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Digest of Education Statistics
2015 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 221.70. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scale scores of 4th- and 8th-graders in public schools and percentage scoring at or above selected reading achievement levels, by English language learner (ELL) status and state: 2015
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
State 4th-graders 8th-graders
English language learners Not English language learners English language learners Not English language learners
Percent of all students assessed Average scale score1 Percent Average scale score1 Percent Percent of all students assessed Average scale score1 Percent Average scale score1 Percent
At or above Basic2 At or above Profi-cient3 At or above Basic2 At or above Profi-cient3 At or above Basic2 At or above Profi-cient3 At or above Basic2 At or above Profi-cient3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
United States 11 (0.3) 189 (1.1) 32 (1.2) 8 (0.6) 225 (0.3) 72 (0.3) 38 (0.4) 6 (0.2) 223 (0.9) 28 (1.2) 3 (0.4) 267 (0.2) 78 (0.3) 35 (0.4)
                                                         
Alabama 2 (0.3) (†) (†) (†) 218 (1.3) 65 (1.8) 29 (1.7) 1 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 259 (1.1) 72 (1.6) 26 (1.4)
Alaska 15 (1.0) 165 (4.3) 19 (2.9) 4 (1.2) 221 (1.1) 69 (1.4) 34 (1.6) 11 (1.0) 211 (2.8) 18 (3.7) 1 (0.6) 266 (1.2) 77 (1.4) 35 (1.8)
Arizona 10 (0.8) 165 (3.8) 12 (2.7) 1 (#) 221 (1.3) 67 (1.6) 33 (1.6) 4 (0.6) 206 (4.1) 8 (3.1) # (†) 265 (1.2) 76 (1.4) 32 (1.8)
Arkansas 8 (1.1) 204 (3.1) 50 (4.3) 16 (3.4) 219 (1.1) 66 (1.4) 33 (1.5) 7 (0.7) 245 (2.6) 56 (4.4) 11 (2.8) 260 (1.3) 71 (1.4) 28 (1.7)
California 28 (1.7) 183 (2.7) 27 (2.9) 6 (1.1) 224 (1.4) 71 (1.7) 36 (2.0) 14 (0.9) 215 (2.4) 21 (2.7) 2 (0.9) 266 (1.2) 78 (1.4) 33 (1.7)
                                                         
Colorado 14 (1.2) 185 (2.3) 29 (3.1) 5 (1.5) 230 (1.4) 77 (1.5) 44 (1.9) 11 (0.8) 229 (2.7) 33 (4.1) 3 (1.4) 273 (1.4) 84 (1.3) 43 (2.1)
Connecticut 7 (0.6) 190 (3.2) 33 (4.8) 7 (2.4) 232 (1.1) 77 (1.2) 46 (1.6) 3 (0.4) 217 (6.1) 24 (6.6) 2 (#) 275 (1.0) 84 (1.0) 45 (1.7)
Delaware 5 (0.4) 177 (4.1) 23 (5.1) 4 (2.2) 226 (0.8) 72 (1.2) 39 (1.3) 2 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 263 (0.8) 74 (1.2) 32 (1.0)
District of Columbia 6 (0.3) 177 (4.5) 20 (4.7) 3 (#) 214 (0.9) 58 (1.2) 29 (1.0) 5 (0.4) 218 (4.1) 26 (6.3) 3 (#) 249 (1.0) 57 (1.4) 19 (1.0)
Florida 9 (0.7) 201 (1.8) 41 (3.5) 9 (1.6) 230 (1.1) 78 (1.3) 42 (1.6) 5 (0.4) 226 (2.9) 30 (4.9) 2 (1.1) 265 (0.9) 77 (1.1) 32 (1.4)
                                                         
Georgia 5 (1.0) 188 (4.2) 23 (6.6) 5 (#) 224 (1.2) 70 (1.5) 35 (1.6) 3 (0.4) 233 (4.8) 42 (6.5) 6 (3.9) 263 (1.3) 74 (1.5) 31 (1.8)
Hawaii 7 (0.5) 164 (4.3) 12 (4.1) 2 (1.1) 219 (1.0) 65 (1.2) 31 (1.2) 6 (0.4) 214 (3.0) 17 (4.0) 1 (#) 260 (0.9) 71 (1.2) 27 (1.2)
Idaho 4 (0.4) 160 (4.8) 8 (3.9) # (†) 225 (1.0) 72 (1.4) 38 (1.4) 2 (0.3) (†) (†) (†) 270 (0.9) 83 (0.9) 38 (1.4)
Illinois 10 (1.1) 184 (2.7) 25 (3.1) 4 (1.7) 226 (1.3) 73 (1.5) 39 (1.6) 5 (0.5) 219 (3.1) 26 (5.5) 3 (#) 269 (1.0) 80 (1.2) 37 (1.5)
Indiana 7 (1.0) 199 (3.6) 42 (4.4) 14 (4.2) 230 (1.1) 77 (1.4) 42 (1.7) 5 (0.6) 249 (3.8) 61 (7.2) 13 (4.1) 269 (1.1) 80 (1.0) 38 (1.7)
                                                         
Iowa 7 (1.0) 197 (3.0) 42 (4.1) 11 (3.0) 226 (1.2) 74 (1.5) 40 (1.7) 4 (0.5) 235 (3.6) 44 (6.1) 6 (2.4) 270 (1.1) 82 (1.3) 37 (1.6)
Kansas 13 (1.2) 201 (3.0) 45 (4.2) 15 (2.8) 224 (1.5) 71 (1.6) 38 (1.9) 11 (0.8) 250 (4.1) 61 (4.9) 18 (4.7) 269 (1.1) 81 (1.1) 37 (1.8)
Kentucky 3 (0.3) 201 (5.4) 40 (8.1) 13 (6.1) 229 (1.3) 75 (1.3) 41 (1.6) 1 (0.2) 236 (6.2) 42 (8.9) 5 (3.3) 268 (1.0) 78 (1.1) 37 (1.5)
Louisiana 2 (0.4) (†) (†) (†) 217 (1.5) 64 (1.8) 29 (1.6) 1 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 256 (1.2) 66 (1.8) 23 (1.4)
Maine 3 (0.3) 186 (8.3) 33 (7.9) 6 (3.7) 225 (0.9) 72 (1.2) 37 (1.3) 3 (0.3) 239 (5.1) 45 (7.1) 11 (5.0) 269 (0.9) 82 (1.0) 36 (1.5)
                                                         
Maryland 8 (1.4) 193 (4.1) 35 (5.5) 7 (2.2) 225 (1.3) 70 (1.5) 39 (1.8) 2 (0.3) 232 (4.8) 36 (9.0) 7 (4.3) 269 (1.1) 77 (1.1) 38 (1.6)
Massachusetts 9 (0.8) 200 (2.7) 44 (3.8) 12 (2.5) 239 (1.0) 85 (1.1) 53 (1.5) 5 (0.6) 225 (3.8) 35 (5.5) 6 (2.8) 277 (1.0) 86 (1.1) 48 (1.5)
Michigan 4 (0.8) 202 (4.9) 48 (6.5) 16 (4.8) 217 (1.4) 64 (1.8) 29 (1.6) 3 (0.6) 237 (4.0) 43 (7.1) 6 (4.4) 265 (1.2) 77 (1.4) 33 (1.6)
Minnesota 10 (0.9) 179 (4.8) 28 (4.5) 6 (2.3) 228 (1.1) 75 (1.3) 42 (1.5) 6 (0.7) 234 (3.5) 43 (5.2) 6 (2.6) 273 (1.0) 84 (1.1) 42 (1.5)
Mississippi 2 (0.4) (†) (†) (†) 214 (1.0) 61 (1.4) 26 (1.3) 1 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 253 (1.0) 63 (1.5) 20 (1.1)
                                                         
Missouri 3 (0.4) 203 (4.4) 50 (7.7) 14 (5.6) 223 (1.2) 70 (1.3) 37 (1.5) 2 (0.4) (†) (†) (†) 268 (1.1) 78 (1.3) 37 (1.5)
Montana 3 (0.3) 175 (5.8) 17 (6.1) 1 (#) 226 (0.8) 74 (1.2) 38 (1.2) 2 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 271 (0.8) 83 (1.0) 37 (1.4)
Nebraska 7 (0.7) 193 (3.1) 32 (4.6) 7 (2.7) 229 (1.0) 77 (1.3) 42 (1.5) 2 (0.3) (†) (†) (†) 270 (0.9) 83 (1.1) 39 (1.5)
Nevada 24 (1.1) 190 (1.8) 33 (2.1) 8 (1.5) 222 (1.2) 70 (1.5) 36 (1.5) 15 (0.6) 226 (1.8) 30 (2.7) 3 (1.2) 265 (1.1) 78 (1.3) 32 (1.6)
New Hampshire 3 (0.3) 206 (4.4) 51 (6.2) 19 (6.4) 233 (0.9) 80 (1.1) 47 (1.5) 1 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 275 (0.9) 85 (1.0) 45 (1.3)
                                                         
New Jersey 3 (0.6) (†) (†) (†) 231 (1.5) 77 (1.5) 44 (1.8) 2 (0.3) (†) (†) (†) 272 (1.0) 81 (1.2) 41 (1.4)
New Mexico 16 (0.7) 171 (2.9) 18 (2.3) 4 (1.2) 214 (0.9) 61 (1.4) 27 (1.3) 13 (0.7) 219 (1.9) 22 (3.1) 2 (1.0) 258 (0.9) 72 (1.4) 23 (1.4)
New York 7 (0.8) 184 (3.1) 26 (3.5) 5 (2.0) 226 (1.0) 72 (1.3) 38 (1.5) 6 (0.6) 215 (3.2) 22 (4.3) 3 (1.4) 266 (1.3) 76 (1.3) 35 (1.7)
North Carolina 6 (0.5) 187 (3.0) 29 (4.7) 5 (2.1) 229 (1.1) 76 (1.4) 41 (1.6) 4 (0.5) 217 (4.0) 25 (5.0) 1 (#) 263 (1.3) 74 (1.4) 32 (1.7)
North Dakota 2 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 226 (0.7) 74 (1.0) 37 (1.0) 2 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 268 (0.6) 81 (1.0) 34 (1.1)
                                                         
Ohio 4 (0.7) 202 (4.8) 49 (7.0) 12 (5.2) 226 (1.2) 73 (1.3) 39 (1.7) 3 (1.5) 227 (11.8) 31 (14.2) 7 (#) 267 (1.3) 77 (1.6) 36 (1.6)
Oklahoma 6 (0.5) 197 (4.4) 42 (7.0) 9 (3.4) 224 (1.1) 73 (1.3) 34 (1.5) 5 (0.7) 239 (3.3) 47 (5.6) 7 (3.5) 264 (1.3) 77 (1.6) 31 (1.8)
Oregon 13 (1.0) 180 (3.1) 26 (3.5) 3 (1.2) 226 (1.2) 74 (1.4) 39 (1.6) 3 (0.3) 207 (5.6) 11 (5.2) 1 (#) 269 (1.2) 81 (1.2) 37 (1.9)
Pennsylvania 3 (0.5) 170 (5.5) 16 (4.4) 3 (#) 229 (1.6) 76 (1.8) 43 (1.9) 2 (0.4) 218 (6.7) 20 (7.2) 6 (3.5) 270 (1.4) 79 (1.5) 40 (2.0)
Rhode Island 7 (0.5) 182 (3.3) 25 (3.6) 5 (2.1) 229 (0.9) 76 (1.1) 43 (1.4) 5 (0.3) 209 (3.8) 17 (5.1) 1 (#) 268 (0.7) 78 (0.9) 36 (1.3)
                                                         
South Carolina 8 (1.0) 201 (4.7) 47 (5.1) 21 (3.9) 219 (1.3) 66 (1.4) 35 (1.6) 4 (0.5) 242 (4.3) 48 (7.6) 11 (3.8) 261 (1.2) 72 (1.4) 29 (1.6)
South Dakota 3 (0.2) 170 (7.5) 20 (6.0) 5 (2.8) 222 (0.9) 69 (1.2) 35 (1.2) 2 (0.3) (†) (†) (†) 268 (1.0) 81 (1.3) 35 (1.3)
Tennessee 4 (0.6) 200 (5.1) 47 (7.1) 16 (5.2) 219 (1.4) 66 (1.8) 34 (1.7) 2 (0.4) (†) (†) (†) 266 (1.3) 77 (1.4) 33 (1.8)
Texas 22 (1.9) 198 (2.1) 41 (3.3) 12 (2.2) 224 (1.8) 70 (1.9) 36 (2.2) 11 (0.6) 224 (2.2) 29 (3.3) 2 (1.2) 265 (1.2) 78 (1.3) 31 (1.8)
Utah 4 (0.5) 174 (6.3) 19 (5.5) 8 (3.5) 228 (1.0) 77 (1.0) 41 (1.5) 3 (0.4) 213 (4.6) 16 (6.1) 1 (#) 271 (0.9) 83 (1.1) 39 (1.4)
                                                         
Vermont 3 (0.3) (†) (†) (†) 231 (0.8) 76 (1.0) 45 (1.4) 1 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 275 (0.8) 84 (1.0) 44 (1.4)
Virginia 6 (0.9) 189 (3.0) 30 (4.0) 7 (2.5) 232 (1.8) 77 (1.8) 45 (2.2) 5 (0.6) 231 (2.7) 31 (5.8) 3 (1.8) 269 (1.3) 80 (1.3) 38 (1.9)
Washington 13 (1.2) 189 (2.1) 28 (2.8) 5 (1.6) 231 (1.5) 77 (1.5) 46 (2.0) 6 (0.7) 223 (3.5) 26 (4.9) 3 (1.6) 270 (1.1) 80 (1.1) 40 (1.6)
West Virginia 1 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 216 (1.2) 64 (1.3) 30 (1.5) 1 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 260 (0.9) 72 (1.3) 27 (1.3)
Wisconsin 7 (0.8) 198 (2.9) 40 (4.5) 9 (2.1) 225 (1.1) 73 (1.4) 39 (1.5) 4 (0.5) 234 (3.2) 38 (5.4) 6 (3.1) 271 (1.2) 81 (1.2) 40 (1.7)
Wyoming 3 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 229 (0.7) 77 (1.0) 42 (1.3) 2 (0.2) (†) (†) (†) 270 (0.8) 82 (1.0) 37 (1.2)
Department of Defense
      dependents schools
8 (0.4) 213 (2.5) 62 (4.2) 18 (3.5) 236 (0.7) 85 (1.1) 50 (1.4) 5 (0.5) 249 (4.1) 61 (7.5) 12 (5.5) 279 (0.8) 92 (0.9) 49 (1.8)
†Not applicable.
#Rounds to zero.
‡Reporting standards not met (too few cases for a reliable estimate).
1 Scale ranges from 0 to 500.
2 Basic denotes partial mastery of the knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at a given grade.
3 Proficient represents solid academic performance. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter.
NOTE: The results for English language learners are based on students who were assessed and cannot be generalized to the total population of such students. Although testing accommodations were permitted, some English language learners did not have a sufficient level of English proficiency to participate in the 2015 Reading Assessment.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2015 Reading Assessment, retrieved November 9, 2015, from the Main NAEP Data Explorer (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/). (This table was prepared November 2015.)

2015 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest