|147  (1.4)|  163  (1.1)|  127     (1.7)|  135  (3.3)|  170   (3.2)|(\1\)    (\1\) |127  (2.3)| 158  (1.3)| 138 \2\ (4.5)
                          |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
Massachusetts ............|  157  (1.4)| 161  (1.6)|162  (1.8)|160  (1.7)|  168  (1.1)|  134     (4.0)|  128  (4.0)|  165   (3.9)|(\1\)    (\1\) |134  (3.8)| 168  (1.3)| 164 \2\ (5.9)
Michigan\3,4\ ............|  153  (1.4)| 156  (1.7)|158  (1.7)|154  (2.0)|  164  (1.3)|  120     (3.4)|  137  (4.1)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |134  (3.3)| 164  (1.6)| 152 \2\ (4.2)
Minnesota\4\ .............|  159  (1.3)| 160  (2.1)|162  (2.6)|158  (2.4)|  165  (1.3)|  122 \2\ (9.0)|  136  (7.0)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |141  (5.0)| 165  (1.5)| 164 \2\ (4.5)
Mississippi ..............|  133  (1.4)| 134  (1.2)|136  (1.3)|132  (1.4)|  150  (1.3)|  114     (1.2)|  113  (4.6)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |120  (1.3)| 149  (1.4)| 138 \2\ (2.9)
Missouri .................|  151  (1.2)| 156  (1.1)|159  (1.3)|154  (1.3)|  162  (1.1)|  125     (2.8)|  141  (4.4)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |140  (1.9)| 164  (1.2)| 153 \2\ (4.9)
                          |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
Montana\3\,\4\  ..........|  162  (1.2)| 165  (1.2)|169  (1.5)|161  (1.4)|  168  (0.9)|(\1\)    (\1\) |  151  (4.2)|(\1\)  (\1\) |  143     (4.7)|155  (2.1)| 170  (1.4)| 168     (2.1)
Nebraska .................|  157  (1.0)| 157  (1.0)|160  (1.4)|154  (1.6)|  162  (0.9)|  129     (3.8)|  132  (4.2)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |142  (2.2)| 162  (1.1)| 161 \2\ (2.8)
Nevada   .................|  ---   --- | 143  (1.1)|145  (1.6)|142  (1.2)|  154  (0.8)|  125     (3.0)|  126  (2.4)|  148   (2.5)|  134     (4.5)|126  (1.9)| 150  (0.9)| 144     (4.2)
New Mexico ...............|  141  (1.0)| 140  (1.6)|144  (2.4)|137  (1.4)|  160  (1.5)|(\1\)    (\1\) |  130  (1.9)|(\1\)  (\1\) |  124     (5.3)|130  (1.9)| 152  (1.6)| 142     (4.1)
New York\3\,\4\...........|  146  (1.6)| 149  (2.4)|151  (2.9)|147  (2.3)|  165  (1.7)|  128     (4.1)|  125  (5.6)|  151   (5.4)|(\1\)    (\1\) |132  (4.4)| 161  (2.3)| 147     (7.1)
                          |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
North Carolina ...........|  147  (1.2)| 147  (1.5)|151  (1.6)|144  (1.7)|  158  (1.5)|  123     (1.9)|  139  (4.7)|  158   (5.7)|(\1\)    (\1\) |128  (1.8)| 155  (1.5)| 150 \2\(10.6)
North Dakota .............|  162  (0.8)| 161  (0.9)|163  (1.1)|159  (1.2)|  164  (0.9)|(\1\)    (\1\) |  139  (4.5)|(\1\)  (\1\) |  133     (2.7)|149  (2.1)| 166  (1.0)| 158     (1.4)
Ohio  ....................|  ---   --- | 161  (1.5)|164  (1.8)|157  (1.7)|  165  (1.3)|  131     (3.6)|  147  (4.5)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |144  (3.4)| 166  (1.4)| 151 \2\ (6.9)
Oklahoma .................|  ---   --- | 149  (1.2)|152  (1.6)|146  (1.2)|  156  (1.1)|  127     (2.6)|  123  (5.2)|(\1\)  (\1\) |  145     (2.2)|137  (2.3)| 158  (1.1)| 148 \2\ (5.2)
Oregon\4\ ................|  155  (1.6)| 154  (1.6)|155  (1.9)|153  (1.6)|  160  (1.4)|  131     (4.8)|  128  (3.1)|  157   (4.4)|  144     (3.9)|138  (2.7)| 160  (1.6)| 159 \2\ (2.1)
                          |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
Rhode Island .............|  149  (0.8)| 150  (1.3)|152  (1.1)|147  (2.1)|  156  (0.8)|  128     (3.3)|  127  (5.7)|  143   (4.0)|(\1\)    (\1\) |130  (3.3)| 158  (0.8)| 136     (4.6)
South Carolina\3\ ........|  139  (1.5)| 142  (1.3)|145  (1.6)|139  (1.5)|  155  (1.7)|  122     (1.5)|  123  (5.2)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |126  (1.4)| 155  (1.6)|(\1\)   (\1\)
Tennessee ................|  143  (1.8)| 146  (1.5)|149  (1.9)|143  (1.7)|  155  (1.2)|  118     (2.3)|  123  (6.3)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |129  (2.0)| 155  (1.7)| 147 \2\ (6.1)
Texas ....................|  145  (1.8)| 144  (1.5)|147  (1.7)|141  (1.7)|  159  (2.0)|  122     (3.2)|  132  (1.9)|  162   (5.4)|(\1\)    (\1\) |128  (1.8)| 156  (1.9)| 137 \2\ (7.7)
Utah .....................|  156  (0.8)| 155  (0.9)|158  (1.5)|153  (1.0)|  159  (0.9)|(\1\)    (\1\) |  135  (3.0)|  152   (5.4)|(\1\)    (\1\) |142  (2.1)| 159  (0.9)| 158     (1.9)
                          |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
Vermont\3\,\4\ ...........|  157  (1.0)| 161  (0.9)|163  (1.2)|159  (1.2)|  162  (1.0)|(\1\)    (\1\) |(\1\) (\1\) |(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |144  (2.6)| 165  (0.9)| 163 \2\ (2.2)
Virginia .................|  149  (1.6)| 152  (1.2)|156  (1.6)|148  (1.3)|  161  (1.3)|  130     (1.9)|  138  (3.0)|  169   (3.9)|(\1\)    (\1\) |130  (2.3)| 159  (1.2)| 150 \2\ (5.4)
Washington  ..............|  150  (1.3)| ---   --- |---   --- |---   --- |  ---   --- |  ---      --- |  ---   --- |  ---    --- |  ---      --- |---   --- | ---   --- | ---      ---
West Virginia ............|  147  (0.9)| 150  (1.1)|153  (1.4)|147  (1.2)|  151  (1.1)|  125     (3.6)|(\1\) (\1\) |(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |138  (1.5)| 158  (1.0)| 151 \2\ (5.0)
Wisconsin\3\ .............|  160  (1.7)| ---   --- |---   --- |---   --- |  ---   --- |  ---      --- |  ---   --- |  ---    --- |  ---      --- |---   --- | ---   --- | ---      ---
Wyoming ..................|  158  (0.6)| 158  (1.0)|159  (1.4)|156  (1.2)|  161  (0.8)|(\1\)    (\1\) |  139  (3.1)|(\1\)  (\1\) |  141 \2\ (4.4)|147  (2.2)| 161  (0.9)| 159 \2\ (3.6)
                          |============|===========|==========|==========|============|===============|============|=============|===============|==========|===========|==============
Department of Defense     |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
  dependents schools:     |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
  Domestic schools .......|  153  (1.1)| 159  (1.2)|160  (1.8)|157  (1.7)|  169  (2.0)|  140     (2.6)|  156  (2.7)|(\1\)  (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |153  (2.1)| 163  (1.6)| 158     (3.4)
  Overseas schools .......|  155  (0.7)| 159  (0.8)|162  (1.3)|156  (1.0)|  168  (1.1)|  142     (1.5)|  153  (2.5)|  160   (2.1)|(\1\)    (\1\) |155  (2.4)| 161  (1.0)| 158     (1.4)
                          |============|===========|==========|==========|============|===============|============|=============|===============|==========|===========|==============
      Outlying area       |            |           |          |          |            |               |            |             |               |          |           |
American Samoa ...........|  ---   --- |  72  (2.3)| 70  (3.8)| 75  (3.2)|(\1\) (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |   55  (3.7)|   90   (3.8)|(\1\)    (\1\) | 72  (2.3)|(\1\)(\1\) |(\1\)   (\1\)
Guam .....................|  120  (1.1)| 114  (4.5)|116  (4.7)|112  (4.7)|(\1\) (\1\) |(\1\)    (\1\) |   97  (9.2)|  119   (2.7)|(\1\)    (\1\) | 96  (7.5)| 119  (2.9)| 104    (12.8)
__________________________|____________|___________|__________|__________|____________|_______________|____________|_____________|_______________|__________|___________|______________

---Not available.
\1\Sample size is insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.
\2\The nature of the sample does not allow accurate determination of the variability of the statistic.
\3\Did not satisfy one or more of the guidelines for school sample participation rates in 1996. Data are subject to appreciable nonresponse bias.
\4\Did not satisfy one or more of the guidelines for school sample participation rates in 2000. Data are subject to appreciable nonresponse bias.

NOTE: These test scores are from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAEP scores have been evaluated at certain performance levels. Scale ranges from 0 to 300. Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Standard errors appear in parentheses.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress, NAEP 1996 Science Report Card for the Nation and the States; NAEP Data Tool (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata); and unpublished data, prepared by Educational Testing Service. (This table was preparted May 2002).


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