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| 2022 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 223.10. | Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science scale score, standard deviation, and percentage of students attaining science achievement levels, by grade level, selected student and school characteristics, and percentile: Selected years, 2009 through 2019 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected characteristic, percentile, and achievement level | Grade 4 | Grade 8 | Grade 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2011 | 2015 | 2019 | 2009 | 2011 | 2015 | 2019 | 2009 | 2011 | 2015 | 2019 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |||||||||||||||
| Average science scale score1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All students | 150 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 154 | (0.3) | 151 | (0.6) | 150 | (0.3) | 152 | (0.3) | 154 | (0.3) | 154 | (0.5) | 150 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 150 | (0.6) | 150 | (0.5) | |||
| Sex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Male | 151 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 154 | (0.4) | 151 | (0.6) | 152 | (0.4) | 154 | (0.3) | 155 | (0.3) | 154 | (0.6) | 153 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 153 | (0.8) | 151 | (0.5) | |||
| Female | 149 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 154 | (0.3) | 151 | (0.6) | 148 | (0.3) | 149 | (0.3) | 152 | (0.4) | 153 | (0.6) | 147 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 148 | (0.7) | 148 | (0.6) | |||
| Gap between male and female score | 1 | (0.4) | --- | (†) | 1 | (0.5) | # | (0.8) | 4 | (0.5) | 5 | (0.5) | 3 | (0.5) | 1 | (0.8) | 6 | (1.3) | --- | (†) | 5 | (1.0) | 4 | (0.8) | |||
Race/ethnicity |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| White | 163 | (0.2) | --- | (†) | 166 | (0.3) | 163 | (0.7) | 162 | (0.2) | 163 | (0.2) | 166 | (0.3) | 165 | (0.5) | 159 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 160 | (0.7) | 161 | (0.5) | |||
| Black | 127 | (0.4) | --- | (†) | 133 | (0.4) | 130 | (0.9) | 126 | (0.4) | 129 | (0.5) | 132 | (0.5) | 133 | (0.8) | 125 | (1.2) | --- | (†) | 125 | (1.5) | 125 | (0.8) | |||
| Hispanic | 131 | (0.5) | --- | (†) | 139 | (0.7) | 138 | (0.7) | 132 | (0.6) | 137 | (0.5) | 140 | (0.5) | 141 | (0.8) | 134 | (1.3) | --- | (†) | 136 | (1.0) | 136 | (0.6) | |||
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 160 | (1.2) | --- | (†) | 167 | (1.4) | 166 | (2.3) | 160 | (1.0) | 159 | (1.3) | 164 | (0.9) | 167 | (1.2) | 164 | (3.0) | --- | (†) | 166 | (2.3) | 164 | (2.2) | |||
| Asian | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 169 | (1.4) | 168 | (2.4) | --- | (†) | 161 | (1.3) | 166 | (0.9) | 168 | (1.3) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 167 | (2.3) | 166 | (2.1) | |||
| Pacific Islander | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 143 | (2.2) | 142 | (4.5) | --- | (†) | 139 | (1.9) | 138 | (2.5) | 139 | (4.6) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 137 | (7.2) | |||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 135 | (1.3) | --- | (†) | 139 | (1.5) | 141 | (2.4) | 137 | (1.4) | 141 | (1.4) | 139 | (1.6) | 144 | (2.1) | 144 | (3.7) | --- | (†) | 135 | (5.3) | 142 | (2.2) | |||
| Two or more races2 | 154 | (1.1) | --- | (†) | 158 | (1.0) | 159 | (1.3) | 151 | (1.2) | 156 | (1.3) | 159 | (1.3) | 159 | (1.3) | 151 | (3.7) | --- | (†) | 156 | (2.5) | 156 | (1.7) | |||
| Gap between White and Black score | 36 | (0.4) | --- | (†) | 33 | (0.5) | 33 | (1.2) | 36 | (0.5) | 35 | (0.6) | 34 | (0.5) | 32 | (1.0) | 34 | (1.4) | --- | (†) | 36 | (1.6) | 35 | (1.0) | |||
| Gap between White and Hispanic score | 32 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 27 | (0.7) | 24 | (1.0) | 30 | (0.6) | 27 | (0.6) | 26 | (0.6) | 24 | (1.0) | 25 | (1.5) | --- | (†) | 24 | (1.2) | 25 | (0.8) | |||
English learner (EL) status |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EL | 114 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 121 | (1.0) | 122 | (1.0) | 103 | (1.0) | 106 | (1.2) | 110 | (1.1) | 111 | (1.1) | 104 | (2.4) | --- | (†) | 105 | (2.7) | 99 | (1.3) | |||
| Non-EL | 154 | (0.2) | --- | (†) | 158 | (0.3) | 155 | (0.6) | 153 | (0.3) | 154 | (0.2) | 157 | (0.3) | 157 | (0.5) | 151 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 152 | (0.5) | 152 | (0.4) | |||
| Gap between EL and non-EL score | 39 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 36 | (1.0) | 34 | (1.1) | 49 | (1.0) | 48 | (1.3) | 46 | (1.2) | 46 | (1.2) | 47 | (2.6) | --- | (†) | 47 | (2.7) | 53 | (1.4) | |||
Disability status3 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Identified as student with disability (SD) | 129 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 131 | (0.6) | 124 | (0.9) | 123 | (0.5) | 124 | (0.6) | 124 | (0.6) | 125 | (0.9) | 121 | (1.8) | --- | (†) | 124 | (1.8) | 122 | (1.1) | |||
| Not identified as SD | 153 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 157 | (0.3) | 156 | (0.5) | 153 | (0.3) | 155 | (0.3) | 158 | (0.3) | 158 | (0.5) | 153 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 153 | (0.6) | 153 | (0.4) | |||
| Gap between SD and non-SD score | 23 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 26 | (0.7) | 32 | (1.1) | 31 | (0.6) | 31 | (0.7) | 34 | (0.7) | 33 | (1.0) | 31 | (2.0) | --- | (†) | 29 | (1.9) | 31 | (1.2) | |||
Highest education level of either parent |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Did not finish high school | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 131 | (0.6) | 132 | (0.7) | 137 | (0.7) | 137 | (1.1) | 131 | (1.4) | --- | (†) | 131 | (1.4) | 132 | (0.9) | |||
| Graduated high school | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 139 | (0.4) | 140 | (0.4) | 142 | (0.5) | 140 | (0.7) | 138 | (1.2) | --- | (†) | 136 | (1.2) | 135 | (0.8) | |||
| Some education after high school | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 152 | (0.4) | 153 | (0.4) | 155 | (0.5) | 154 | (0.7) | 147 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 148 | (0.9) | 147 | (0.5) | |||
| Graduated college | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 161 | (0.4) | 162 | (0.3) | 165 | (0.3) | 163 | (0.6) | 161 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 162 | (0.7) | 161 | (0.6) | |||
Percent of students in school eligible for free or reduced-price lunch |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0-25 percent eligible (low poverty) | 167 | (0.4) | --- | (†) | 172 | (0.6) | 170 | 4 | (1.2) | 165 | (0.5) | 167 | (0.4) | 170 | (0.6) | 171 | 4 | (0.9) | 163 | (1.2) | --- | (†) | 165 | (1.1) | 166 | 4 | (1.0) |
| 26-50 percent eligible | 155 | (0.5) | --- | (†) | 161 | (0.7) | 159 | 4 | (1.1) | 154 | (0.5) | 157 | (0.5) | 161 | (0.5) | 159 | 4 | (0.7) | 148 | (1.1) | --- | (†) | 154 | (1.0) | 154 | 4 | (0.7) |
| 51-75 percent eligible | 144 | (0.5) | --- | (†) | 151 | (0.7) | 147 | 4 | (1.1) | 141 | (0.6) | 146 | (0.5) | 150 | (0.6) | 152 | 4 | (0.9) | 136 | (1.7) | --- | (†) | 143 | (1.1) | 142 | 4 | (0.8) |
| 76-100 percent eligible (high poverty) | 126 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 134 | (0.6) | 136 | 4 | (1.2) | 124 | (0.7) | 129 | (0.7) | 134 | (0.8) | 137 | 4 | (1.5) | 124 | (2.1) | --- | (†) | 126 | (1.7) | 131 | 4 | (1.3) |
| Gap between low- and high-poverty score | 41 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 38 | (0.8) | 33 | (1.7) | 41 | (0.9) | 38 | (0.8) | 36 | (1.0) | 34 | (1.8) | 38 | (2.5) | --- | (†) | 39 | (2.0) | 35 | (1.7) | |||
School locale |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| City | 142 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 148 | (0.6) | 144 | (1.1) | 142 | (0.6) | 144 | (0.6) | 148 | (0.6) | 147 | (0.9) | 146 | (1.8) | --- | (†) | 145 | (1.2) | 146 | (0.8) | |||
| Suburban | 154 | (0.4) | --- | (†) | 157 | (0.6) | 155 | (0.9) | 154 | (0.5) | 155 | (0.5) | 158 | (0.4) | 158 | (0.8) | 154 | (1.4) | --- | (†) | 153 | (1.0) | 153 | (0.7) | |||
| Town | 150 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 153 | (0.8) | 151 | (1.4) | 149 | (1.0) | 153 | (0.7) | 154 | (0.7) | 153 | (1.1) | 150 | (1.2) | --- | (†) | 150 | (2.1) | 148 | (1.1) | |||
| Rural | 155 | (0.5) | --- | (†) | 157 | (0.7) | 154 | (1.1) | 154 | (0.4) | 156 | (0.5) | 156 | (0.6) | 156 | (0.9) | 150 | (1.2) | --- | (†) | 152 | (1.3) | 148 | (0.8) | |||
Percentile5 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | 104 | (0.6) | --- | (†) | 108 | (0.6) | 103 | (0.9) | 103 | (0.6) | 106 | (0.5) | 109 | (0.6) | 106 | (0.8) | 104 | (1.2) | --- | (†) | 103 | (1.0) | 100 | (0.8) | |||
| 25th | 128 | (0.4) | --- | (†) | 132 | (0.4) | 129 | (0.6) | 128 | (0.4) | 131 | (0.4) | 133 | (0.5) | 132 | (0.6) | 126 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 126 | (0.9) | 125 | (0.7) | |||
| 50th | 153 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 157 | (0.4) | 154 | (0.6) | 153 | (0.3) | 155 | (0.3) | 157 | (0.4) | 157 | (0.6) | 151 | (1.1) | --- | (†) | 151 | (0.6) | 151 | (0.5) | |||
| 75th | 175 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 178 | (0.3) | 177 | (0.6) | 175 | (0.2) | 176 | (0.4) | 178 | (0.4) | 179 | (0.5) | 174 | (1.0) | --- | (†) | 176 | (0.6) | 176 | (0.7) | |||
| 90th | 192 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 196 | (0.4) | 196 | (0.6) | 192 | (0.3) | 193 | (0.4) | 195 | (0.3) | 196 | (0.6) | 194 | (1.0) | --- | (†) | 196 | (0.6) | 197 | (0.9) | |||
| Standard deviation of the science scale score6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All students | 35 | (0.2) | --- | (†) | 35 | (0.2) | 36 | (0.4) | 35 | (0.2) | 34 | (0.2) | 34 | (0.2) | 35 | (0.3) | 35 | (0.4) | --- | (†) | 36 | (0.4) | 37 | (0.4) | |||
| Percent of students attaining science achievement levels | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Achievement level |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Below NAEP Basic | 28 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 24 | (0.3) | 27 | (0.5) | 37 | (0.4) | 35 | (0.3) | 32 | (0.4) | 33 | (0.6) | 40 | (1.0) | --- | (†) | 40 | (0.7) | 41 | (0.5) | |||
| At or above NAEP Basic7 | 72 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 76 | (0.3) | 73 | (0.5) | 63 | (0.4) | 65 | (0.3) | 68 | (0.4) | 67 | (0.6) | 60 | (1.0) | --- | (†) | 60 | (0.7) | 59 | (0.5) | |||
| At or above NAEP Proficient8 | 34 | (0.3) | --- | (†) | 38 | (0.4) | 36 | (0.7) | 30 | (0.3) | 32 | (0.4) | 34 | (0.4) | 35 | (0.7) | 21 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 22 | (0.6) | 22 | (0.5) | |||
| At NAEP Advanced9 | 1 | (0.1) | --- | (†) | 1 | (0.1) | 1 | (0.2) | 2 | (0.1) | 2 | (0.1) | 2 | (0.1) | 2 | (0.2) | 1 | (0.2) | --- | (†) | 2 | (0.2) | 2 | (0.2) | |||
| ---Not available. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #Rounds to zero. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‡Reporting standards not met (too few cases for a reliable estimate). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Scale ranges from 0 to 300 for all three grades, but scores cannot be compared across grades. For example, the average score of 163 for White 4th-graders in 2019 does not denote higher performance than the score of 161 for White 12th-graders. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Prior to 2011, students in the "Two or more races" category were categorized as "Unclassified." Students who identified with two or more race categories (e.g., White and Black) were classified as "Two or More Races" in 2011 and later assessment years. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 The nonresponse rate for free or reduced-price lunch was greater than 15 percent but not greater than 50 percent. Due to changes in the questionnaire, 2019 data on the percentage of students eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunch through the National School Lunch Porgram are not comparable to earlier years' data. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 The percentile represents a specific point on the percentage distribution of all students ranked by their science 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. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 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. In 2015, for example, the average score for all 4th-graders was 154, and the standard deviation was 35. This means that one would expect about two-thirds of the students to have scores between 189 (one standard deviation above the average) and 119 (one standard deviation below). Standard errors also must be taken into account when making comparisons of these ranges. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 NAEP Basic denotes partial mastery of the knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 NAEP Proficient represents solid academic performance. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 NAEP Advanced signifies superior performance. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: In 2011, only 8th-grade students were assessed in science. Includes students tested with accommodations (7 to 15 percent of all students, depending on grade level and year); excludes only those students with disabilities and English learners who were unable to be tested even with accommodations (1 to 3 percent of all students). Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), selected years, 2009 through 2019 Science Assessments, retrieved August 26, 2021, from the Main NAEP Data Explorer (https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE). (This table was prepared August 2021.) |
