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Digest of Education Statistics: 2008
Digest of Education Statistics: 2008

NCES 2009-020
March 2009


Table 122. Average reading scale score and percentage of 8th-graders in public schools attaining reading achievement levels, by locale and state or jurisdiction: Selected years, 1998 through 2007
State or jurisdiction Average scale score1  Percent attaining reading achievement levels, 2007 Average scale score1  by locale,2  2005
1998 2002 2003 2005 2007 Below Basic At or above Basic3 At or above Proficient4 At Advanced5 Central city Urban fringe/ large town Rural/
small town
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
United States 261 (0.8) 263 (0.5) 261 (0.2) 260 (0.2) 261 (0.2) 27 (0.3) 73 (0.3) 29 (0.2) 2 (0.1) 254 (0.4) 264 (0.3) 262 (0.4)
Alabama 255 (1.4) 253 (1.3) 253 (1.5) 252 (1.4) 252 (1.0) 38 (1.2) 62 (1.2) 21 (1.3) 1 (0.4) 246 (2.8) 260 (3.1) 250 (1.6)
Alaska (†) (†) 256 (1.1) 259 (0.9) 259 (1.0) 29 (1.2) 71 (1.2) 27 (1.2) 2 (0.4) (†) (†) (†)
Arizona 260 (1.1) 257 (1.3) 255 (1.4) 255 (1.0) 255 (1.2) 35 (1.6) 65 (1.6) 24 (1.4) 2 (0.5) 253 (1.5) 258 (2.2) 253 (4.5)
Arkansas 256 (1.3) 260 (1.1) 258 (1.3) 258 (1.1) 258 (1.0) 30 (1.3) 70 (1.3) 25 (1.1) 1 (0.4) 257 (2.8) 261 (2.0) 257 (1.3)
California6,7,8  252 (1.6) 250 (1.8) 251 (1.3) 250 (0.6) 251 (0.8) 38 (0.8) 62 (0.8) 21 (0.8) 2 (0.3) 249 (0.9) 251 (0.9) 257 (3.6)
                                                 
Colorado 264 (1.0) (†) 268 (1.2) 265 (1.1) 266 (1.0) 21 (1.2) 79 (1.2) 35 (1.5) 2 (0.5) 260 (2.1) 268 (1.5) 266 (2.0)
Connecticut 270 (1.0) 267 (1.2) 267 (1.1) 264 (1.3) 267 (1.6) 23 (1.7) 77 (1.7) 37 (1.7) 5 (0.4) 245 (3.0) 270 (1.5) 269 (1.8)
Delaware 254 (1.3) 267 (0.5) 265 (0.7) 266 (0.6) 265 (0.6) 23 (0.8) 77 (0.8) 31 (1.2) 2 (0.4) 266 (2.4) 265 (0.7) 269 (1.4)
District of Columbia 236 (2.1) 240 (0.9) 239 (0.8) 238 (0.9) 241 (0.7) 52 (1.1) 48 (1.1) 12 (1.0) 1 (0.3) 238 (0.9) (†) (†)
Florida 255 (1.4) 261 (1.6) 257 (1.3) 256 (1.2) 260 (1.2) 29 (1.3) 71 (1.3) 28 (1.3) 2 (0.4) 252 (2.4) 257 (1.5) 257 (2.6)
                                                 
Georgia 257 (1.4) 258 (1.0) 258 (1.1) 257 (1.3) 259 (1.0) 30 (1.4) 70 (1.4) 26 (1.4) 2 (0.5) 245 (2.8) 261 (2.1) 257 (2.1)
Hawaii 249 (1.0) 252 (0.9) 251 (0.9) 249 (0.9) 251 (0.8) 38 (1.0) 62 (1.0) 20 (0.9) 1 (0.3) 255 (1.6) 249 (1.4) 243 (1.5)
Idaho (†) 266 (1.1) 264 (0.9) 264 (1.1) 265 (0.9) 22 (0.8) 78 (0.8) 32 (1.3) 2 (0.4) 266 (1.3) 264 (1.4) 263 (2.0)
Illinois (†) (†) 266 (1.0) 264 (1.0) 263 (1.0) 25 (1.1) 75 (1.1) 30 (1.5) 2 (0.4) 256 (1.9) 268 (1.5) 266 (2.1)
Indiana (†) 265 (1.3) 265 (1.0) 261 (1.1) 264 (1.1) 24 (1.1) 76 (1.1) 31 (1.5) 2 (0.5) 254 (2.1) 265 (2.0) 263 (1.6)
                                                 
Iowa (†) (†) 268 (0.8) 267 (0.9) 267 (0.9) 20 (1.0) 80 (1.0) 36 (1.4) 2 (0.6) 262 (1.5) 272 (2.3) 268 (1.4)
Kansas6,7,8  268 (1.4) 269 (1.3) 266 (1.5) 267 (1.0) 267 (0.8) 19 (1.0) 81 (1.0) 35 (1.2) 2 (0.4) 262 (2.6) 270 (1.7) 267 (1.1)
Kentucky 262 (1.4) 265 (1.0) 266 (1.3) 264 (1.1) 262 (1.0) 27 (1.2) 73 (1.2) 28 (1.2) 3 (0.5) 271 (2.3) 262 (2.1) 263 (1.6)
Louisiana 252 (1.4) 256 (1.5) 253 (1.6) 253 (1.6) 253 (1.1) 36 (1.6) 64 (1.6) 19 (1.2) 1 (0.5) 247 (2.8) 255 (2.8) 255 (1.9)
Maine 271 (1.2) 270 (0.9) 268 (1.0) 270 (1.0) 270 (0.8) 17 (1.0) 83 (1.0) 37 (1.3) 3 (0.5) 269 (2.6) 277 (2.1) 269 (1.1)
                                                 
Maryland6,7  261 (1.8) 263 (1.7) 262 (1.4) 261 (1.2) 265 (1.2) 24 (1.3) 76 (1.3) 33 (1.5) 3 (0.4) 251 (3.6) 262 (1.5) 266 (2.7)
Massachusetts 269 (1.4) 271 (1.3) 273 (1.0) 274 (1.0) 273 (1.0) 16 (0.9) 84 (0.9) 43 (1.5) 4 (0.7) 258 (1.4) 280 (1.3) 282 (3.1)
Michigan (†) 265 (1.6) 264 (1.8) 261 (1.2) 260 (1.2) 28 (1.5) 72 (1.5) 28 (1.3) 2 (0.4) 251 (2.9) 265 (1.4) 266 (2.2)
Minnesota6,7  265 (1.4) (†) 268 (1.1) 268 (1.2) 268 (0.9) 20 (1.2) 80 (1.2) 37 (1.2) 3 (0.5) 264 (3.2) 272 (1.6) 267 (1.6)
Mississippi 251 (1.2) 255 (0.9) 255 (1.4) 251 (1.3) 250 (1.1) 40 (1.4) 60 (1.4) 17 (1.4) 1 (0.3) 246 (2.9) 254 (2.2) 250 (1.8)
                                                 
Missouri 262 (1.3) 268 (1.0) 267 (1.0) 265 (1.0) 263 (1.0) 25 (1.1) 75 (1.1) 31 (1.2) 3 (0.3) 258 (3.0) 267 (1.3) 266 (1.6)
Montana6,7  271 (1.3) 270 (1.0) 270 (1.0) 269 (0.7) 271 (0.8) 15 (1.0) 85 (1.0) 39 (1.4) 2 (0.4) 270 (1.6) 271 (1.8) 268 (0.9)
Nebraska (†) 270 (0.9) 266 (0.9) 267 (0.9) 267 (0.9) 21 (1.2) 79 (1.2) 35 (1.3) 3 (0.5) 266 (1.6) 268 (1.6) 268 (1.4)
Nevada 258 (1.0) 251 (0.8) 252 (0.8) 253 (0.9) 252 (0.8) 37 (0.9) 63 (0.9) 22 (1.0) 2 (0.4) 253 (1.4) 251 (1.4) 256 (1.5)
New Hampshire (†) (†) 271 (0.9) 270 (1.2) 270 (0.9) 18 (1.2) 82 (1.2) 37 (1.3) 3 (0.4) 264 (2.1) 270 (2.0) 272 (1.9)
                                                 
New Jersey (†) (†) 268 (1.2) 269 (1.2) 270 (1.1) 19 (1.0) 81 (1.0) 39 (1.5) 4 (0.6) (†) 270 (1.2) 278 (3.0)
New Mexico 258 (1.2) 254 (1.0) 252 (0.9) 251 (1.0) 251 (0.8) 38 (1.3) 62 (1.3) 17 (0.9) 1 (0.3) 256 (1.9) 249 (1.9) 248 (1.7)
New York6,7  265 (1.5) 264 (1.5) 265 (1.3) 265 (1.0) 264 (1.1) 25 (1.3) 75 (1.3) 32 (1.4) 3 (0.3) 252 (1.5) 275 (1.4) 272 (1.4)
North Carolina 262 (1.1) 265 (1.1) 262 (1.0) 258 (0.9) 259 (1.1) 29 (1.3) 71 (1.3) 28 (1.1) 2 (0.4) 257 (1.6) 261 (1.9) 258 (1.5)
North Dakota7  (†) 268 (0.8) 270 (0.8) 270 (0.6) 268 (0.7) 16 (1.0) 84 (1.0) 32 (1.3) 1 (0.5) 271 (1.5) 270 (1.8) 270 (0.8)
                                                 
Ohio (†) 268 (1.6) 267 (1.3) 267 (1.3) 268 (1.2) 21 (1.2) 79 (1.2) 36 (1.6) 3 (0.6) 248 (3.1) 272 (1.6) 272 (2.2)
Oklahoma 265 (1.2) 262 (0.8) 262 (0.9) 260 (1.1) 260 (0.8) 28 (1.0) 72 (1.0) 26 (1.2) 1 (0.3) 252 (4.0) 264 (1.3) 259 (1.4)
Oregon7  266 (1.5) 268 (1.3) 264 (1.2) 263 (1.1) 266 (0.9) 23 (1.2) 77 (1.2) 34 (1.7) 3 (0.4) 264 (2.2) 264 (1.7) 261 (1.9)
Pennsylvania (†) 265 (1.0) 264 (1.2) 267 (1.3) 268 (1.2) 21 (1.4) 79 (1.4) 36 (1.5) 3 (0.6) 247 (3.9) 273 (1.9) 268 (1.4)
Rhode Island 264 (0.9) 262 (0.8) 261 (0.7) 261 (0.7) 258 (0.9) 31 (1.2) 69 (1.2) 27 (1.1) 2 (0.3) 245 (1.4) 267 (1.0) 275 (1.8)
                                                 
South Carolina 255 (1.1) 258 (1.1) 258 (1.3) 257 (1.1) 257 (0.9) 31 (1.2) 69 (1.2) 25 (1.4) 2 (0.3) 259 (2.5) 262 (1.6) 253 (1.5)
South Dakota (†) (†) 270 (0.8) 269 (0.6) 270 (0.7) 17 (0.9) 83 (0.9) 37 (1.9) 2 (0.4) 267 (1.1) 271 (2.4) 269 (0.7)
Tennessee7  258 (1.2) 260 (1.4) 258 (1.2) 259 (0.9) 259 (1.0) 29 (1.3) 71 (1.3) 26 (1.1) 2 (0.4) 252 (1.7) 264 (2.3) 260 (1.6)
Texas 261 (1.4) 262 (1.4) 259 (1.1) 258 (0.6) 261 (0.9) 27 (1.0) 73 (1.0) 28 (1.2) 2 (0.3) 256 (1.1) 261 (1.1) 259 (1.6)
Utah 263 (1.0) 263 (1.1) 264 (0.8) 262 (0.8) 262 (1.0) 25 (1.1) 75 (1.1) 30 (1.2) 2 (0.4) 261 (1.4) 262 (1.0) 264 (3.0)
                                                 
Vermont (†) 272 (0.9) 271 (0.8) 269 (0.7) 273 (0.8) 16 (1.1) 84 (1.1) 42 (1.3) 4 (0.6) (†) (†) (†)
Virginia 266 (1.1) 269 (1.0) 268 (1.1) 268 (1.0) 267 (1.1) 21 (1.2) 79 (1.2) 34 (1.6) 3 (0.4) 260 (1.7) 273 (1.6) 266 (2.1)
Washington7  264 (1.2) 268 (1.2) 264 (0.9) 265 (1.3) 265 (0.9) 23 (1.1) 77 (1.1) 34 (1.3) 3 (0.4) 264 (2.4) 265 (1.5) 265 (2.3)
West Virginia 262 (1.0) 264 (1.0) 260 (1.0) 255 (1.2) 255 (1.0) 32 (1.2) 68 (1.2) 23 (1.1) 1 (0.3) 261 (2.0) 259 (2.7) 252 (1.3)
Wisconsin6,7  265 (1.8) (†) 266 (1.3) 266 (1.1) 264 (1.0) 24 (1.3) 76 (1.3) 33 (1.7) 3 (0.4) 255 (2.6) 276 (1.6) 266 (1.6)
Wyoming 263 (1.3) 265 (0.7) 267 (0.5) 268 (0.7) 266 (0.7) 20 (1.1) 80 (1.1) 33 (1.0) 2 (0.5) 267 (1.6) 270 (3.7) 269 (0.8)
Department of Defense
  dependents schools9 
269 (1.3) 273 (0.5) 272 (0.6) 271 (0.7) 273 (1.0) 13 (1.3) 87 (1.3) 39 (1.6) 2 (0.5) (†) (†) (†)
Other jurisdictions                                                
American Samoa (†) 198 (1.7) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†)
Guam (†) 240 (1.2) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†)
U.S. Virgin Islands 231 (2.1) 241 (1.3) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†)
— Not available.
† Not applicable.
‡ Reporting standards not met.
1 Scale ranges from 0 to 500.
2 Central city is a large or mid-size central city of a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Urban fringe/large town includes places that are within an MSA of a central city but not primarily within its central city, as well as towns that are incorporated places not within an MSA and have a population greater than or equal to 25,000. Rural/small town includes places that are defined as rural by the U.S. Census Bureau and have a population less than 2,500 and/or a population density of less than 1,000 per square mile, as well as towns that are incorporated places not within an MSA and have a population less than 25,000 but greater than or equal to 2,500.
3 Basic denotes partial mastery of the knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at the 8th-grade level.
4 Proficient represents solid academic performance for 8th-graders. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter.
5 Advanced signifies superior performance.
6 Did not satisfy one or more of the guidelines for school participation in 1998. Data are subject to appreciable nonresponse bias.
7 Did not satisfy one or more of the guidelines for school participation in 2002. Data are subject to appreciable nonresponse bias.
8 Did not satisfy one or more of the guidelines for school participation in 2003. Data are subject to appreciable nonresponse bias.
9 Prior to 2005, NAEP divided the Department of Defense (DoD) schools into two jurisdictions, domestic and overseas. In 2005, NAEP began combining the DoD domestic and overseas schools into a single jurisdiction. Data shown in this table for years prior to 2005 were recalculated for comparability.
NOTE: The reading data include students for whom accommodations were permitted. Standard errors appear in parentheses.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2007 Reading Assessments, retrieved May 19, 2008, from the NAEP Data Explorer (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/). (This table was prepared May 2008.)