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| 2020 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 221.12. | Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scale score and percentage of students attaining NAEP reading achievement levels, by selected school and student characteristics and grade: Selected years, 1992 through 2019 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade and year |
Percent of students in school eligible for free or reduced-price lunch | English language learner (ELL) status | Disability status1 | Percent of all students attaining NAEP reading achievement levels | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average reading scale score2 | Gap between low-poverty and high-poverty score | Average reading scale score2 | Gap between non-ELL and ELL score | Average reading scale score2 | Gap between non-SD and SD score | Below NAEP Basic3 | At or above NAEP Basic3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 to 25 percent eligible (low poverty) |
26 to 50 percent eligible | 51 to 75 percent eligible | 76 to 100 percent eligible (high poverty) |
ELL | Non-ELL | Identified as student with disability (SD) | Not identified as SD | Total at or above NAEP Basic3 |
At NAEP Basic3 | At or above NAEP Proficient4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total at or above NAEP Profi-cient4 |
At NAEP Profi-cient4 | At NAEP Advanced5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | |||||||||||||||||
| Grade 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19926 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 38 | (1.1) | 62 | (1.1) | 34 | (0.9) | 29 | (1.2) | 22 | (0.9) | 6 | (0.6) |
| 19946 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 40 | (1.0) | 60 | (1.0) | 31 | (0.7) | 30 | (1.1) | 22 | (0.8) | 7 | (0.7) |
| 1998 | 231 | (1.4) | 218 | (1.6) | 205 | (1.8) | 187 | (3.1) | 44 | (3.4) | 174 | (5.2) | 217 | (1.0) | 43 | (5.3) | 176 | (4.6) | 217 | (1.1) | 41 | (4.7) | 40 | (1.2) | 60 | (1.2) | 30 | (0.8) | 29 | (0.9) | 22 | (0.8) | 7 | (0.5) |
| 2000 | 231 | (1.5) | 218 | (1.3) | 205 | (2.1) | 184 | (2.8) | 48 | (3.2) | 167 | (5.2) | 216 | (1.1) | 49 | (5.3) | 167 | (4.8) | 217 | (1.2) | 50 | (4.9) | 41 | (1.4) | 59 | (1.4) | 30 | (1.1) | 29 | (1.1) | 23 | (1.0) | 7 | (0.6) |
| 2002 | 233 | (0.4) | 221 | (0.5) | 210 | (0.7) | 196 | (0.7) | 37 | (0.9) | 183 | (2.1) | 221 | (0.3) | 38 | (2.1) | 187 | (0.8) | 221 | (0.5) | 34 | (0.9) | 36 | (0.5) | 64 | (0.5) | 32 | (0.3) | 31 | (0.4) | 24 | (0.3) | 7 | (0.2) |
2003 |
233 | (0.4) | 221 | (0.5) | 211 | (0.5) | 194 | (0.5) | 39 | (0.7) | 186 | (0.8) | 221 | (0.3) | 35 | (0.8) | 185 | (0.6) | 221 | (0.3) | 36 | (0.6) | 37 | (0.3) | 63 | (0.3) | 32 | (0.2) | 31 | (0.3) | 24 | (0.3) | 8 | (0.1) |
| 2005 | 234 | (0.3) | 221 | (0.3) | 211 | (0.4) | 197 | (0.4) | 37 | (0.5) | 187 | (0.5) | 222 | (0.2) | 35 | (0.6) | 190 | (0.5) | 222 | (0.2) | 32 | (0.6) | 36 | (0.3) | 64 | (0.3) | 33 | (0.2) | 31 | (0.2) | 24 | (0.2) | 8 | (0.1) |
| 2007 | 235 | (0.4) | 223 | (0.4) | 212 | (0.4) | 200 | (0.5) | 35 | (0.7) | 188 | (0.6) | 224 | (0.3) | 36 | (0.6) | 191 | (0.6) | 224 | (0.3) | 33 | (0.7) | 33 | (0.3) | 67 | (0.3) | 34 | (0.2) | 33 | (0.3) | 25 | (0.2) | 8 | (0.2) |
| 2009 | 237 | (0.4) | 223 | (0.5) | 215 | (0.5) | 202 | (0.5) | 35 | (0.6) | 188 | (0.8) | 224 | (0.3) | 36 | (0.8) | 190 | (0.7) | 224 | (0.3) | 35 | (0.7) | 33 | (0.3) | 67 | (0.3) | 34 | (0.3) | 33 | (0.4) | 25 | (0.3) | 8 | (0.2) |
| 2011 | 238 | (0.5) | 226 | (0.5) | 217 | (0.4) | 203 | (0.5) | 35 | (0.7) | 188 | (0.8) | 225 | (0.3) | 36 | (0.9) | 186 | (0.5) | 225 | (0.3) | 39 | (0.6) | 33 | (0.3) | 67 | (0.3) | 34 | (0.2) | 34 | (0.4) | 26 | (0.3) | 8 | (0.2) |
2013 |
240 | (0.4) | 227 | (0.5) | 218 | (0.6) | 203 | (0.4) | 37 | (0.6) | 187 | (0.7) | 226 | (0.3) | 38 | (0.7) | 184 | (0.6) | 227 | (0.3) | 42 | (0.7) | 32 | (0.3) | 68 | (0.3) | 33 | (0.2) | 35 | (0.3) | 27 | (0.3) | 8 | (0.2) |
| 2015 | 241 | (0.5) | 228 | (0.5) | 219 | (0.6) | 205 | (0.6) | 36 | (0.8) | 189 | (1.1) | 226 | (0.3) | 37 | (1.1) | 187 | (0.7) | 228 | (0.3) | 41 | (0.8) | 31 | (0.4) | 69 | (0.4) | 33 | (0.3) | 36 | (0.4) | 27 | (0.3) | 9 | (0.2) |
| 20177 | 240 | (0.6) | 228 | (0.6) | 218 | (0.6) | 205 | (0.5) | 35 | (0.8) | 189 | (0.8) | 226 | (0.3) | 37 | (0.9) | 187 | (0.5) | 227 | (0.3) | 40 | (0.6) | 32 | (0.3) | 68 | (0.3) | 31 | (0.3) | 37 | (0.3) | 27 | (0.3) | 9 | (0.2) |
| 20197 | 240 | (0.5) | 227 | (0.4) | 217 | (0.4) | 206 | (1.0) | 34 | (1.1) | 191 | (0.7) | 224 | (0.2) | 33 | (0.7) | 184 | (0.6) | 226 | (0.2) | 42 | (0.7) | 34 | (0.3) | 66 | (0.3) | 31 | (0.3) | 35 | (0.3) | 26 | (0.2) | 9 | (0.1) |
Grade 8 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19926 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 31 | (1.0) | 69 | (1.0) | 40 | (0.7) | 29 | (1.1) | 26 | (1.0) | 3 | (0.3) |
| 19946 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 30 | (0.9) | 70 | (0.9) | 40 | (0.7) | 30 | (0.9) | 27 | (0.8) | 3 | (0.3) |
| 1998 | 273 | (1.1) | 262 | (1.3) | 252 | (2.1) | 240 | (1.8) | 33 | (2.1) | 218 | (2.5) | 264 | (0.7) | 46 | (2.6) | 224 | (3.7) | 266 | (0.7) | 42 | (3.7) | 27 | (0.8) | 73 | (0.8) | 41 | (0.9) | 32 | (1.1) | 30 | (0.9) | 3 | (0.3) |
| 2000 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
| 2002 | 276 | (0.6) | 264 | (0.6) | 254 | (0.8) | 240 | (1.1) | 36 | (1.3) | 224 | (1.4) | 266 | (0.4) | 42 | (1.4) | 228 | (1.0) | 268 | (0.4) | 39 | (1.0) | 25 | (0.5) | 75 | (0.5) | 43 | (0.4) | 33 | (0.5) | 30 | (0.5) | 3 | (0.2) |
2003 |
275 | (0.4) | 263 | (0.4) | 253 | (0.6) | 239 | (1.0) | 36 | (1.1) | 222 | (1.5) | 265 | (0.3) | 43 | (1.5) | 225 | (0.6) | 267 | (0.3) | 42 | (0.6) | 26 | (0.3) | 74 | (0.3) | 42 | (0.2) | 32 | (0.3) | 29 | (0.2) | 3 | (0.1) |
| 2005 | 274 | (0.3) | 262 | (0.3) | 252 | (0.4) | 240 | (0.6) | 34 | (0.7) | 224 | (0.9) | 264 | (0.2) | 40 | (0.9) | 227 | (0.5) | 266 | (0.2) | 39 | (0.5) | 27 | (0.2) | 73 | (0.2) | 42 | (0.2) | 31 | (0.2) | 28 | (0.2) | 3 | (0.1) |
| 2007 | 275 | (0.4) | 263 | (0.4) | 253 | (0.5) | 241 | (0.7) | 34 | (0.8) | 223 | (1.1) | 265 | (0.2) | 42 | (1.1) | 227 | (0.6) | 266 | (0.2) | 39 | (0.6) | 26 | (0.2) | 74 | (0.2) | 43 | (0.2) | 31 | (0.2) | 28 | (0.2) | 3 | (0.1) |
| 2009 | 277 | (0.5) | 265 | (0.4) | 256 | (0.6) | 243 | (0.7) | 34 | (0.8) | 219 | (1.0) | 266 | (0.2) | 47 | (1.0) | 230 | (0.6) | 267 | (0.3) | 37 | (0.7) | 25 | (0.3) | 75 | (0.3) | 43 | (0.4) | 32 | (0.4) | 30 | (0.4) | 3 | (0.1) |
| 2011 | 279 | (0.4) | 268 | (0.4) | 258 | (0.5) | 247 | (0.5) | 32 | (0.7) | 224 | (1.0) | 267 | (0.2) | 44 | (1.0) | 231 | (0.5) | 269 | (0.2) | 38 | (0.6) | 24 | (0.3) | 76 | (0.3) | 42 | (0.3) | 34 | (0.3) | 30 | (0.2) | 3 | (0.1) |
2013 |
282 | (0.5) | 270 | (0.5) | 261 | (0.4) | 249 | (0.5) | 33 | (0.7) | 225 | (0.9) | 270 | (0.2) | 45 | (1.0) | 232 | (0.6) | 272 | (0.2) | 39 | (0.7) | 22 | (0.3) | 78 | (0.3) | 42 | (0.3) | 36 | (0.3) | 32 | (0.3) | 4 | (0.1) |
| 2015 | 281 | (0.5) | 269 | (0.5) | 261 | (0.6) | 248 | (0.6) | 33 | (0.8) | 223 | (0.9) | 268 | (0.2) | 45 | (0.9) | 230 | (0.6) | 270 | (0.2) | 40 | (0.6) | 24 | (0.3) | 76 | (0.3) | 42 | (0.3) | 34 | (0.3) | 31 | (0.3) | 4 | (0.1) |
| 20177 | 281 | (0.5) | 270 | (0.4) | 261 | (0.5) | 250 | (0.5) | 31 | (0.7) | 226 | (0.8) | 269 | (0.3) | 43 | (0.8) | 232 | (0.6) | 271 | (0.3) | 39 | (0.6) | 24 | (0.3) | 76 | (0.3) | 40 | (0.3) | 36 | (0.3) | 32 | (0.3) | 4 | (0.1) |
| 20197 | 279 | (0.5) | 268 | (0.6) | 259 | (0.6) | 249 | (0.9) | 30 | (1.0) | 221 | (0.9) | 266 | (0.3) | 45 | (0.9) | 229 | (0.6) | 268 | (0.3) | 39 | (0.6) | 27 | (0.3) | 73 | (0.3) | 39 | (0.3) | 34 | (0.3) | 29 | (0.3) | 4 | (0.1) |
Grade 12 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19926 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 20 | (0.6) | 80 | (0.6) | 39 | (0.7) | 40 | (0.8) | 36 | (0.8) | 4 | (0.3) |
| 19946 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 25 | (0.7) | 75 | (0.7) | 38 | (0.7) | 36 | (1.0) | 32 | (0.9) | 4 | (0.5) |
| 1998 | 296 | (0.9) | 284 | (1.7) | 275 | (2.0) | 272 | (3.3) | 23 | (3.4) | 244 | (2.6) | 291 | (0.6) | 46 | (2.7) | 244 | (3.2) | 292 | (0.6) | 48 | (3.2) | 24 | (0.7) | 76 | (0.7) | 36 | (0.6) | 40 | (0.7) | 35 | (0.8) | 6 | (0.4) |
| 2000 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
| 2002 | 293 | (0.9) | 282 | (1.6) | 275 | (2.6) | 268 | (2.4) | 25 | (2.6) | 245 | (2.4) | 288 | (0.7) | 43 | (2.5) | 247 | (2.0) | 289 | (0.7) | 42 | (2.1) | 26 | (0.8) | 74 | (0.8) | 38 | (0.6) | 36 | (0.8) | 31 | (0.8) | 5 | (0.3) |
2003 |
--- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
| 2005 | 292 | (1.1) | 282 | (1.1) | 273 | (1.8) | 266 | (2.0) | 26 | (2.3) | 247 | (2.4) | 288 | (0.6) | 40 | (2.4) | 244 | (1.8) | 289 | (0.6) | 45 | (1.9) | 27 | (0.8) | 73 | (0.8) | 37 | (0.9) | 35 | (0.7) | 31 | (0.5) | 5 | (0.3) |
| 2007 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
| 2009 | 299 | (1.1) | 286 | (0.8) | 276 | (1.1) | 266 | (1.0) | 33 | (1.5) | 240 | (2.1) | 290 | (0.7) | 50 | (2.2) | 253 | (1.4) | 291 | (0.7) | 38 | (1.6) | 26 | (0.6) | 74 | (0.6) | 36 | (0.5) | 38 | (0.8) | 33 | (0.7) | 5 | (0.3) |
| 2011 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
2013 |
302 | (1.1) | 289 | (0.9) | 280 | (0.9) | 268 | (1.5) | 35 | (1.9) | 237 | (1.9) | 290 | (0.5) | 53 | (2.0) | 252 | (1.4) | 292 | (0.6) | 40 | (1.5) | 25 | (0.6) | 75 | (0.6) | 37 | (0.6) | 38 | (0.7) | 32 | (0.6) | 5 | (0.3) |
| 2015 | 298 | (1.5) | 289 | (1.0) | 282 | (1.2) | 266 | (1.7) | 32 | (2.2) | 240 | (2.0) | 289 | (0.5) | 49 | (2.0) | 252 | (1.8) | 291 | (0.5) | 39 | (1.9) | 28 | (0.5) | 72 | (0.5) | 35 | (0.6) | 37 | (0.6) | 31 | (0.6) | 6 | (0.3) |
| 2017 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
| 20197 | 301 | (1.1) | 288 | (0.8) | 278 | (0.9) | 266 | (1.3) | 35 | (1.7) | 235 | (1.3) | 288 | (0.6) | 53 | (1.4) | 252 | (1.2) | 290 | (0.5) | 38 | (1.3) | 30 | (0.5) | 70 | (0.5) | 33 | (0.4) | 37 | (0.6) | 31 | (0.5) | 6 | (0.3) |
| ---Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 In addition to students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), also includes students with a 504 plan. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Scale ranges from 0 to 500. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 NAEP Basic denotes partial mastery of the knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at a given grade. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 NAEP Proficient represents solid academic performance. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 NAEP Advanced signifies superior performance. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 Accommodations were not permitted for this assessment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 The nonresponse rate for free or reduced-price lunch was greater than 15 percent but not greater than 50 percent. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Includes public, private, Bureau of Indian Education, and Department of Defense Education Activity schools. For 1998 and later years, includes students tested with accommodations (2 to 14 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). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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, 2017, and 2019 Reading Assessments, retrieved October 30, 2020, from the Main NAEP Data Explorer (https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE). (This table was prepared October 2020.) |
