Elementary and Secondary Education

Assessments

Table A-24-1. Average mathematics scale scores, selected percentile scores, and percentage of students at each achievement level, by grade: Selected years, 1990–2011

Grade, scale score, percentile, and percentage at achievement level	1990¹	1992¹	1996¹	1996	2000	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011
Grade 4
Average scale score	213	220	224	224	226	235	238	240	240	241
Percentile
10th	171	177	182	182	184	197	200	202	202	203
25th	193	199	204	203	205	216	220	222	221	222
50th	214	221	226	225	227	236	239	242	241	242
75th	235	242	246	245	248	255	258	260	260	261
90th	253	259	262	262	265	270	273	275	275	276
Percentage at each achievement level
Below Basic	50	41	36	37	35	23	20	18	18	18
At or above Basic	50	59	64	63	65	77	80	82	82	82
At or above Proficient	13	18	21	21	24	32	36	39	39	40
At Advanced	1	2	2	2	3	4	5	6	6	7
Grade 8
Average scale score	263	268	272	270	273	278	279	281	283	284
Percentile
10th	215	221	224	221	223	230	231	235	236	237
25th	239	243	248	245	249	254	255	258	259	260
50th	264	269	273	273	275	279	280	283	284	285
75th	288	294	298	297	300	303	304	306	308	309
90th	307	315	317	316	320	323	324	327	329	329
Percentage at each achievement level
Below Basic	48	42	38	39	37	32	31	29	27	27
At or above Basic	52	58	62	61	63	68	69	71	73	73
At or above Proficient	15	21	24	23	26	29	30	32	34	35
At Advanced	2	3	4	4	5	5	6	7	8	8
Grade 12
Average scale score	—	—	—	—	—	—	150	—	153	—
Percentile
10th	—	—	—	—	—	—	105	—	110	—
25th	—	—	—	—	—	—	127	—	130	—
50th	—	—	—	—	—	—	151	—	154	—
75th	—	—	—	—	—	—	174	—	177	—
90th	—	—	—	—	—	—	194	—	197	—
Percentage at each achievement level
Below Basic	—	—	—	—	—	—	39	—	36	—
At or above Basic	—	—	—	—	—	—	61	—	64	—
At or above Proficient	—	—	—	—	—	—	23	—	26	—
At Advanced	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	—	3	—

— Not available.
¹Testing accommodations (e.g., extended time, small group testing) for children with disabilities and English language learners were not permitted during these assessments. Students in grades 4 and 8 were tested with and without accommodations in 1996.
NOTE: Average mathematics scale scores include public and private school students. At grades 4 and 8, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics scale ranges from 0 to 500. The framework for the 12th-grade mathematics assessment was revised in 2005; as a result, the 2005 and 2009 results cannot be compared with those from previous years. At grade 12, mathematics scores on the revised assessment range from 0 to 300. The 12th-grade mathematics assessment was not administered in 2007 or 2011. 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. For more information on NAEP, see Appendix B – Guide to Sources.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), selected years, 1990–2011 Mathematics Assessments, NAEP Data Explorer.

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