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| 2021 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 222.77. | Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics scale score and standard deviation, by selected student characteristics, percentile, and grade: Selected years, 1990 through 2019 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected student characteristic, percentile, and grade | 19901 | 19921 | 1996 | 2000 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total | Male | Female | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |||||||||||||||
| Average mathematics scale score2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All students | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th grade | 213 | (0.9) | 220 | (0.7) | 224 | (1.0) | 226 | (0.9) | 235 | (0.2) | 238 | (0.1) | 240 | (0.2) | 240 | (0.2) | 241 | (0.2) | 242 | (0.2) | 240 | (0.3) | 240 | (0.2) | 241 | (0.2) | 242 | (0.3) | 239 | (0.2) |
| 8th grade | 263 | (1.3) | 268 | (0.9) | 270 | (0.9) | 273 | (0.8) | 278 | (0.3) | 279 | (0.2) | 281 | (0.3) | 283 | (0.3) | 284 | (0.2) | 285 | (0.3) | 282 | (0.3) | 283 | (0.3) | 282 | (0.3) | 282 | (0.3) | 282 | (0.3) |
| 12th grade | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 150 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 153 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 153 | (0.5) | 152 | (0.5) | --- | (†) | 150 | (0.4) | 152 | (0.6) | 149 | (0.4) |
Eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eligible | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 207 | (1.3) | 208 | (0.9) | 222 | (0.3) | 225 | (0.2) | 227 | (0.2) | 227 | (0.2) | 229 | (0.2) | 230 | (0.3) | 229 | (0.2) | 228 | (0.3) | 229 | (0.2) | 230 | (0.3) | 228 | (0.3) |
| Not eligible | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 232 | (0.8) | 235 | (1.1) | 244 | (0.3) | 248 | (0.2) | 249 | (0.2) | 250 | (0.3) | 252 | (0.2) | 254 | (0.2) | 253 | (0.3) | 252 | (0.3) | 253 | (0.3) | 255 | (0.3) | 251 | (0.3) |
| Unknown | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 231 | (2.8) | 237 | (1.6) | 241 | (0.7) | 244 | (0.7) | 246 | (0.9) | 246 | (1.1) | 249 | (0.9) | 249 | (1.3) | 248 | (1.0) | 247 | (1.0) | 247 | (1.2) | 248 | (1.7) | 245 | (1.2) |
8th grade |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eligible | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 250 | (1.7) | 253 | (1.1) | 259 | (0.4) | 262 | (0.3) | 265 | (0.3) | 266 | (0.3) | 269 | (0.3) | 270 | (0.3) | 268 | (0.3) | 267 | (0.3) | 266 | (0.3) | 266 | (0.4) | 267 | (0.4) |
| Not eligible | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 277 | (1.3) | 283 | (1.1) | 287 | (0.3) | 288 | (0.2) | 291 | (0.3) | 294 | (0.3) | 296 | (0.3) | 297 | (0.3) | 296 | (0.3) | 296 | (0.3) | 296 | (0.3) | 296 | (0.4) | 296 | (0.5) |
| Unknown | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 279 | (2.3) | 276 | (1.6) | 285 | (1.0) | 289 | (1.2) | 291 | (1.7) | 295 | (1.4) | 296 | (1.1) | 297 | (2.2) | 294 | (1.4) | 296 | (1.3) | 294 | (1.6) | 299 | (2.4) | 289 | (1.3) |
12th grade |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eligible | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 132 | (1.1) | --- | (†) | 137 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 139 | (0.7) | 137 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 136 | (0.4) | 137 | (0.6) | 134 | (0.6) |
| Not eligible | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 155 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 160 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 162 | (0.5) | 160 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 160 | (0.5) | 162 | (0.7) | 159 | (0.6) |
| Unknown | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 162 | (1.8) | --- | (†) | 159 | (2.6) | --- | (†) | 163 | (2.2) | 168 | (2.0) | --- | (†) | 161 | (1.9) | 162 | (2.6) | 160 | (2.4) |
Highest education level of either parent3 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Did not finish high school | 242 | (2.0) | 249 | (1.7) | 250 | (2.0) | 253 | (1.4) | 257 | (0.6) | 259 | (0.5) | 263 | (0.5) | 265 | (0.6) | 265 | (0.6) | 267 | (0.5) | 265 | (0.7) | 265 | (0.7) | 264 | (0.7) | 263 | (1.2) | 264 | (0.9) |
| Graduated high school | 255 | (1.6) | 257 | (1.2) | 260 | (1.3) | 261 | (1.0) | 267 | (0.4) | 267 | (0.3) | 270 | (0.4) | 270 | (0.5) | 271 | (0.4) | 270 | (0.4) | 268 | (0.5) | 267 | (0.5) | 265 | (0.5) | 265 | (0.7) | 265 | (0.6) |
| Some education after high school | 267 | (1.6) | 271 | (1.1) | 277 | (1.2) | 277 | (1.1) | 280 | (0.4) | 280 | (0.3) | 283 | (0.4) | 284 | (0.4) | 285 | (0.3) | 285 | (0.5) | 282 | (0.4) | 281 | (0.5) | 280 | (0.5) | 279 | (0.8) | 280 | (0.7) |
| Graduated college | 274 | (1.5) | 281 | (1.2) | 281 | (1.2) | 286 | (1.0) | 288 | (0.3) | 290 | (0.2) | 292 | (0.3) | 295 | (0.3) | 295 | (0.3) | 296 | (0.3) | 294 | (0.4) | 294 | (0.3) | 293 | (0.4) | 293 | (0.5) | 294 | (0.4) |
12th grade |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Did not finish high school | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 130 | (1.5) | --- | (†) | 135 | (1.0) | --- | (†) | 137 | (0.9) | 133 | (1.0) | --- | (†) | 133 | (0.8) | 135 | (1.4) | 132 | (1.0) |
| Graduated high school | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 138 | (1.1) | --- | (†) | 142 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 139 | (0.7) | 139 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 136 | (0.6) | 139 | (0.9) | 134 | (0.9) |
| Some education after high school | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 148 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 150 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 152 | (0.5) | 149 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 147 | (0.5) | 149 | (0.8) | 146 | (0.7) |
| Graduated college | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 161 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 164 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 164 | (0.6) | 163 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 161 | (0.5) | 163 | (0.7) | 160 | (0.6) |
Percentile4 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | 171 | (2.1) | 177 | (0.9) | 182 | (1.3) | 184 | (1.2) | 197 | (0.3) | 200 | (0.2) | 202 | (0.2) | 202 | (0.4) | 203 | (0.3) | 203 | (0.4) | 202 | (0.4) | 198 | (0.3) | 199 | (0.3) | 199 | (0.6) | 199 | (0.3) |
| 25th | 193 | (1.0) | 199 | (1.3) | 203 | (1.8) | 205 | (1.0) | 216 | (0.4) | 220 | (0.2) | 222 | (0.2) | 221 | (0.3) | 222 | (0.3) | 222 | (0.3) | 221 | (0.3) | 219 | (0.3) | 220 | (0.2) | 221 | (0.4) | 220 | (0.4) |
| 50th | 214 | (1.3) | 221 | (1.0) | 225 | (1.0) | 227 | (1.3) | 236 | (0.3) | 239 | (0.2) | 242 | (0.2) | 241 | (0.3) | 242 | (0.3) | 243 | (0.3) | 242 | (0.3) | 241 | (0.2) | 242 | (0.2) | 244 | (0.4) | 241 | (0.2) |
| 75th | 235 | (1.0) | 242 | (1.0) | 245 | (0.9) | 248 | (1.1) | 255 | (0.2) | 258 | (0.2) | 260 | (0.2) | 260 | (0.3) | 261 | (0.3) | 262 | (0.2) | 261 | (0.4) | 262 | (0.3) | 262 | (0.3) | 265 | (0.4) | 260 | (0.4) |
| 90th | 253 | (1.6) | 259 | (0.9) | 262 | (1.2) | 265 | (1.1) | 270 | (0.3) | 273 | (0.2) | 275 | (0.2) | 275 | (0.2) | 276 | (0.3) | 278 | (0.3) | 277 | (0.5) | 279 | (0.4) | 280 | (0.4) | 283 | (0.4) | 276 | (0.4) |
8th grade |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | 215 | (2.3) | 221 | (0.9) | 221 | (1.7) | 223 | (1.7) | 230 | (0.6) | 231 | (0.3) | 235 | (0.4) | 236 | (0.5) | 237 | (0.3) | 237 | (0.5) | 235 | (0.5) | 233 | (0.4) | 231 | (0.4) | 229 | (0.5) | 233 | (0.6) |
| 25th | 239 | (1.5) | 243 | (0.9) | 245 | (1.2) | 249 | (0.9) | 254 | (0.4) | 255 | (0.2) | 258 | (0.3) | 259 | (0.3) | 260 | (0.3) | 261 | (0.4) | 258 | (0.4) | 256 | (0.3) | 255 | (0.3) | 254 | (0.4) | 256 | (0.4) |
| 50th | 264 | (1.4) | 269 | (1.7) | 273 | (0.8) | 275 | (1.0) | 279 | (0.3) | 280 | (0.2) | 283 | (0.2) | 284 | (0.3) | 285 | (0.2) | 286 | (0.4) | 283 | (0.4) | 283 | (0.3) | 282 | (0.4) | 282 | (0.5) | 282 | (0.5) |
| 75th | 288 | (1.3) | 294 | (0.8) | 297 | (1.2) | 300 | (0.7) | 303 | (0.3) | 304 | (0.2) | 306 | (0.3) | 308 | (0.4) | 309 | (0.3) | 310 | (0.3) | 308 | (0.3) | 310 | (0.3) | 309 | (0.4) | 310 | (0.5) | 308 | (0.3) |
| 90th | 307 | (2.2) | 315 | (1.1) | 316 | (1.2) | 320 | (1.0) | 323 | (0.4) | 324 | (0.3) | 327 | (0.4) | 329 | (0.5) | 329 | (0.3) | 331 | (0.3) | 329 | (0.4) | 333 | (0.4) | 333 | (0.4) | 335 | (0.5) | 331 | (0.6) |
12th grade |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 105 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 110 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 111 | (0.7) | 107 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 104 | (0.5) | 104 | (0.7) | 104 | (0.7) |
| 25th | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 127 | (1.0) | --- | (†) | 130 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 131 | (0.6) | 128 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 125 | (0.6) | 126 | (0.8) | 125 | (0.7) |
| 50th | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 151 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 154 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 154 | (0.7) | 152 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 150 | (0.4) | 152 | (0.8) | 149 | (0.6) |
| 75th | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 174 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 177 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 177 | (0.5) | 175 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 175 | (0.6) | 178 | (0.7) | 173 | (0.6) |
| 90th | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 194 | (0.5) | --- | (†) | 197 | (1.3) | --- | (†) | 197 | (1.0) | 196 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 196 | (0.7) | 199 | (1.0) | 193 | (0.9) |
| Standard deviation of the mathematics scale score5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All students | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th grade | 32 | (0.7) | 32 | (0.4) | 31 | (0.5) | 31 | (0.4) | 28 | (0.1) | 28 | (0.1) | 29 | (0.1) | 29 | (0.1) | 29 | (0.1) | 30 | (0.1) | 30 | (0.2) | 31 | (0.1) | 32 | (0.1) | 33 | (0.2) | 30 | (0.2) |
| 8th grade | 36 | (0.8) | 36 | (0.4) | 37 | (0.6) | 38 | (0.5) | 36 | (0.1) | 36 | (0.1) | 36 | (0.1) | 36 | (0.2) | 36 | (0.2) | 37 | (0.2) | 37 | (0.2) | 39 | (0.2) | 40 | (0.2) | 41 | (0.2) | 38 | (0.2) |
| 12th grade | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 34 | (0.4) | --- | (†) | 34 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 33 | (0.2) | 34 | (0.4) | --- | (†) | 36 | (0.3) | 37 | (0.4) | 34 | (0.3) |
| ---Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Accommodations were not permitted for this assessment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Scale ranges from 0 to 500. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Highest level achieved by either parent (based on student responses to two background questions). These data were not collected from 4th-graders. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 The percentile represents a specific point on the percentage distribution of all students ranked by their mathematics 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. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 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 2019 was 241, and the standard deviation was 32. This means that about two-thirds of students would be expected to have scores between 272 (one standard deviation above the average) and 209 (one standard deviation below). Standard errors also must be taken into account when making comparisons of these ranges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Includes public, private, Bureau of Indian Education, and Department of Defense Education Activity schools. For 1996 and later years, includes students tested with accommodations (3 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 (1 to 4 percent of all students). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019 Mathematics Assessments, retrieved October 31, 2020, from the Main NAEP Data Explorer (https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE). (This table was prepared November 2020.) |
