Reading

Question:
How are American students performing in reading?

Response:
The main National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports current reading assessment information for the nation and specific geographic regions of the country. The assessment program includes students drawn from both public and nonpublic schools and reports results for student achievement at grades 4, 8, and 12.

The main NAEP assessment data were first collected in 1992 and are reported on a scale of 0 to 500. From 2009 to 2011, there were no measurable changes in average reading scores for 4th-grade males and females or for 4th-grade students from any of the five racial/ethnic groups with scores reported in both assessment years. From 1992 to 2011, male 4th-graders' average reading scores increased from 213 to 218 and female 4th-graders' scores increased from 221 to 225. The 2011 average NAEP reading scale score for 8th-graders was 1 point higher than the 2009 score and 5 points higher than the 1992 score. For 12th-graders, the 2009 average reading score was 4 points lower than the score in 1992 but 2 points higher than the score in 2005 (12th-graders were not assessed in 2007 or 2011).

The 2011 main NAEP reading assessment of states found that the average reading proficiency of public school 4th- and 8th-graders varied across participating jurisdictions (the 50 states, the Department of Defense overseas and domestic schools, and the District of Columbia). For 4th-graders in public schools, the U.S. average score was 220, with average scores in participating jurisdictions ranging from 201 in the District of Columbia to 237 in Massachusetts. For 8th-graders in public schools, the U.S. average score was 264, with average scores in participating jurisdictions ranging from 242 in the District of Columbia to 275 in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Digest of Education Statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Chapter 2.

Average reading scale score of 4th-, 8th-, and 12th-graders, by sex and race/ethnicity: Selected years, 1992 through 2011
Selected student characteristic	19921	19941	1998	2000	2002	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011
4th-graders, all students
Total	217	214	215	213	219	218	219	221	221	221
Sex
Male	213	209	212	208	215	215	216	218	218	218
Female	221	220	217	219	222	222	222	224	224	225
Race/ethnicity
White	224	224	225	224	229	229	229	231	230	231
Black	192	185	193	190	199	198	200	203	205	205
Hispanic	197	188	193	190	201	200	203	205	205	206
Asian/Pacific Islander	216	220	215	225	224	226	229	232	235	235
Asian	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	236
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	216
American Indian/Alaska Native	‡	211	‡	214	207	202	204	203	204	202
8th-graders, all students
Total	260	260	263	—	264	263	262	263	264	265
Sex
Male	254	252	256	—	260	258	257	258	259	261
Female	267	267	270	—	269	269	267	268	269	270
Race/ethnicity
White	267	267	270	—	272	272	271	272	273	274
Black	237	236	244	—	245	244	243	245	246	249
Hispanic	241	243	243	—	247	245	246	247	249	252
Asian/Pacific Islander	268	265	264	—	267	270	271	271	274	275
Asian	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	277
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	254
American Indian/Alaska Native	‡	248	‡	—	250	246	249	247	251	252
12th-graders, all students
Total	292	287	290	—	287	—	286	—	288	—
Sex
Male	287	280	282	—	279	—	279	—	282	—
Female	297	294	298	—	295	—	292	—	294	—
Race/ethnicity
White	297	293	297	—	292	—	293	—	296	—
Black	273	265	269	—	267	—	267	—	269	—
Hispanic	279	270	275	—	273	—	272	—	274	—
Asian/Pacific Islander	290	278	287	—	286	—	287	—	298	—
American Indian/Alaska Native	‡	274	‡	—	‡	—	279	—	283	—

— Not available.

‡ Reporting standards not met.

¹ Accommodations were not permitted for this assessment.

NOTE: Scale ranges from 0 to 500. Includes public and private schools. Excludes persons not enrolled in school and those who were unable to be tested due to limited proficiency in English or due to a disability. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Digest of Education Statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Table 126 and Table 127 .

Related Tables and Figures:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 125. Average reading scale score, by age and selected student and school characteristics: Selected years, 1971 through 2008
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 128. Average reading scale scores and percentage distribution of 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds, by amount of reading for school, frequency of reading for fun, and time spent doing homework and watching TV/video: Selected years, 1984 through 2008
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 129. Percentage of students at or above selected reading score levels, by age, sex, and race/ethnicity: Selected years, 1971 through 2008
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 133. Average reading scale scores of 4th- and 8th-grade public school students and percentage at or above selected reading achievement levels, by race/ethnicity and jurisdiction or specific urban district: 2007, 2009, and 2011
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 134. Average reading scale scores of 4th- and 8th-graders in public schools and percentage scoring at or above selected reading achievement levels, by English language learner (ELL) status and state: 2011
  
• 2011, The Condition of Education 2011: International Reading Literacy
  
• 2011, The Condition of Education 2011: Reading Achievement Gaps
  
• 2011, The Condition of Education 2011: Reading Performance
  
• 2010, The Condition of Education 2010: Reading and Mathematics Score Trends
  

Other Resources:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2012, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP): This site provides access to publications and data on the reading, mathematics, science, writing, U.S. history, civics, geography, and arts achievement of U.S. students.
  
• 2010, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS): ECLS includes three longitudinal studies that examine child development, school readiness, and early school experiences.
  
• 2010, Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS): PIRLS studies the reading achievement and reading behaviors and attitudes of 4th-grade students in the U.S. and students in the equivalent of 4th-grade in other countries.