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Digest of Education Statistics: 2006
Digest of Education Statistics: 2006

NCES 2007-017
July 2007


Table 115. Average scale score in reading and percentage of 8th-graders in public schools attaining reading achievement levels, by locale and state or jurisdiction: Selected years, 1998 through 2005 
State or jurisdiction Average scale score Percent attaining reading achievement levels, 2005 Average scale score by locale,1  2005
1998 2002 2003 2005 Below
basic
Basic or above2  Proficient
or above3 
Advanced4  Central city Urban fringe/ large town Rural/
small town
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
United States5  261 (0.8) 263 (0.5) 261 (0.2) 260 (0.2) 29 (0.2) 71 (0.2) 29 (0.2) 3 (0.1) 254 (0.4) 264 (0.3) 262 (0.4)
Alabama 255 (1.4) 253 (1.3) 253 (1.5) 252 (1.4) 37 (1.4) 63 (1.4) 22 (1.4) 2 (0.6) 246 (2.8) 260 (3.1) 250 (1.6)
Alaska (†) (†) 256 (1.1) 259 (0.9) 30 (1.3) 70 (1.3) 26 (1.4) 2 (0.3) (†) (†) (†)
Arizona 260 (1.1) 257 (1.3) 255 (1.4) 255 (1.0) 35 (1.3) 65 (1.3) 23 (1.1) 2 (0.3) 253 (1.5) 258 (2.2) 253 (4.5)
Arkansas 256 (1.3) 260 (1.1) 258 (1.3) 258 (1.1) 31 (1.4) 69 (1.4) 26 (1.3) 2 (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) 40 (0.7) 60 (0.7) 21 (0.6) 2 (0.2) 249 (0.9) 251 (0.9) 257 (3.6)
                                             
Colorado 264 (1.0) (†) 268 (1.2) 265 (1.1) 25 (1.3) 75 (1.3) 32 (1.4) 4 (0.5) 260 (2.1) 268 (1.5) 266 (2.0)
Connecticut 270 (1.0) 267 (1.2) 267 (1.1) 264 (1.3) 26 (1.2) 75 (1.2) 34 (1.6) 4 (0.8) 245 (3.0) 270 (1.5) 269 (1.8)
Delaware 254 (1.3) 267 (0.5) 265 (0.7) 266 (0.6) 20 (1.1) 80 (1.1) 30 (0.9) 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) 55 (1.2) 45 (1.2) 12 (0.9) 1 (0.3) 238 (0.9) (†) (†)
Florida 255 (1.4) 261 (1.6) 257 (1.3) 256 (1.2) 34 (1.4) 66 (1.4) 25 (1.1) 2 (0.3) 252 (2.4) 257 (1.5) 257 (2.6)
                                             
Georgia 257 (1.4) 258 (1.0) 258 (1.1) 257 (1.3) 33 (1.5) 67 (1.5) 25 (1.6) 3 (0.5) 245 (2.8) 261 (2.1) 257 (2.1)
Hawaii 249 (1.0) 252 (0.9) 251 (0.9) 249 (0.9) 42 (1.0) 58 (1.0) 18 (1.0) 1 (0.2) 255 (1.6) 249 (1.4) 243 (1.5)
Idaho (†) 266 (1.1) 264 (0.9) 264 (1.1) 24 (1.4) 76 (1.4) 32 (1.2) 2 (0.6) 266 (1.3) 264 (1.4) 263 (2.0)
Illinois (†) (†) 266 (1.0) 264 (1.0) 25 (1.2) 75 (1.2) 31 (1.3) 3 (0.6) 256 (1.9) 268 (1.5) 266 (2.1)
Indiana (†) 265 (1.3) 265 (1.0) 261 (1.1) 27 (1.3) 73 (1.3) 28 (1.5) 2 (0.4) 254 (2.1) 265 (2.0) 263 (1.6)
                                             
Iowa (†) (†) 268 (0.8) 267 (0.9) 21 (1.0) 79 (1.0) 34 (1.5) 3 (0.4) 262 (1.5) 272 (2.3) 268 (1.4)
Kansas6,7,8  268 (1.4) 269 (1.3) 266 (1.5) 267 (1.0) 22 (1.3) 78 (1.3) 35 (1.4) 3 (0.4) 262 (2.6) 270 (1.7) 267 (1.1)
Kentucky 262 (1.4) 265 (1.0) 266 (1.3) 264 (1.1) 25 (1.5) 75 (1.5) 31 (1.4) 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) 36 (2.2) 64 (2.2) 20 (1.5) 1 (0.4) 247 (2.8) 255 (2.8) 255 (1.9)
Maine 271 (1.2) 270 (0.9) 268 (1.0) 270 (1.0) 19 (1.0) 81 (1.0) 38 (1.4) 4 (0.6) 269 (2.6) 277 (2.1) 269 (1.1)
                                             
Maryland6,7  261 (1.8) 263 (1.7) 262 (1.4) 261 (1.2) 31 (1.7) 69 (1.7) 30 (1.4) 4 (0.5) 251 (3.6) 262 (1.5) 266 (2.7)
Massachusetts 269 (1.4) 271 (1.3) 273 (1.0) 274 (1.0) 17 (1.0) 83 (1.0) 44 (1.6) 5 (0.7) 258 (1.4) 280 (1.3) 282 (3.1)
Michigan (†) 265 (1.6) 264 (1.8) 261 (1.2) 27 (1.4) 73 (1.4) 29 (1.6) 2 (0.5) 251 (2.9) 265 (1.4) 266 (2.2)
Minnesota6,7  265 (1.4) (†) 268 (1.1) 268 (1.2) 20 (1.2) 80 (1.2) 37 (1.6) 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) 40 (1.7) 60 (1.7) 19 (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) 24 (1.3) 76 (1.3) 31 (1.4) 3 (0.4) 258 (3.0) 267 (1.3) 266 (1.6)
Montana6,7  271 (1.3) 270 (1.0) 270 (1.0) 269 (0.7) 19 (1.0) 82 (1.0) 37 (1.2) 3 (0.6) 270 (1.6) 271 (1.8) 268 (0.9)
Nebraska (†) 270 (0.9) 266 (0.9) 268 (0.9) 20 (1.0) 80 (1.0) 35 (1.5) 3 (0.5) 266 (1.6) 268 (1.6) 268 (1.4)
Nevada 258 (1.0) 251 (0.8) 252 (0.8) 253 (1.0) 37 (1.3) 63 (1.3) 22 (0.9) 1 (0.5) 253 (1.4) 251 (1.4) 256 (1.5)
New Hampshire (†) (†) 271 (0.9) 270 (1.2) 20 (1.1) 80 (1.1) 38 (1.6) 4 (0.5) 264 (2.1) 270 (2.0) 272 (1.9)
                                             
New Jersey (†) (†) 268 (1.2) 269 (1.2) 20 (1.5) 80 (1.5) 38 (1.7) 4 (0.6) (†) 270 (1.2) 278 (3.0)
New Mexico 258 (1.2) 254 (1.0) 252 (0.9) 251 (1.0) 38 (1.5) 62 (1.5) 19 (1.1) 1 (0.2) 256 (1.9) 249 (1.9) 248 (1.7)
New York6,7  265 (1.5) 264 (1.5) 265 (1.3) 265 (1.0) 25 (0.9) 75 (0.9) 34 (1.3) 3 (0.5) 252 (1.5) 275 (1.4) 272 (1.4)
North Carolina 262 (1.1) 265 (1.1) 262 (1.0) 258 (0.9) 31 (1.3) 69 (1.3) 27 (1.2) 2 (0.4) 257 (1.6) 261 (1.9) 258 (1.5)
North Dakota7  (†) 268 (0.8) 270 (0.8) 270 (0.6) 17 (1.1) 83 (1.1) 37 (1.3) 3 (0.6) 271 (1.5) 270 (1.8) 270 (0.8)
                                             
Ohio (†) 268 (1.6) 267 (1.3) 267 (1.3) 23 (1.4) 78 (1.4) 36 (1.4) 4 (0.7) 248 (3.1) 272 (1.6) 272 (2.2)
Oklahoma 265 (1.2) 262 (0.8) 262 (0.9) 260 (1.1) 28 (1.6) 72 (1.6) 25 (1.4) 1 (0.4) 252 (4.0) 264 (1.3) 259 (1.4)
Oregon7  266 (1.5) 268 (1.3) 264 (1.2) 263 (1.1) 26 (1.3) 74 (1.3) 33 (1.5) 3 (0.5) 264 (2.2) 264 (1.7) 261 (1.9)
Pennsylvania (†) 265 (1.0) 264 (1.2) 267 (1.3) 23 (1.6) 77 (1.6) 36 (1.6) 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) 29 (1.1) 71 (1.1) 29 (1.0) 3 (0.4) 245 (1.4) 267 (1.0) 275 (1.8)
                                             
South Carolina 255 (1.1) 258 (1.1) 258 (1.3) 257 (1.1) 33 (1.3) 67 (1.3) 25 (1.2) 2 (0.4) 259 (2.5) 262 (1.6) 253 (1.5)
South Dakota (†) (†) 270 (0.8) 269 (0.6) 18 (0.8) 82 (0.8) 35 (1.1) 2 (0.3) 267 (1.1) 271 (2.4) 269 (0.7)
Tennessee7  258 (1.2) 260 (1.4) 258 (1.2) 259 (0.9) 29 (1.2) 71 (1.2) 26 (1.4) 1 (0.5) 252 (1.7) 264 (2.3) 260 (1.6)
Texas 261 (1.4) 262 (1.4) 259 (1.1) 258 (0.6) 31 (0.8) 69 (0.8) 26 (0.8) 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) 27 (0.9) 73 (0.9) 29 (1.2) 2 (0.4) 261 (1.4) 262 (1.0) 264 (3.0)
                                             
Vermont (†) 272 (0.9) 271 (0.8) 269 (0.8) 21 (1.0) 79 (1.0) 37 (1.2) 4 (0.4) (†) (†) (†)
Virginia 266 (1.1) 269 (1.0) 268 (1.1) 268 (1.0) 22 (1.2) 78 (1.2) 36 (1.4) 3 (0.5) 260 (1.7) 273 (1.6) 266 (2.1)
Washington7  264 (1.2) 268 (1.2) 264 (0.9) 265 (1.3) 25 (1.3) 75 (1.3) 34 (1.5) 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) 33 (1.5) 67 (1.5) 22 (1.3) 1 (0.3) 261 (2.0) 259 (2.7) 252 (1.3)
Wisconsin6,7  265 (1.8) (†) 266 (1.3) 266 (1.1) 23 (1.3) 77 (1.3) 35 (1.4) 3 (0.5) 255 (2.6) 276 (1.6) 266 (1.6)
Wyoming 263 (1.3) 265 (0.7) 267 (0.5) 268 (0.7) 19 (1.0) 81 (1.0) 36 (1.4) 2 (0.4) 267 (1.6) 270 (3.7) 269 (0.8)
Department of Defense
 dependents schools9 
(†) (†) (†) 271 (0.7) 16 (1.2) 84 (1.2) 37 (1.4) 2 (0.5) (†) (†) (†)
Domestic schools 268 (4.5) 272 (1.0) 269 (1.4) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†)
Overseas schools 269 (1.0) 273 (0.6) 273 (0.7) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†)
Other jurisdictions                                            
American Samoa (†) 198 (1.7) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†)
Guam (†) 240 (1.2) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†)
Virgin Islands 231 (2.1) 241 (1.3) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†)
—Not available.
† Not applicable.
‡ Reporting standards not met.
1 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. Bureau of the Census 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.
2 The basic level denotes partial mastery of the knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at the 8th-grade level.
3 This level represents solid academic performance for 8th-graders. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter.
4 This level signifies superior performance.
5 Based on a nationally representative sample. Forty-four jurisdictions (state, District of Columbia, territory, and Department of Defense schools) participated in 1998; 50 partici­pated in 2002; and 53 participated in 2003 and 2005.
6 Did not satisfy one or more of the guidelines for school sample participation rates in 1998. Data are subject to appreciable nonresponse bias.
7 Did not satisfy one or more of the guidelines for school sample participation rates in 2002. Data are subject to appreciable nonresponse bias.
8 Did not satisfy one or more of the guidelines for school sample participation rates in 2003. Data are subject to appreciable nonresponse bias.
9 The definition of the nationally representative sample changed in 2005; it now includes all of the Department of Defense schools.
NOTE: The reading data include students for whom accommodations were permitted. Scale ranges from 0 to 500. Standard errors appear in parentheses.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Reading Report Card for the Nation and the States, 2002, 2003, and 2005; and NAEP Data Explorer (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/), retrieved October 2005. (This table was prepared October 2005.)