- Surveys & Programs
- Data & Tools
- Fast Facts
- News & Events
- Publications & Products
- About Us
 |
| 2010 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
 Previous Page |
Download Excel  (43KB) |
| Table 128. | Percentage of students at or above selected reading score levels, by age, sex, and race/ethnicity: Selected years, 1971 through 2008 |
| Selected characteristic | 1971 | 1975 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1990 | 1992 | 1994 | 1996 | 1999 | 2004 | 2008 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |||||||||||||
| 9-year-olds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 150 | 91 | (0.5) | 93 | (0.4) | 95 | (0.4) | 92 | (0.4) | 93 | (0.7) | 90 | (0.9) | 92 | (0.4) | 92 | (0.7) | 93 | (0.6) | 93 | (0.7) | 94 | (0.5) | 96 | (0.4) | |
| Level 200 | 59 | (1.0) | 62 | (0.8) | 68 | (1.0) | 62 | (0.8) | 63 | (1.3) | 59 | (1.3) | 62 | (1.1) | 63 | (1.4) | 64 | (1.3) | 64 | (1.4) | 69 | (1.0) | 73 | (0.9) | |
| Level 250 | 16 | (0.6) | 15 | (0.6) | 18 | (0.8) | 17 | (0.7) | 17 | (1.1) | 18 | (1.0) | 16 | (0.8) | 17 | (1.2) | 17 | (0.8) | 16 | (1.0) | 19 | (0.7) | 21 | (0.8) | |
| Male | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 150 | 88 | (0.7) | 91 | (0.5) | 93 | (0.5) | 90 | (0.5) | 90 | (0.9) | 88 | (1.4) | 90 | (0.8) | 90 | (1.0) | 92 | (0.8) | 91 | (1.1) | 92 | (0.6) | 94 | (0.6) | |
| Level 200 | 53 | (1.2) | 56 | (1.0) | 63 | (1.1) | 58 | (1.0) | 58 | (1.8) | 54 | (1.9) | 57 | (1.6) | 59 | (1.5) | 58 | (2.0) | 61 | (1.8) | 64 | (1.3) | 70 | (1.2) | |
| Level 250 | 12 | (0.6) | 12 | (0.6) | 15 | (0.9) | 16 | (0.8) | 16 | (1.4) | 16 | (1.2) | 14 | (1.0) | 15 | (1.2) | 14 | (1.3) | 15 | (1.3) | 17 | (0.8) | 19 | (1.0) | |
| Female | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 150 | 93 | (0.5) | 95 | (0.3) | 96 | (0.4) | 94 | (0.5) | 95 | (1.0) | 92 | (1.1) | 94 | (0.6) | 94 | (0.8) | 95 | (0.6) | 95 | (0.8) | 96 | (0.5) | 97 | (0.4) | |
| Level 200 | 65 | (1.1) | 68 | (0.8) | 73 | (1.0) | 65 | (1.0) | 67 | (1.4) | 64 | (1.2) | 67 | (1.2) | 67 | (1.9) | 70 | (1.6) | 67 | (1.6) | 73 | (1.2) | 77 | (1.1) | |
| Level 250 | 19 | (0.8) | 18 | (0.8) | 21 | (1.0) | 18 | (0.8) | 19 | (1.2) | 21 | (1.2) | 18 | (1.1) | 18 | (1.5) | 19 | (1.3) | 17 | (1.3) | 20 | (1.0) | 22 | (1.0) | |
| White | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 150 | 94 | 1 | (0.4) | 96 | (0.3) | 97 | (0.2) | 95 | (0.3) | 95 | (0.7) | 94 | (0.9) | 96 | (0.5) | 96 | (0.5) | 96 | (0.6) | 97 | (0.4) | 97 | (0.4) | 98 | (0.4) |
| Level 200 | 65 | 1 | (1.0) | 69 | (0.8) | 74 | (0.7) | 69 | (0.9) | 68 | (1.6) | 66 | (1.4) | 69 | (1.2) | 70 | (1.5) | 71 | (1.5) | 73 | (1.6) | 77 | (1.0) | 81 | (1.0) |
| Level 250 | 18 | 1 | (0.7) | 17 | (0.7) | 21 | (0.9) | 21 | (0.8) | 20 | (1.5) | 23 | (1.2) | 20 | (1.0) | 20 | (1.5) | 20 | (1.1) | 20 | (1.4) | 24 | (0.8) | 27 | (1.1) |
| Black | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 150 | 70 | 1 | (1.7) | 81 | (1.1) | 85 | (1.4) | 81 | (1.2) | 83 | (2.4) | 77 | (2.7) | 80 | (2.2) | 79 | (2.4) | 84 | (1.9) | 82 | (2.5) | 88 | (1.7) | 91 | (1.1) |
| Level 200 | 22 | 1 | (1.5) | 32 | (1.5) | 41 | (1.9) | 37 | (1.5) | 39 | (2.9) | 34 | (3.4) | 37 | (2.2) | 38 | (2.8) | 42 | (3.2) | 36 | (3.0) | 50 | (2.3) | 58 | (2.3) |
| Level 250 | 2 | 1 | (0.5) | 2 | (0.3) | 4 | (0.6) | 5 | (0.5) | 6 | (1.2) | 5 | (1.5) | 5 | (0.8) | 4 | (1.5) | 6 | (1.1) | 4 | (1.1) | 7 | (0.8) | 9 | (0.9) |
| Hispanic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 150 | [2] | (†) | 81 | (2.5) | 84 | (1.8) | 82 | (3.0) | 86 | (3.5) | 84 | (1.8) | 83 | (2.6) | 80 | (4.6) | 86 | (2.4) | 87 | (3.3) | 89 | (1.3) | 93 | (0.8) | |
| Level 200 | [2] | (†) | 35 | (3.0) | 42 | (2.6) | 40 | (2.7) | 46 | (3.3) | 41 | (2.7) | 43 | (3.5) | 37 | (4.6) | 48 | (3.8) | 44 | (3.4) | 53 | (1.7) | 62 | (1.7) | |
| Level 250 | [2] | (†) | 3 | (0.5) | 5 | (1.4) | 4 | (0.6) | 9 | (2.3) | 6 | (2.0) | 7 | (2.3) | 6 | (1.6) | 7 | (3.2) | 6 | (1.7) | 7 | (0.8) | 10 | (1.2) | |
| 13-year-olds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 200 | 93 | (0.5) | 93 | (0.4) | 95 | (0.4) | 94 | (0.3) | 95 | (0.6) | 94 | (0.6) | 93 | (0.7) | 92 | (0.6) | 92 | (0.7) | 93 | (0.7) | 92 | (0.6) | 94 | (0.4) | |
| Level 250 | 58 | (1.1) | 59 | (1.0) | 61 | (1.1) | 59 | (0.8) | 59 | (1.3) | 59 | (1.0) | 62 | (1.4) | 60 | (1.2) | 60 | (1.3) | 61 | (1.5) | 59 | (1.1) | 63 | (0.8) | |
| Level 300 | 10 | (0.5) | 10 | (0.5) | 11 | (0.5) | 11 | (0.4) | 11 | (0.8) | 11 | (0.6) | 15 | (0.9) | 14 | (0.8) | 14 | (1.0) | 15 | (1.1) | 12 | (0.8) | 13 | (0.5) | |
| Male | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 200 | 91 | (0.7) | 91 | (0.5) | 93 | (0.6) | 92 | (0.4) | 93 | (1.0) | 91 | (0.9) | 90 | (1.1) | 89 | (1.1) | 89 | (1.2) | 91 | (0.9) | 89 | (0.8) | 92 | (0.6) | |
| Level 250 | 52 | (1.2) | 52 | (1.1) | 56 | (1.2) | 54 | (0.9) | 52 | (1.9) | 52 | (1.5) | 55 | (2.0) | 53 | (1.9) | 53 | (1.6) | 55 | (1.9) | 55 | (1.3) | 59 | (1.2) | |
| Level 300 | 7 | (0.5) | 7 | (0.4) | 9 | (0.7) | 9 | (0.5) | 9 | (0.9) | 8 | (0.8) | 13 | (1.1) | 10 | (0.7) | 10 | (1.0) | 11 | (1.1) | 11 | (0.9) | 11 | (0.7) | |
| Female | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 200 | 95 | (0.4) | 96 | (0.4) | 96 | (0.4) | 96 | (0.3) | 97 | (0.6) | 96 | (0.6) | 95 | (0.7) | 95 | (0.6) | 95 | (0.6) | 96 | (0.7) | 95 | (0.6) | 96 | (0.5) | |
| Level 250 | 64 | (1.1) | 65 | (1.2) | 65 | (1.1) | 64 | (0.8) | 65 | (1.4) | 65 | (1.5) | 68 | (1.4) | 68 | (1.7) | 66 | (1.6) | 66 | (1.9) | 65 | (1.3) | 66 | (1.0) | |
| Level 300 | 12 | (0.6) | 13 | (0.7) | 13 | (0.6) | 13 | (0.6) | 13 | (0.9) | 14 | (0.9) | 18 | (1.1) | 18 | (1.1) | 17 | (1.3) | 18 | (1.7) | 14 | (1.0) | 16 | (0.9) | |
| White | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 200 | 96 | 1 | (0.3) | 96 | (0.2) | 97 | (0.2) | 96 | (0.2) | 96 | (0.6) | 96 | (0.6) | 96 | (0.6) | 95 | (0.7) | 95 | (0.5) | 96 | (0.6) | 95 | (0.5) | 96 | (0.4) |
| Level 250 | 64 | 1 | (0.9) | 65 | (0.9) | 68 | (0.8) | 65 | (0.8) | 64 | (1.5) | 65 | (1.2) | 68 | (1.4) | 68 | (1.3) | 69 | (1.4) | 69 | (1.7) | 68 | (1.1) | 72 | (1.2) |
| Level 300 | 11 | 1 | (0.5) | 12 | (0.5) | 14 | (0.6) | 13 | (0.6) | 12 | (0.9) | 13 | (0.9) | 18 | (1.1) | 17 | (1.0) | 17 | (1.3) | 18 | (1.4) | 16 | (0.9) | 18 | (0.8) |
| Black | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 200 | 74 | 1 | (1.7) | 77 | (1.3) | 84 | (1.7) | 85 | (1.2) | 91 | (2.2) | 88 | (2.3) | 82 | (2.7) | 81 | (2.3) | 82 | (3.2) | 85 | (2.3) | 86 | (1.5) | 91 | (1.1) |
| Level 250 | 21 | 1 | (1.2) | 25 | (1.6) | 30 | (2.0) | 35 | (1.3) | 40 | (2.3) | 42 | (3.5) | 38 | (2.7) | 36 | (3.5) | 34 | (3.9) | 38 | (2.7) | 40 | (2.3) | 48 | (2.3) |
| Level 300 | 1 | 1 | (0.2) | 2 | (0.3) | 2 | (0.5) | 3 | (0.6) | 5 | (1.2) | 5 | (0.8) | 6 | (1.4) | 4 | (1.2) | 3 | (0.9) | 5 | (1.4) | 4 | (0.7) | 6 | (0.8) |
| Hispanic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 200 | [2] | (†) | 81 | (2.3) | 87 | (2.4) | 86 | (1.7) | 87 | (2.6) | 86 | (2.4) | 83 | (3.5) | 82 | (2.7) | 85 | (3.2) | 89 | (2.8) | 85 | (1.9) | 87 | (1.3) | |
| Level 250 | [2] | (†) | 32 | (3.6) | 35 | (2.6) | 39 | (2.3) | 38 | (4.4) | 37 | (2.9) | 41 | (5.1) | 34 | (3.9) | 38 | (3.7) | 43 | (3.8) | 44 | (2.3) | 44 | (1.8) | |
| Level 300 | [2] | (†) | 2 | (1.0) | 2 | (0.6) | 4 | (1.0) | 4 | (1.9) | 4 | (1.2) | 6 | (1.9) | 4 | (1.8) | 5 | (1.7) | 6 | (1.8) | 5 | (1.2) | 5 | (0.6) | |
| 17-year-olds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 250 | 79 | (0.9) | 80 | (0.7) | 81 | (0.9) | 83 | (0.6) | 86 | (0.8) | 84 | (1.0) | 83 | (0.8) | 81 | (1.0) | 82 | (0.8) | 82 | (1.0) | 79 | (0.9) | 80 | (0.6) | |
| Level 300 | 39 | (1.0) | 39 | (0.8) | 38 | (1.1) | 40 | (1.0) | 41 | (1.5) | 41 | (1.0) | 43 | (1.1) | 41 | (1.2) | 39 | (1.4) | 40 | (1.4) | 36 | (1.2) | 39 | (0.8) | |
| Male | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 250 | 74 | (1.0) | 76 | (0.8) | 78 | (1.0) | 80 | (0.7) | 83 | (1.4) | 80 | (1.4) | 78 | (1.2) | 76 | (1.5) | 77 | (1.2) | 77 | (1.5) | 73 | (1.2) | 76 | (0.8) | |
| Level 300 | 34 | (1.1) | 34 | (1.0) | 35 | (1.3) | 36 | (1.0) | 37 | (2.3) | 36 | (1.5) | 38 | (1.6) | 36 | (1.9) | 34 | (1.9) | 34 | (1.7) | 32 | (1.2) | 35 | (0.9) | |
| Female | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 250 | 83 | (1.0) | 84 | (0.9) | 84 | (1.0) | 87 | (0.6) | 88 | (1.1) | 89 | (1.0) | 87 | (1.1) | 86 | (1.2) | 87 | (1.0) | 87 | (1.0) | 84 | (0.9) | 84 | (0.8) | |
| Level 300 | 44 | (1.2) | 44 | (0.9) | 41 | (1.2) | 45 | (1.1) | 44 | (2.0) | 47 | (1.3) | 48 | (1.5) | 46 | (1.5) | 45 | (1.7) | 45 | (1.8) | 41 | (1.6) | 43 | (1.0) | |
| White | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 250 | 84 | 1 | (0.7) | 86 | (0.6) | 87 | (0.6) | 88 | (0.5) | 89 | (0.9) | 88 | (1.1) | 88 | (0.9) | 86 | (1.1) | 87 | (0.8) | 87 | (1.3) | 83 | (0.9) | 87 | (0.6) |
| Level 300 | 43 | 1 | (0.9) | 44 | (0.8) | 43 | (1.1) | 47 | (1.1) | 45 | (1.6) | 48 | (1.2) | 50 | (1.4) | 48 | (1.4) | 46 | (1.5) | 46 | (1.5) | 42 | (1.3) | 47 | (1.0) |
| Black | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 250 | 40 | 1 | (1.6) | 43 | (1.6) | 44 | (2.0) | 65 | (1.5) | 76 | (2.4) | 69 | (2.8) | 61 | (2.3) | 66 | (4.1) | 68 | (4.0) | 66 | (2.5) | 64 | (2.2) | 67 | (2.4) |
| Level 300 | 8 | 1 | (0.9) | 8 | (0.7) | 7 | (0.8) | 16 | (1.0) | 25 | (3.1) | 20 | (1.8) | 17 | (2.5) | 22 | (3.7) | 18 | (2.2) | 17 | (1.7) | 16 | (1.8) | 21 | (1.5) |
| Hispanic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 250 | [2] | (†) | 53 | (4.1) | 62 | (3.1) | 68 | (2.4) | 71 | (4.8) | 75 | (4.7) | 69 | (4.0) | 63 | (4.4) | 65 | (4.2) | 68 | (4.3) | 67 | (2.4) | 70 | (1.5) | |
| Level 300 | [2] | (†) | 13 | (2.7) | 17 | (2.1) | 21 | (3.0) | 23 | (3.7) | 27 | (3.3) | 27 | (3.2) | 20 | (3.0) | 20 | (4.8) | 24 | (3.8) | 23 | (2.1) | 22 | (1.0) | |
| †Not applicable. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Data for 1971 include persons of Hispanic ethnicity. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Test scores of Hispanics were not tabulated separately. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: The NAEP reading scores have been evaluated at certain performance levels. Scale ranges from 0 to 500. Students scoring 150 (or higher) are able to follow brief written directions and carry out simple, discrete reading tasks. Students scoring 200 are able to understand, combine ideas, and make inferences based on short uncomplicated passages about specific or sequentially related information. Students scoring 250 are able to search for specific information, interrelate ideas, and make generalizations about literature, science, and social studies materials. Students scoring 300 are able to find, understand, summarize, and explain relatively complicated literary and informational material. Includes public and private schools. Excludes persons not enrolled in school and students who were unable to be tested due to limited proficiency in English or due to a disability. Beginning in 2004, data are for a revised assessment format that provides accommodations for students with disabilities and English language learners. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity, except where noted. Standard errors appear in parentheses. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress; and 2004 and 2008 Long-Term Trend Reading Assessments, retrieved May 12, 2009, from the Long-Term Trend NAEP Data Explorer (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/). (This table was prepared May 2009.) |
