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| 2017 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 221.75. | Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scale score and standard deviation, by selected student characteristics, percentile, and grade: Selected years, 1992 through 2017 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected student characteristic, percentile, and grade | 19921 | 19941 | 1998 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total | Male | Female | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |||||||||||||||
| 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) | 222 | (0.3) | 223 | (0.4) | 222 | (0.3) | 219 | (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) | 268 | (0.3) | 265 | (0.2) | 267 | (0.3) | 262 | (0.3) | 272 | (0.4) |
| 12th grade | 292 | (0.6) | 287 | (0.7) | 290 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 287 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 286 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 288 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 288 | (0.6) | 287 | (0.5) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Eligibility for free or | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| reduced-price lunch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eligible | — | (†) | — | (†) | 196 | (1.7) | 193 | (1.7) | 203 | (0.7) | 201 | (0.3) | 203 | (0.3) | 205 | (0.3) | 206 | (0.3) | 207 | (0.3) | 207 | (0.3) | 209 | (0.4) | 208 | (0.3) | 205 | (0.4) | 212 | (0.4) |
| Not eligible | — | (†) | — | (†) | 227 | (0.9) | 226 | (1.2) | 230 | (0.4) | 229 | (0.3) | 230 | (0.2) | 232 | (0.3) | 232 | (0.3) | 235 | (0.3) | 236 | (0.3) | 237 | (0.3) | 236 | (0.3) | 233 | (0.4) | 238 | (0.3) |
| Unknown | — | (†) | — | (†) | 223 | (2.7) | 225 | (2.3) | 226 | (1.6) | 230 | (0.9) | 232 | (0.9) | 233 | (1.3) | 236 | (1.3) | 235 | (0.8) | 237 | (1.4) | 236 | (1.3) | 235 | (1.2) | 232 | (1.5) | 238 | (1.5) |
| 8th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eligible | — | (†) | — | (†) | 245 | (1.0) | — | (†) | 249 | (0.5) | 247 | (0.4) | 247 | (0.3) | 247 | (0.3) | 249 | (0.3) | 252 | (0.3) | 254 | (0.2) | 253 | (0.3) | 253 | (0.3) | 249 | (0.4) | 258 | (0.4) |
| Not eligible | — | (†) | — | (†) | 269 | (1.0) | — | (†) | 272 | (0.4) | 271 | (0.3) | 270 | (0.2) | 271 | (0.3) | 273 | (0.3) | 275 | (0.3) | 278 | (0.3) | 277 | (0.3) | 277 | (0.3) | 273 | (0.4) | 282 | (0.4) |
| Unknown | — | (†) | — | (†) | 272 | (2.0) | — | (†) | 271 | (1.4) | 272 | (1.0) | 275 | (1.1) | 277 | (1.3) | 280 | (1.3) | 283 | (0.9) | 286 | (1.8) | 282 | (0.9) | 280 | (1.3) | 275 | (1.4) | 285 | (1.6) |
| 12th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eligible | — | (†) | — | (†) | 270 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 273 | (1.4) | — | (†) | 271 | (1.0) | — | (†) | 273 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 274 | (0.7) | 272 | (0.8) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Not eligible | — | (†) | — | (†) | 293 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 289 | (0.9) | — | (†) | 290 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 294 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 296 | (0.6) | 295 | (0.7) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Unknown | — | (†) | — | (†) | 295 | (1.6) | — | (†) | 294 | (1.5) | — | (†) | 295 | (1.9) | — | (†) | 296 | (2.4) | — | (†) | 302 | (2.6) | 305 | (2.4) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Read for fun on own time | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Almost every day | 223 | (1.2) | 223 | (1.2) | 219 | (1.5) | 218 | (1.7) | 225 | (0.5) | 225 | (0.3) | 225 | (0.3) | 227 | (0.3) | 228 | (0.4) | 228 | (0.4) | 229 | (0.4) | 229 | (0.5) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 1-2 times a week | 218 | (1.2) | 213 | (1.1) | 217 | (1.2) | 216 | (1.2) | 220 | (0.5) | 219 | (0.3) | 220 | (0.3) | 223 | (0.3) | 221 | (0.4) | 221 | (0.4) | 223 | (0.4) | 224 | (0.5) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 1-2 times a month | 210 | (1.6) | 208 | (2.1) | 211 | (1.9) | 212 | (1.6) | 210 | (0.8) | 211 | (0.5) | 213 | (0.4) | 216 | (0.4) | 214 | (0.4) | 214 | (0.4) | 216 | (0.4) | 219 | (0.5) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Never or hardly ever | 199 | (1.8) | 197 | (1.9) | 202 | (1.9) | 201 | (1.8) | 208 | (0.5) | 207 | (0.4) | 208 | (0.3) | 211 | (0.4) | 210 | (0.3) | 210 | (0.5) | 211 | (0.4) | 212 | (0.5) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 8th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Almost every day | 277 | (1.1) | 277 | (1.4) | 277 | (1.0) | — | (†) | 279 | (0.6) | 279 | (0.4) | 279 | (0.3) | 281 | (0.4) | 282 | (0.4) | 284 | (0.4) | 286 | (0.4) | 284 | (0.4) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 1-2 times a week | 263 | (1.0) | 264 | (1.1) | 267 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 266 | (0.5) | 265 | (0.4) | 265 | (0.3) | 265 | (0.3) | 267 | (0.4) | 268 | (0.3) | 271 | (0.4) | 269 | (0.4) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 1-2 times a month | 258 | (1.2) | 257 | (0.8) | 263 | (0.9) | — | (†) | 264 | (0.6) | 262 | (0.3) | 261 | (0.3) | 261 | (0.4) | 261 | (0.4) | 263 | (0.3) | 266 | (0.3) | 263 | (0.4) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Never or hardly ever | 246 | (1.4) | 246 | (1.1) | 251 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 255 | (0.4) | 253 | (0.3) | 252 | (0.3) | 253 | (0.3) | 253 | (0.4) | 255 | (0.3) | 257 | (0.3) | 255 | (0.3) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 12th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Almost every day | 304 | (0.9) | 302 | (1.1) | 304 | (1.0) | — | (†) | 304 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 302 | (1.2) | — | (†) | 305 | (0.9) | — | (†) | 306 | (0.8) | 304 | (1.2) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 1-2 times a week | 296 | (0.7) | 294 | (1.0) | 298 | (0.9) | — | (†) | 292 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 292 | (1.0) | — | (†) | 295 | (1.0) | — | (†) | 297 | (0.8) | 296 | (1.0) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 1-2 times a month | 290 | (0.9) | 285 | (1.0) | 289 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 288 | (0.9) | — | (†) | 285 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 288 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 289 | (0.6) | 289 | (0.9) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Never or hardly ever | 279 | (1.0) | 273 | (1.1) | 275 | (1.0) | — | (†) | 275 | (1.0) | — | (†) | 274 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 275 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 276 | (0.7) | 275 | (0.7) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 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) | 174 | (0.6) | 174 | (0.7) | 171 | (0.4) | 166 | (0.7) | 176 | (0.7) |
| 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) | 200 | (0.3) | 201 | (0.5) | 199 | (0.4) | 195 | (0.6) | 203 | (0.6) |
| 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) | 225 | (0.3) | 226 | (0.4) | 226 | (0.3) | 223 | (0.4) | 228 | (0.3) |
| 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) | 247 | (0.3) | 248 | (0.4) | 249 | (0.2) | 247 | (0.4) | 250 | (0.3) |
| 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) | 265 | (0.4) | 266 | (0.4) | 267 | (0.3) | 265 | (0.4) | 268 | (0.4) |
| 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) | 223 | (0.4) | 220 | (0.5) | 219 | (0.5) | 213 | (0.5) | 226 | (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) | 246 | (0.2) | 244 | (0.3) | 245 | (0.3) | 240 | (0.5) | 250 | (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) | 269 | (0.3) | 268 | (0.2) | 269 | (0.3) | 265 | (0.5) | 274 | (0.4) |
| 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) | 291 | (0.3) | 290 | (0.3) | 291 | (0.3) | 287 | (0.4) | 295 | (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) | 310 | (0.4) | 308 | (0.3) | 310 | (0.3) | 305 | (0.5) | 314 | (0.5) |
| 12th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | 249 | (0.8) | 239 | (0.9) | 240 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 237 | (1.5) | — | (†) | 235 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 238 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 239 | (1.0) | 233 | (0.8) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 25th | 271 | (0.8) | 264 | (0.9) | 267 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 263 | (1.3) | — | (†) | 262 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 264 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 264 | (0.8) | 261 | (0.9) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 50th | 294 | (0.8) | 290 | (0.6) | 293 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 289 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 288 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 291 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 290 | (0.7) | 289 | (0.7) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 75th | 315 | (0.5) | 313 | (0.8) | 317 | (0.7) | — | (†) | 312 | (0.6) | — | (†) | 313 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 315 | (0.9) | — | (†) | 315 | (0.7) | 315 | (0.6) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| 90th | 333 | (0.7) | 332 | (1.2) | 336 | (0.8) | — | (†) | 332 | (0.9) | — | (†) | 333 | (1.1) | — | (†) | 335 | (0.9) | — | (†) | 335 | (0.6) | 337 | (0.7) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Standard deviation of the reading scale score4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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) | 37 | (0.3) | 38 | (0.2) | 39 | (0.2) | 37 | (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) | 34 | (0.1) | 35 | (0.2) | 36 | (0.1) | 36 | (0.2) | 35 | (0.2) |
| 12th grade | 33 | (0.4) | 37 | (0.5) | 38 | (0.4) | — | (†) | 37 | (0.4) | — | (†) | 38 | (0.4) | — | (†) | 38 | (0.3) | — | (†) | 38 | (0.3) | 41 | (0.4) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| —Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 2017 was 222, and the standard deviation was 38. This means that about two-thirds of students would be expected to have scores between 260 (one standard deviation above the average) and 184 (one standard deviation below). Standard errors also must be taken into account when making comparisons of these ranges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Includes public and private schools. For 1998 and later years, includes students tested with accommodations (1 to 13 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). On the student questionnaire, the format of the question about reading for fun on your own time changed slightly beginning with the 2002 assessment year. From 1992 through 2000, reading for fun was one of several activities included in the same question (“How often do you do each of the following?”), and the response options were listed in order from most frequent to least frequent (that is, “Almost every day” was listed first, and “Never or hardly ever” was listed last); starting in 2002, reading for fun was the only activity in the question, and the order of the response options was reversed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 Reading Assessments, retrieved June 20, 2018, from the Main NAEP Data Explorer (https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/). (This table was prepared June 2018.) |
