National average reading scores of 4th- and 8th-graders were higher in 2007 than in 1992, by 4 and 3 points, respectively. However, the reading score of 12th-graders was 6 points lower in 2005 than in 1992.

The percentage of 4th-graders performing at or above the Basic achievement level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading Assessment was higher in 2007 than in 1992 (67 vs. 62 percent), as was the percentage performing at or above the Proficient achievement level (33 vs. 29 percent) (see table A-12-1). Percentages of 4th-graders at both of these achievement levels were also higher in 2007 than in 2005. Although the percentage of 8th-graders performing at or above Basic was higher in 2007 than in 1992 (74 vs. 69 percent), there was no measurable difference in the percentage of 8th-graders performing at or above Proficient in these 2 years. The percentage of 8th-graders performing at or above Basic was higher in 2007 than in 2005, but the percentages performing at or above Proficient in these 2 years were not measurably different. The percentage of 12th-graders performing at or above Basic was lower in 2005 than in 1992 (73 vs. 80 percent), as was the percentage of 12th-graders performing at or above Proficient (35 vs. 40 percent).

The national average reading scale score of 4th-graders was higher in 2007 than in 1992, by 4 points (see table A-12-2). The 2007 reading score was also higher than the scores in any of the previous assessment years. Average scores were higher in 2007 than in 1992 for White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander 4th-graders (ranging from 6 to 16 points). Although the reading achievement gap between White and Black 4th-graders was smaller in 2007 than in all previous assessments, the gap between White and Hispanic 4th-graders was not measurably different in 2007 than in 2005 or 1992. In 2007, at the 4th-grade level, Blacks scored, on average, 27 points lower than Whites, and Hispanics scored, on average, 26 points lower than Whites.

For 8th-graders, the national average reading scores were higher in 2007 than in 1992, by 3 points. Like the pattern for 4th-graders, the 8th-grade score in 2007 was higher than that in 2005. Average scores were higher in 2007 than in 1992 for White, Black, and Hispanic 8th-graders (ranging from 5 to 7 points). There were no measurable changes in the 8th-grade White-Black or White-Hispanic reading achievement gaps in 2007 compared with 1992 or 2005. In 2007, Blacks scored, on average, 27 points lower on the 8th-grade reading assessment than Whites, and Hispanics scored, on average, 25 points lower than Whites.

Students in grade 12 scored 6 points lower on the reading assessment in 2005 (the last year 12th-graders were assessed in reading) than in 1992, but their 2005 score was not measurably different from their 2002 score. Average scores were lower in 2005 than in 1992 for 12th-grade White, Black, and Hispanic students (ranging from 5 to 7 points). There were no measurable changes in the gaps between White students and their Black or Hispanic counterparts from 2005 to 1992 or 2002.

NAEP results also permit state-level comparisons of the reading abilities of 4th- and 8th-graders in public schools. The percentage of 4th-grade students performing at or above Basic was higher in 2007 than in 1992 in 24 of the 42 states that participated in both assessment years (see table A-12-3). Of the 37 states that participated in the grade 8 assessment in both 1998 (the earliest state assessment at that grade) and 2007, the percentage of students performing at or above Basic was higher in 2007 than in 1998 in 5 states and lower in 2007 than in 1998 in 7 states.

Technical Notes

NAEP reading scores range from 0 to 500. The achievement levels define what students should know and be able to do: Basic indicates partial mastery of fundamental skills; Proficient indicates demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter; and Advanced indicates superior performance. The 2007 NAEP Reading Assessment was not administered to 12th-grade students. State samples were not collected for grade 12; therefore, state results for grade 12 are not available. For more information on NAEP, see supplemental note 4. For more information on race/ethnicity, see supplemental note 1.