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Long-Term Trend
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Trends in Average Reading Scale Scores by Gender

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KEY FINDINGS
  • At all three ages, female students outperformed male students in reading.
  • Nine-year-olds. Average scale scores for both males and females were higher in 2004 than in 1999 and 1971.
    • The gender gap was smaller in 2004 (5 points) than in 1971 (13 points).
  • Thirteen-year-olds. Average scale scores for males and females were higher in 2004 than in 1971, but differences between 2004 and 1999 were not statistically significant.
    • The gender gap in 2004 was not significantly different from those in previous assessments.
  • Seventeen-year-olds. Average scale scores for males and females were not statistically different in 2004 from the scores in the assessments in 1999 and 1971.
    • The gender gap in 2004 was not significantly different from the gaps in 1999 or 1971.

Trends in average reading scale scores and score gaps for students ages 9, 13, and 17, by gender: 1971–2004 click for additional information

Trends in average reading scale scores and score gaps for students age 9 by gender: Selected years, 1971–2004

Trends in average reading scale scores and score gaps for students age 13 by gender: Selected years, 1971–2004

Trends in average reading scale scores and score gaps for students age 17, by gender: Selected years, 1971–2004

View data with standard errors for age 9, age 13, and age 17.

* Significantly different from 2004.
1 Male average scale score minus female average scale score.
NOTE: Score gaps are calculated based on differences between unrounded average scale scores. Negative numbers indicate that the average scale score for male students was lower than the score for female students.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), selected years, 1971–2004 Long-Term Trend Reading Assessments.
Last updated 06 July 2005 (RF)