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| 2011 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 126. | Average reading scale score and standard deviation, by sex, race/ethnicity, percentile, and grade: Selected years, 1992 through 2011 |
| Race/ethnicity, percentile, and grade | 19921 | 19941 | 1998 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Male | Female | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | ||||||||||||
| Average reading scale score2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All students | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th grade | 217 | (0.9) | 214 | (1.0) | 215 | (1.1) | 213 | (1.3) | 219 | (0.4) | 218 | (0.3) | 219 | (0.2) | 221 | (0.3) | 221 | (0.3) | 221 | (0.3) | 218 | (0.3) | 225 | (0.3) |
| 8th grade | 260 | (0.9) | 260 | (0.8) | 263 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 264 | (0.4) | 263 | (0.3) | 262 | (0.2) | 263 | (0.2) | 264 | (0.3) | 265 | (0.2) | 261 | (0.3) | 270 | (0.2) |
| 12th grade | 292 | (0.6) | 287 | (0.7) | 290 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 287 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 286 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 288 | (0.7) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| White | 224 | (1.2) | 224 | (1.3) | 225 | (1.0) | 224 | (1.1) | 229 | (0.3) | 229 | (0.2) | 229 | (0.2) | 231 | (0.2) | 230 | (0.3) | 231 | (0.2) | 228 | (0.3) | 234 | (0.3) |
| Black | 192 | (1.7) | 185 | (1.8) | 193 | (1.9) | 190 | (1.8) | 199 | (0.5) | 198 | (0.4) | 200 | (0.3) | 203 | (0.4) | 205 | (0.5) | 205 | (0.5) | 200 | (0.5) | 210 | (0.6) |
| Hispanic | 197 | (2.6) | 188 | (3.4) | 193 | (3.2) | 190 | (2.9) | 201 | (1.3) | 200 | (0.6) | 203 | (0.5) | 205 | (0.5) | 205 | (0.5) | 206 | (0.5) | 203 | (0.7) | 209 | (0.6) |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 216 | (2.9) | 220 | (3.8) | 215 | (5.6) | 225 | (5.2) | 224 | (1.6) | 226 | (1.2) | 229 | (0.7) | 232 | (1.0) | 235 | (1.0) | 235 | (1.2) | 231 | (1.3) | 238 | (1.6) |
| Asian | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 236 | (1.3) | 233 | (1.3) | 239 | (1.6) |
| Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander |
— | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 216 | (1.9) | 213 | (3.1) | 219 | (2.9) |
| American Indian/ Alaska Native |
‡ | (†) | 211 | (6.6) | ‡ | (†) | 214 | (6.0) | 207 | (2.0) | 202 | (1.4) | 204 | (1.3) | 203 | (1.2) | 204 | (1.3) | 202 | (1.3) | 196 | (1.9) | 208 | (1.6) |
| 8th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| White | 267 | (1.1) | 267 | (1.0) | 270 | (0.9) | — | (†) | 272 | (0.4) | 272 | (0.2) | 271 | (0.2) | 272 | (0.2) | 273 | (0.2) | 274 | (0.2) | 269 | (0.3) | 279 | (0.3) |
| Black | 237 | (1.7) | 236 | (1.8) | 244 | (1.2) | — | (†) | 245 | (0.7) | 244 | (0.5) | 243 | (0.4) | 245 | (0.4) | 246 | (0.4) | 249 | (0.5) | 243 | (0.6) | 254 | (0.5) |
| Hispanic | 241 | (1.6) | 243 | (1.2) | 243 | (1.7) | — | (†) | 247 | (0.8) | 245 | (0.7) | 246 | (0.4) | 247 | (0.4) | 249 | (0.6) | 252 | (0.5) | 249 | (0.6) | 256 | (0.6) |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 268 | (3.9) | 265 | (3.0) | 264 | (7.1) | — | (†) | 267 | (1.7) | 270 | (1.1) | 271 | (0.8) | 271 | (1.1) | 274 | (1.1) | 275 | (1.0) | 271 | (1.0) | 280 | (1.3) |
| Asian | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 277 | (1.0) | 273 | (1.1) | 282 | (1.4) |
| Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander |
— | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 254 | (2.2) | 247 | (2.8) | 260 | (3.2) |
| American Indian/ Alaska Native |
‡ | (†) | 248 | (4.7) | ‡ | (†) | — | (†) | 250 | (3.5) | 246 | (3.0) | 249 | (1.4) | 247 | (1.2) | 251 | (1.2) | 252 | (1.2) | 247 | (1.6) | 256 | (1.8) |
| 12th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| White | 297 | (0.6) | 293 | (0.7) | 297 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 292 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 293 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 296 | (0.6) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Black | 273 | (1.4) | 265 | (1.6) | 269 | (1.4) | — | (†) | 267 | (1.3) | — | (†) | 267 | (1.2) | — | (†) | 269 | (1.1) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Hispanic | 279 | (2.7) | 270 | (1.7) | 275 | (1.5) | — | (†) | 273 | (1.5) | — | (†) | 272 | (1.2) | — | (†) | 274 | (1.0) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 290 | (3.2) | 278 | (2.4) | 287 | (2.7) | — | (†) | 286 | (2.0) | — | (†) | 287 | (1.9) | — | (†) | 298 | (2.4) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| American Indian/ Alaska Native |
‡ | (†) | 274 | (5.8) | ‡ | (†) | — | (†) | ‡ | (†) | — | (†) | 279 | (6.3) | — | (†) | 283 | (3.7) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Percentile3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | 170 | (1.9) | 159 | (1.5) | 163 | (2.1) | 159 | (2.3) | 170 | (0.9) | 169 | (0.5) | 171 | (0.4) | 174 | (0.4) | 175 | (0.5) | 174 | (0.4) | 169 | (0.5) | 180 | (0.4) |
| 25th | 194 | (1.1) | 189 | (1.1) | 191 | (1.7) | 189 | (1.4) | 196 | (0.5) | 195 | (0.4) | 196 | (0.3) | 199 | (0.3) | 199 | (0.4) | 200 | (0.4) | 196 | (0.4) | 203 | (0.5) |
| 50th | 219 | (1.3) | 219 | (1.3) | 217 | (1.3) | 218 | (1.7) | 221 | (0.5) | 221 | (0.3) | 221 | (0.2) | 224 | (0.3) | 223 | (0.3) | 224 | (0.3) | 221 | (0.5) | 227 | (0.4) |
| 75th | 242 | (1.1) | 243 | (1.3) | 242 | (0.9) | 243 | (0.8) | 244 | (0.5) | 244 | (0.3) | 244 | (0.3) | 246 | (0.3) | 245 | (0.3) | 246 | (0.3) | 243 | (0.4) | 248 | (0.4) |
| 90th | 261 | (1.4) | 263 | (1.7) | 262 | (0.9) | 262 | (1.4) | 263 | (0.4) | 264 | (0.3) | 263 | (0.3) | 264 | (0.4) | 264 | (0.3) | 264 | (0.4) | 262 | (0.3) | 267 | (0.5) |
| 8th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | 213 | (1.2) | 211 | (1.9) | 216 | (1.7) | — | (†) | 220 | (0.5) | 217 | (0.6) | 216 | (0.3) | 217 | (0.4) | 219 | (0.5) | 221 | (0.3) | 215 | (0.4) | 227 | (0.6) |
| 25th | 237 | (1.1) | 236 | (1.1) | 241 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 244 | (0.5) | 242 | (0.3) | 240 | (0.2) | 242 | (0.3) | 243 | (0.4) | 244 | (0.3) | 240 | (0.4) | 249 | (0.4) |
| 50th | 262 | (1.1) | 262 | (0.7) | 266 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 267 | (0.5) | 266 | (0.3) | 265 | (0.2) | 265 | (0.2) | 267 | (0.3) | 267 | (0.2) | 263 | (0.4) | 271 | (0.3) |
| 75th | 285 | (0.8) | 286 | (1.1) | 288 | (1.0) | — | (†) | 288 | (0.4) | 288 | (0.3) | 286 | (0.2) | 287 | (0.2) | 288 | (0.4) | 289 | (0.3) | 284 | (0.3) | 293 | (0.3) |
| 90th | 305 | (1.3) | 305 | (1.2) | 306 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 305 | (0.5) | 306 | (0.2) | 305 | (0.2) | 305 | (0.2) | 305 | (0.4) | 307 | (0.2) | 302 | (0.5) | 311 | (0.4) |
| 12th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | 249 | (0.8) | 239 | (0.9) | 240 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 237 | (1.5) | — | (†) | 235 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 238 | (0.8) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 25th | 271 | (0.8) | 264 | (0.9) | 267 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 263 | (1.3) | — | (†) | 262 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 264 | (0.8) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 50th | 294 | (0.8) | 290 | (0.6) | 293 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 289 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 288 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 291 | (0.7) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 75th | 315 | (0.5) | 313 | (0.8) | 317 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 312 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 313 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 315 | (0.9) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 90th | 333 | (0.7) | 332 | (1.2) | 336 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 332 | (0.9) | — | (†) | 333 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 335 | (0.9) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Standard deviation4 of the reading scale score | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All students | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th grade | 36 | (0.6) | 41 | (0.6) | 39 | (0.7) | 42 | (0.9) | 36 | (0.3) | 37 | (0.2) | 36 | (0.1) | 36 | (0.2) | 35 | (0.2) | 36 | (0.1) | 37 | (0.2) | 35 | (0.2) |
| 8th grade | 36 | (0.3) | 37 | (0.4) | 35 | (0.5) | — | (†) | 34 | (0.3) | 35 | (0.2) | 35 | (0.1) | 35 | (0.2) | 34 | (0.2) | 34 | (0.1) | 35 | (0.2) | 33 | (0.2) |
| 12th grade | 33 | (0.4) | 37 | (0.5) | 38 | (0.4) | — | (†) | 37 | (0.4) | — | (†) | 38 | (0.4) | — | (†) | 38 | (0.3) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| —Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‡Reporting standards not met (too few cases). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Accommodations were not permitted for this assessment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Scale ranges from 0 to 500. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 The percentile represents a specific point on the percentage distribution of all students ranked by their reading score from low to high. For example, 10 percent of students scored at or below the 10th percentile score, while 90 percent of students scored above it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 The standard deviation provides an indication of how much the test scores varied. The lower the standard deviation, the closer the scores were clustered around the average score. About two-thirds of the student scores can be expected to fall within the range of one standard deviation above and one standard deviation below the average score. For example, the average score for all 4th-graders in 2011 was 221, and the standard deviation was 36. This means that we would expect about two-thirds of the students to have scores between 257 (one standard deviation above the average) and 185 (one standard deviation below). Standard errors also must be taken into account when making comparisons of these ranges. For a discussion of standard errors, see Appendix A: Guide to Sources. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Includes public and private schools. For 1998 and later years, includes students tested with accommodations (1 to 10 percent of all students, depending on grade level and year); excludes only those students with disabilities and English language learners who were unable to be tested even with accommodations (2 to 6 percent of all students). Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Standard errors appear in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011 Reading Assessments, retrieved November 1, 2011, from the Main NAEP Data Explorer (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/). (This table was prepared November 2011.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
