Average writing scale scores, by school-reported race/ethnicity, grades 4, 8, and 12: 1998 and 2002

* Significantly different from 2002.
NOTE: Italicized scale score values indicate that two or more groups had the same rounded average score. The average scale scores, when rounded, were the same for Black and Hispanic students at grade 8 in 1998 (the 1998 score was significantly different from 2002 for Black and Hispanic students), and for White and Asian/Pacific Islander students at grade 8 in 2002. At each grade, approximately 1 percent or less of students were classified as American Indian/Alaska Native or Other.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 and 2002 Writing Assessments.

Major Findings

• At grades 4 and 8, White, Black and Hispanic students had higher average writing scores in 2002 than in 1998.
• In 2002, Asian/Pacific Islander students and White students outperformed Black and Hispanic students at all three grades.

See the score gaps between White and Black students and between White and Hispanic students.

See national writing achievement level results by race/ethnicity for grade 4, grade 8, and grade 12.

Return to national subgroup results page.

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Last updated 10 July 2003 (DSS)