Skip Navigation
Digest of Education Statistics
2023 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 221.85.Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scale score, by age and selected student characteristics: Selected years, 1971 through 2023
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Selected student characteristic 1971 1975 1980 1984 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1999 20041 2008 2012 2020 2022 2023
Previous format Revised format
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
9-year-olds
   All students  208 (1.0) 210 (0.7) 215 (1.0) 211 (0.8) 212 (1.1) 209 (1.2) 211 (0.9) 211 (1.2) 212 (1.0) 212 (1.3) 219 (1.1) 216 (1.0) 220 (0.9) 221 (0.8) 220 (0.8) 215 (1.0) --- (†)
Sex            
  Male  201 (1.1) 204 (0.8) 210 (1.1) 207 (1.0) 207 (1.4) 204 (1.7) 206 (1.3) 207 (1.3) 207 (1.4) 209 (1.6) 216 (1.4) 212 (1.1) 216 (1.1) 218 (0.9) 217 (1.0) 212 (1.1) --- (†)
  Female  214 (1.0) 216 (0.8) 220 (1.1) 214 (0.9) 216 (1.3) 215 (1.2) 215 (0.9) 215 (1.4) 218 (1.1) 215 (1.5) 221 (1.0) 219 (1.1) 224 (0.9) 223 (0.9) 222 (1.0) 217 (1.2) --- (†)
  Gap between female and male score  13 (1.5) 12 (1.1) 10 (1.6) 7 (1.3) 9 (1.9) 11 (2.0) 10 (1.6) 7 (1.9) 11 (1.8) 6 (2.2) 5 (1.8) 8 (1.5) 7 (1.4) 5 (1.3) 5 (1.4) 5 (1.6) --- (†)

Race/ethnicity

 





 


 



























  Black  170 2 (1.7) 181 (1.2) 189 (1.8) 186 (1.3) 189 (2.4) 182 (2.9) 185 (2.2) 185 (2.3) 191 (2.6) 186 (2.3) 200 (2.2) 197 (1.8) 204 (1.7) 206 (1.9) 205 (1.6) 199 (2.2) --- (†)
  Hispanic  [3]    (†) 183 (2.2) 190 (2.3) 187 (3.0) 194 (3.5) 189 (2.3) 192 (3.1) 186 (3.9) 195 (3.4) 193 (2.7) 205 (1.7) 199 (1.5) 207 (1.5) 208 (1.5) 210 (1.1) 204 (1.3) --- (†)
  White  214 2 (0.9) 217 (0.7) 221 (0.8) 218 (0.9) 218 (1.4) 217 (1.3) 218 (1.0) 218 (1.3) 220 (1.2) 221 (1.6) 226 (1.1) 224 (0.9) 228 (1.0) 229 (0.8) 228 (1.1) 223 (1.4) --- (†)

  Gap between White and Black score 

44


(1.9)

35

(1.4)

32

(1.9)

32

(1.6)

29

(2.8)

35

(3.2)

33

(2.4)

33

(2.6)

29

(2.8)

35

(2.8)

26

(2.5)

27

(2.1)

24

(2.0)

23

(2.1)

23

(1.9)

24

(2.6)

---

(†)
  Gap between White and Hispanic score     (†) 34 (2.4) 31 (2.4) 31 (3.1) 24 (3.8) 28 (2.6) 26 (3.2) 32 (4.1) 25 (3.6) 28 (3.2) 21 (2.1) 25 (1.8) 21 (1.8) 21 (1.7) 18 (1.5) 19 (1.9) --- (†)

13-year-olds



































   All students  255 (0.9) 256 (0.8) 258 (0.9) 257 (0.6) 257 (1.0) 257 (0.8) 260 (1.2) 258 (0.9) 258 (1.0) 259 (1.0) 259 (1.0) 257 (1.0) 260 (0.8) 263 (1.0) 260 (0.7) --- (†) 256 (0.9)
Sex  
  Male  250 (1.0) 250 (0.8) 254 (1.1) 253 (0.7) 252 (1.3) 251 (1.1) 254 (1.7) 251 (1.2) 251 (1.2) 254 (1.3) 254 (1.2) 252 (1.1) 256 (1.0) 259 (1.3) 255 (0.8) --- (†) 251 (1.0)
  Female  261 (0.9) 262 (0.9) 263 (0.9) 262 (0.7) 263 (1.0) 263 (1.1) 265 (1.2) 266 (1.2) 264 (1.2) 265 (1.2) 264 (1.3) 262 (1.2) 264 (0.9) 267 (0.9) 265 (0.9) --- (†) 261 (1.0)
  Gap between female and male score  11 (1.3) 13 (1.2) 8 (1.4) 9 (1.0) 11 (1.7) 13 (1.6) 11 (2.1) 15 (1.7) 13 (1.7) 12 (1.8) 10 (1.8) 10 (1.6) 8 (1.3) 8 (1.6) 10 (1.2) --- (†) 9 (1.4)

Race/ethnicity

 


































  Black  222 2 (1.2) 226 (1.2) 233 (1.5) 236 (1.2) 243 (2.4) 241 (2.2) 238 (2.3) 234 (2.4) 234 (2.6) 238 (2.4) 244 (2.0) 239 (1.9) 247 (1.6) 247 (1.6) 244 (1.7) --- (†) 237 (1.7)
  Hispanic  [3]    (†) 232 (3.0) 237 (2.0) 240 (2.0) 240 (3.5) 238 (2.3) 239 (3.5) 235 (1.9) 238 (2.9) 244 (2.9) 242 (1.6) 241 (2.1) 242 (1.5) 249 (1.3) 250 (1.1) --- (†) 247 (0.9)
  White  261 2 (0.7) 262 (0.7) 264 (0.7) 263 (0.6) 261 (1.1) 262 (0.9) 266 (1.2) 265 (1.1) 266 (1.0) 267 (1.2) 266 (1.0) 265 (1.0) 268 (1.0) 270 (1.3) 269 (0.9) --- (†) 264 (1.2)

  Gap between White and Black score 

39


(1.4)

36

(1.4)

32

(1.6)

26

(1.3)

18

(2.6)

21

(2.4)

29

(2.7)

31

(2.7)

32

(2.8)

29

(2.7)

22

(2.3)

25

(2.1)

21

(1.9)

23

(2.1)

24

(1.9)

---

(†)

28

(2.1)
  Gap between White and Hispanic score  (†) 30 (3.1) 27 (2.1) 23 (2.1) 21 (3.6) 24 (2.5) 27 (3.7) 30 (2.2) 28 (3.1) 23 (3.1) 24 (1.9) 24 (2.4) 26 (1.8) 21 (1.8) 19 (1.4) --- (†) 17 (1.5)

Parents' highest level of education

 


































  Did not finish high school  --- (†) --- (†) 239 (1.1) 240 (1.2) 246 (2.1) 241 (1.8) 239 (2.6) 237 (2.4) 239 (2.8) 238 (3.4) 240 (2.7) 238 (2.3) 239 (1.9) 248 (2.0) 249 (1.8) --- (†) 243 (1.8)
  Graduated high school  --- (†) --- (†) 253 (0.9) 253 (0.8) 253 (1.2) 251 (0.9) 252 (1.7) 251 (1.4) 251 (1.5) 251 (1.8) 251 (1.6) 249 (1.1) 251 (1.1) 248 (1.7) 246 (1.4) --- (†) 242 (1.6)
  Some education after high school  --- (†) --- (†) 268 (1.0) 266 (1.1) 265 (1.7) 267 (1.7) 265 (2.7) 266 (1.9) 268 (2.3) 269 (2.4) 264 (2.0) 261 (1.4) 265 (1.1) 264 (1.5) 260 (1.5) --- (†) 256 (1.4)
  Graduated college  --- (†) --- (†) 273 (0.9) 268 (0.9) 265 (1.6) 267 (1.1) 271 (1.5) 269 (1.2) 269 (1.4) 270 (1.2) 270 (1.0) 266 (1.2) 270 (1.2) 273 (1.3) 272 (0.7) --- (†) 268 (1.1)

17-year-olds



































   All students  285 (1.2) 286 (0.8) 285 (1.2) 289 (0.8) 290 (1.0) 290 (1.1) 290 (1.1) 288 (1.3) 288 (1.1) 288 (1.3) 285 (1.2) 283 (1.1) 286 (0.9) 287 (0.9) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
Sex  
  Male  279 (1.2) 280 (1.0) 282 (1.3) 284 (0.8) 286 (1.5) 284 (1.6) 284 (1.6) 282 (2.2) 281 (1.3) 281 (1.6) 278 (1.5) 276 (1.4) 280 (1.1) 283 (1.1) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
  Female  291 (1.3) 291 (1.0) 289 (1.2) 294 (0.9) 294 (1.5) 296 (1.2) 296 (1.1) 295 (1.5) 295 (1.2) 295 (1.4) 292 (1.3) 289 (1.2) 291 (1.0) 291 (1.0) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
  Gap between female and male score  12 (1.8) 12 (1.4) 7 (1.8) 10 (1.2) 8 (2.1) 12 (2.0) 11 (1.9) 13 (2.7) 15 (1.8) 13 (2.1) 14 (2.0) 14 (1.8) 11 (1.5) 8 (1.5) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)

Race/ethnicity

 


































  Black  239 2 (1.7) 241 (2.0) 243 (1.8) 264 (1.2) 274 (2.4) 267 (2.3) 261 (2.1) 266 (3.9) 266 (2.7) 264 (1.7) 264 (2.7) 262 (1.9) 266 (2.4) 269 (1.6) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
  Hispanic  [3]    (†) 252 (3.6) 261 (2.7) 268 (2.9) 271 (4.3) 275 (3.6) 271 (3.7) 263 (4.9) 265 (4.1) 271 (3.9) 264 (2.9) 267 (2.5) 269 (1.3) 274 (1.5) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
  White  291 2 (1.0) 293 (0.6) 293 (0.9) 295 (0.9) 295 (1.2) 297 (1.2) 297 (1.4) 296 (1.5) 295 (1.2) 295 (1.4) 293 (1.1) 289 (1.2) 295 (1.0) 295 (1.0) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)

  Gap between White and Black score 

53


(2.0)

52

(2.1)

50

(2.0)

32

(1.5)

20

(2.7)

29

(2.6)

37

(2.5)

30

(4.2)

29

(3.0)

31

(2.3)

29

(2.9)

27

(2.3)

29

(2.6)

26

(1.9)

---

(†)

---

(†)

---

(†)
  Gap between White and Hispanic score  (†) 41 (3.6) 31 (2.9) 27 (3.0) 24 (4.4) 22 (3.8) 26 (3.9) 33 (5.2) 30 (4.2) 24 (4.2) 29 (3.1) 22 (2.8) 26 (1.6) 21 (1.9) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)

Parents' highest level of education

 


































  Did not finish high school  --- (†) --- (†) 262 (1.5) 269 (1.4) 267 (2.0) 270 (2.8) 271 (3.9) 268 (2.7) 267 (3.2) 265 (3.6) 259 (3.4) 259 (2.7) 266 (2.1) 266 (2.1) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
  Graduated high school  --- (†) --- (†) 277 (1.0) 281 (0.8) 282 (1.3) 283 (1.4) 280 (1.6) 276 (1.9) 273 (1.7) 274 (2.1) 274 (1.6) 271 (1.4) 274 (1.4) 270 (1.6) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
  Some education after high school  --- (†) --- (†) 295 (1.2) 298 (0.9) 299 (2.2) 295 (1.9) 293 (1.9) 294 (1.6) 295 (2.2) 295 (1.8) 286 (1.9) 285 (1.5) 288 (1.1) 287 (1.1) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
  Graduated college  --- (†) --- (†) 301 (1.0) 302 (0.9) 300 (1.4) 302 (1.5) 301 (1.7) 300 (1.7) 299 (1.5) 298 (1.3) 298 (1.3) 295 (1.2) 298 (1.1) 300 (1.0) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
---Not available.  
†Not applicable.  
1In 2004, two assessments were conducted--one using the same format that was used in previous assessments, and one using a revised assessment format that provides accommodations for students with disabilities and for English learners. In subsequent years, only the revised format was used.
2Data for 1971 include persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
3Test scores of Hispanic students were not tabulated separately.
NOTE: Scale ranges from 0 to 500. Students scoring 150 (or higher) are able to follow brief written directions and carry out simple, discrete reading tasks. Students scoring 200 are able to understand, combine ideas, and make inferences based on short uncomplicated passages about specific or sequentially related information. Students scoring 250 are able to search for specific information, interrelate ideas, and make generalizations about literature, science, and social studies materials. Students scoring 300 are able to find, understand, summarize, and explain relatively complicated literary and informational material. Includes public, private, Bureau of Indian Education, and Department of Defense Education Activity schools. For assessment years prior to 2004, accommodations were not permitted. For 2004 (revised format) and later years, includes students tested with accommodations; excludes only those students with disabilities and English learners who were unable to be tested even with accommodations (2 to 8 percent of all students, depending on age and assessment year). Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity, except where noted. Totals include other racial/ethnic groups not shown separately.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), NAEP 2020 Trends in Academic Progress; and 2020, 2022, and 2023 NAEP Long-Term Trend Reading Assessment, retrieved October 13, 2021, and September 14, 2023, from Long-Term Trend NAEP Data Explorer (https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE). (This table was prepared September 2023.)

2023 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest