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Digest of Education Statistics
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Table 224.74c. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) technology and engineering literacy (TEL) scale score and percentage distribution of 8th-graders, by frequency of having done various design- and systems-related activities outside of school and selected student and school characteristics: 2014
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Selected student or school characteristic Frequency of ever having done activity outside of school1
Figured out why something is not working in order to fix it Taken something apart in order to fix it or see how it works Used tools or materials to plan or design something
Never Once or twice Three to five times More than five times Never Once or twice Three to five times More than five times Never Once or twice Three to five times More than five times
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
  Average TEL scale score2
All students 137 (1.0) 143 (0.9) 150 (0.7) 160 (0.7) 145 (0.8) 149 (0.7) 150 (0.9) 156 (0.8) 132 (0.9) 140 (0.9) 150 (0.7) 161 (0.6)
Sex                                                
Male 134 (1.4) 140 (1.4) 147 (1.0) 159 (0.8) 141 (1.2) 146 (1.0) 148 (1.3) 155 (0.8) 132 (1.1) 142 (1.1) 151 (1.0) 160 (0.9)
Female 139 (1.2) 147 (0.8) 154 (0.8) 161 (0.8) 148 (1.0) 152 (0.7) 152 (1.0) 157 (1.0) 132 (1.6) 138 (1.1) 150 (0.8) 161 (0.7)
                                                 
Race/ethnicity                                                
White 148 (1.2) 155 (1.3) 161 (0.8) 167 (0.9) 156 (1.1) 160 (1.1) 162 (1.1) 163 (1.0) 143 (1.3) 151 (1.5) 160 (0.8) 168 (0.8)
Black 120 (1.6) 125 (1.8) 129 (1.3) 137 (1.3) 127 (1.5) 127 (1.4) 127 (1.5) 134 (1.5) 117 (2.0) 123 (1.4) 130 (1.2) 138 (1.4)
Hispanic 128 (1.2) 132 (1.0) 140 (1.1) 149 (1.0) 135 (0.9) 136 (0.9) 137 (1.2) 146 (1.2) 125 (1.2) 130 (1.2) 139 (1.1) 150 (0.9)
Asian 143 (4.2) 149 (2.3) 159 (2.5) 172 (1.9) 156 (2.6) 158 (2.6) 157 (3.2) 168 (2.8) 145 (4.5) 150 (2.7) 161 (2.6) 169 (2.2)
Pacific Islander (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†)
American Indian/Alaska Native (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†) (†)
Two or more races (†) 148 (3.7) 154 (4.8) 164 (2.8) 147 (4.7) 154 (3.4) 158 (4.5) 158 (3.8) (†) 144 (3.7) 155 (3.7) 163 (3.6)
                                                 
English language learner (ELL) status                                                
ELL 103 (1.8) 106 (2.2) 110 (2.2) 117 (2.4) 107 (2.2) 107 (1.8) 107 (2.4) 116 (2.5) 101 (2.2) 105 (2.0) 113 (2.5) 117 (2.3)
Non-ELL 139 (1.0) 146 (0.9) 153 (0.7) 161 (0.7) 147 (0.9) 151 (0.8) 153 (0.9) 157 (0.8) 135 (1.0) 143 (1.0) 152 (0.7) 162 (0.6)
                                                 
Disability status3                                                
Identified as student with disability (SD) 106 (1.7) 111 (1.7) 117 (2.2) 129 (1.8) 113 (1.7) 113 (1.6) 115 (2.5) 126 (1.7) 105 (1.7) 111 (1.5) 119 (1.8) 130 (2.2)
Not identified as SD 143 (1.1) 148 (0.8) 154 (0.8) 163 (0.7) 150 (0.8) 153 (0.7) 154 (0.9) 160 (0.8) 139 (1.0) 146 (0.9) 154 (0.7) 163 (0.6)
                                                 
Highest education level of either parent4                                                
Did not finish high school 123 (2.2) 129 (1.5) 134 (1.8) 142 (1.5) 132 (2.0) 130 (1.5) 133 (2.4) 139 (1.5) 123 (2.4) 128 (1.9) 135 (1.6) 141 (1.3)
Graduated high school 127 (1.8) 131 (1.4) 138 (1.4) 148 (1.6) 134 (1.3) 136 (1.4) 137 (1.6) 143 (1.6) 124 (1.8) 131 (1.6) 138 (1.5) 148 (1.4)
Some education after high school 143 (1.9) 148 (1.4) 151 (1.3) 158 (1.1) 149 (1.2) 152 (1.4) 151 (1.3) 155 (1.5) 139 (1.9) 145 (1.5) 152 (1.2) 159 (1.0)
Graduated college 146 (1.3) 154 (1.2) 159 (0.8) 167 (0.8) 155 (1.1) 159 (0.9) 160 (1.1) 163 (0.9) 141 (1.4) 150 (1.1) 158 (0.9) 168 (0.7)
                                                 
Percent of students in school eligible for
      free or reduced-price lunch
                                               
0 to 25 percent eligible 154 (1.8) 162 (1.6) 166 (1.5) 175 (1.2) 163 (1.7) 166 (1.4) 167 (1.6) 172 (1.5) 149 (2.3) 157 (1.7) 165 (1.4) 176 (1.0)
26 to 50 percent eligible 144 (1.9) 150 (1.9) 155 (1.1) 162 (1.2) 151 (1.5) 155 (1.6) 156 (1.7) 159 (1.2) 139 (1.8) 147 (1.5) 155 (1.1) 164 (1.3)
51 to 75 percent eligible 131 (1.9) 137 (1.2) 143 (1.1) 152 (1.0) 138 (1.4) 141 (1.2) 144 (1.3) 149 (1.2) 128 (1.9) 136 (1.6) 143 (1.2) 153 (1.0)
76 to 100 percent eligible 121 (1.5) 125 (1.3) 134 (1.4) 143 (1.3) 128 (1.3) 130 (1.3) 131 (1.4) 139 (1.6) 120 (1.5) 125 (1.5) 133 (1.4) 143 (1.4)
                                                 
School control                                                
Public 136 (1.0) 142 (0.9) 149 (0.7) 158 (0.7) 144 (0.9) 148 (0.7) 149 (0.9) 155 (0.8) 131 (0.9) 140 (0.9) 149 (0.7) 160 (0.7)
Private 152 (2.1) 157 (1.9) 162 (1.7) 172 (2.0) 160 (1.9) 163 (2.2) 163 (2.0) 168 (2.2) 150 (3.3) 152 (1.8) 164 (1.9) 171 (1.8)
                                                 
School locale                                                
City 130 (1.3) 137 (1.2) 146 (1.1) 157 (1.1) 140 (1.3) 143 (1.0) 144 (1.3) 153 (1.3) 127 (1.3) 135 (1.2) 145 (1.3) 158 (0.9)
Suburb 139 (1.5) 147 (1.4) 154 (1.1) 164 (1.1) 149 (1.3) 153 (1.2) 154 (1.5) 160 (1.1) 135 (1.6) 143 (1.2) 155 (1.1) 165 (1.0)
Town 138 (2.7) 144 (2.1) 147 (2.8) 157 (2.0) 143 (2.9) 149 (2.0) 147 (2.2) 154 (2.1) 133 (3.3) 140 (2.3) 150 (2.8) 158 (1.8)
Rural 140 (2.2) 146 (2.3) 152 (1.5) 158 (1.4) 148 (1.6) 150 (2.0) 152 (2.2) 155 (1.5) 136 (1.7) 144 (2.4) 150 (1.3) 160 (1.6)
  Percentage distribution of students
All students 13 (0.3) 25 (0.3) 25 (0.3) 37 (0.4) 23 (0.3) 28 (0.3) 19 (0.3) 30 (0.4) 12 (0.3) 23 (0.3) 23 (0.3) 43 (0.4)
Sex                                                
Male 11 (0.4) 22 (0.4) 24 (0.4) 43 (0.6) 17 (0.4) 25 (0.4) 20 (0.5) 39 (0.5) 15 (0.5) 27 (0.4) 24 (0.4) 34 (0.5)
Female 14 (0.4) 28 (0.5) 26 (0.4) 31 (0.4) 28 (0.5) 31 (0.5) 19 (0.4) 21 (0.4) 9 (0.3) 18 (0.4) 22 (0.4) 51 (0.6)
                                                 
Race/ethnicity                                                
White 11 (0.4) 23 (0.5) 24 (0.5) 42 (0.5) 21 (0.5) 27 (0.4) 18 (0.4) 33 (0.6) 10 (0.5) 20 (0.4) 22 (0.4) 48 (0.7)
Black 17 (0.6) 27 (0.9) 25 (0.6) 31 (0.8) 26 (0.7) 29 (0.7) 19 (0.7) 26 (0.6) 17 (0.7) 25 (0.6) 23 (0.6) 35 (0.8)
Hispanic 15 (0.6) 28 (0.7) 27 (0.6) 30 (0.7) 25 (0.7) 29 (0.6) 22 (0.6) 25 (0.7) 14 (0.6) 27 (0.6) 24 (0.6) 35 (0.6)
Asian 9 (1.0) 25 (1.5) 27 (1.2) 39 (1.6) 20 (1.2) 29 (1.4) 22 (1.3) 29 (1.5) 9 (1.1) 24 (1.1) 26 (1.2) 40 (1.5)
Pacific Islander 5 (1.8) 36 (8.4) 24 (5.6) 35 (5.8) 24 (3.8) 27 (4.4) 28 (4.9) 22 (4.2) 18 (4.9) 15 (5.0) 19 (4.3) 48 (5.5)
American Indian/Alaska Native 16 (3.7) 20 (3.8) 30 (4.0) 34 (6.0) 18 (3.6) 33 (4.9) 19 (4.8) 30 (6.4) 20 (3.8) 17 (3.3) 22 (4.1) 41 (5.6)
Two or more races 11 (1.8) 23 (2.1) 29 (2.8) 36 (2.6) 19 (2.2) 27 (2.2) 21 (2.1) 34 (2.2) 10 (1.6) 22 (2.2) 23 (2.1) 45 (2.0)
                                                 
English language learner (ELL) status                                                
ELL 17 (1.2) 35 (1.6) 26 (1.3) 21 (1.5) 23 (1.3) 32 (1.4) 24 (1.5) 20 (1.2) 20 (1.2) 34 (1.4) 24 (1.2) 23 (1.4)
Non-ELL 12 (0.3) 24 (0.3) 25 (0.3) 38 (0.4) 22 (0.3) 28 (0.3) 19 (0.3) 31 (0.4) 12 (0.3) 22 (0.3) 23 (0.3) 44 (0.4)
                                                 
Disability status3                                                
Identified as student with disability (SD) 19 (0.9) 29 (1.0) 22 (0.7) 31 (0.9) 26 (0.9) 27 (0.8) 17 (0.8) 29 (0.9) 20 (1.1) 30 (0.9) 21 (0.8) 29 (1.3)
Not identified as SD 12 (0.3) 24 (0.3) 26 (0.3) 38 (0.4) 22 (0.3) 28 (0.3) 20 (0.3) 30 (0.4) 11 (0.3) 22 (0.3) 23 (0.3) 44 (0.4)
                                                 
Highest education level of either parent4                                                
Did not finish high school 15 (0.8) 31 (1.3) 25 (1.1) 29 (1.2) 26 (1.3) 31 (1.4) 18 (1.3) 25 (1.1) 16 (1.2) 29 (1.2) 22 (1.1) 34 (1.4)
Graduated high school 15 (0.9) 28 (0.9) 26 (0.9) 32 (0.9) 25 (0.9) 28 (0.7) 19 (0.7) 27 (0.7) 16 (0.8) 25 (1.0) 25 (0.8) 35 (1.0)
Some education after high school 11 (0.6) 24 (0.8) 26 (0.9) 39 (0.8) 21 (0.9) 27 (0.8) 20 (0.7) 32 (0.8) 10 (0.5) 22 (0.7) 24 (0.8) 44 (0.9)
Graduated college 11 (0.4) 23 (0.4) 25 (0.4) 41 (0.5) 21 (0.4) 27 (0.4) 20 (0.4) 32 (0.5) 9 (0.4) 20 (0.4) 22 (0.4) 48 (0.6)
                                                 
Percent of students in school eligible for
      free or reduced-price lunch
                                               
0-25 percent eligible 10 (0.8) 24 (0.8) 26 (0.7) 40 (1.0) 21 (1.0) 29 (0.9) 19 (0.7) 30 (1.0) 8 (0.7) 20 (0.9) 24 (0.9) 48 (1.1)
26-50 percent eligible 11 (0.5) 25 (0.6) 26 (0.5) 39 (0.7) 23 (0.5) 28 (0.7) 18 (0.6) 31 (0.7) 10 (0.5) 21 (0.6) 22 (0.6) 46 (0.9)
51-75 percent eligible 13 (0.7) 25 (0.6) 25 (0.8) 38 (0.7) 22 (0.8) 27 (0.6) 20 (0.9) 31 (0.7) 14 (0.6) 24 (0.5) 22 (0.6) 40 (0.9)
76-100 percent eligible 16 (0.5) 28 (0.8) 26 (0.6) 30 (0.9) 25 (0.7) 28 (0.6) 21 (0.5) 26 (0.8) 16 (0.8) 27 (0.8) 22 (0.7) 34 (0.9)
                                                 
School control                                                
Public 13 (0.3) 25 (0.3) 25 (0.3) 37 (0.4) 23 (0.3) 28 (0.3) 19 (0.3) 30 (0.4) 12 (0.3) 23 (0.3) 23 (0.3) 42 (0.4)
Private 9 (0.8) 23 (0.9) 25 (1.2) 43 (1.4) 20 (0.8) 28 (1.1) 19 (1.0) 33 (1.2) 8 (0.8) 20 (1.0) 21 (0.8) 51 (1.2)
                                                 
School locale                                                
City 14 (0.6) 25 (0.6) 26 (0.5) 34 (0.7) 24 (0.7) 28 (0.4) 20 (0.5) 28 (0.6) 14 (0.7) 24 (0.5) 23 (0.6) 39 (0.8)
Suburb 12 (0.4) 25 (0.6) 25 (0.4) 37 (0.6) 22 (0.4) 29 (0.5) 19 (0.5) 29 (0.6) 11 (0.4) 23 (0.6) 23 (0.5) 43 (0.7)
Town 12 (0.9) 25 (1.1) 24 (1.2) 39 (1.0) 21 (0.8) 26 (0.7) 20 (0.9) 33 (0.8) 11 (0.7) 23 (1.1) 22 (1.1) 44 (1.1)
Rural 11 (0.6) 24 (0.7) 25 (0.6) 40 (0.8) 21 (0.8) 26 (0.8) 19 (0.7) 33 (0.8) 11 (0.6) 21 (0.6) 23 (0.7) 45 (1.0)
†Not applicable.
‡Reporting standards not met (too few cases for a reliable estimate).
1 Based on student reports.
2 Scale ranges from 0 to 300.
3 The student with disability (SD) variable used in this table includes students who have a 504 plan, even if they do not have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
4 These data are based on students’ responses to questions about their parents’ education level. Data for students whose parents have an unknown level of education are included in table totals, but not shown separately.
NOTE: Includes students tested with accommodations (10 percent of all 8th-graders); excludes only those students with disabilities and English language learners who were unable to be tested even with accommodations (1 percent of all 8th-graders). Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2014 Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL) Assessment, retrieved September 29, 2016, from the Main NAEP Data Explorer (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/). (This table was prepared September 2016.)

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