The 2012 NAEP economics assessment measured twelfth-graders' understanding of how economies and markets work, the benefits and costs of economics interaction and interdependence, and the choices people make regarding limited resources. The 2012 administration is the second time that economics has been assessed; the subject was first assessed in 2006.

• There was no significant change in the overall average economics score of twelfth-grade students from 2006 to 2012.
   
  
• In 2012, male students scored 6 points higher on average than female students, which was not significantly different from the gender gap in 2006.
   
  
• White and Asian/Pacific Islander students scored higher than Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native students in both 2006 and 2012.
  
  

• Hispanic students scored higher in 2012 than in 2006, while there were no significant changes for other racial/ethnic groups.
  
  

Explore Score Gains of Hispanic Students

Explore the following slides to take a closer look at the gains in average economics scores made by twelfth-grade Hispanic students across a variety of contextual factors. For context, the percentages of students are given within each of the variables examined for all the racial/ethnic groups. Gains in average scores highlighted are the only statistically significant gains within each of the reporting categories presented.

Slide 1: 

Image of a chart divided into two main categories: race/ethnicity and highest level of parental education. This second category is additionally subdivided into “did not finish high school” and “graduated from college.”  The percentage of students by race/ethnicity in 2012 is shown, as is the change in their average score compared to 2006.  Results are not shown for the “graduated from high school,” “some education after high school,” and “I don’t know” response categories.

• 4 percent of White students had parents who did not finish high school; the average score for this student group changed by 4 points compared to 2006. 
  
• 58 percent of White students had parents who graduated from college; the average score for this student group changed by 1 point compared to 2006.
  
• 7 percent of Black students had parents who did not finish high school; the average score for this student group changed by 2 points compared to 2006. 
  
• 43 percent of Black students had parents who graduated from college; the average score for this student group changed by 3 points compared to 2006.
  
• 28 percent of Hispanic students had parents who did not finish high school; the average score for this student group changed by a statistically significant 9 points compared to 2006. 
  
• 26 percent of Hispanic students had parents who graduated from college; the average score for this student group changed by 2 points compared to 2006.
  
• 8 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students had parents who did not finish high school; the average score for this student group was not reported because the sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. 
  
• 58 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students had parents who graduated from college; the average score for this student group changed by 7 points compared to 2006.
  
• 7 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native students had parents who did not finish high school; the average score for this student group was not reported because the sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.
  
• 32 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native students had parents who graduated from college; the average score for this student group was not reported because the sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.
  
• 5 percent of students with a race/ethnicity of two or more races had parents who did not finish high school; the average score for this student group was not reported because the sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.
  
• 54 percent of students with a race/ethnicity of two or more races had parents who graduated from college; the average score for this student group was not reported because the sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.
  

Slide 2: 

Image of a chart divided into two main categories: race/ethnicity and the frequency with which a language other than English is spoken at home. This second category is additionally subdivided into “never or hardly ever” and “all or most of the time.” The percentage of students by race/ethnicity in 2012 is shown, as is the change in their average score compared to 2006. Results are not shown for the “once in a while” and “about half of the time” response categories.

• 82 percent of White students reported that a language other than English was never or hardly ever spoken at home; the average score for this student group changed by 1 point compared to 2006. 
  
• 3 percent of White students reported that a language other than English was spoken at home all or most of the time; the average score for this student group changed by 7 points compared to 2006.
  
• 71 percent of Black students reported that a language other than English was never or hardly ever spoken at home; the average score for this student group changed by 3 points compared to 2006. 
  
• 10 percent of Black students reported that a language other than English was spoken at home all or most of the time; the average score for this student group changed by 5 points compared to 2006.
  
• 12 percent of Hispanic students reported that a language other than English was never or hardly ever spoken at home; the average score for this student group changed by 2 points compared to 2006. 
  
• 50 percent of Hispanic students reported that a language other than English was spoken at home all or most of the time; the average score for this student group changed by a statistically significant 8 points compared to 2006.
  
• 13 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students reported that a language other than English was never or hardly ever spoken at home; the average score for this student group changed by 3 points compared to 2006. 
  
• 51 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students reported that a language other than English was spoken at home all or most of the time; the average score for this student group changed by 6 points compared to 2006.
  
• 72 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native Islander students reported that a language other than English was never or hardly ever spoken at home; the average score for this student group was not reported because the sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.
  
• 2 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native students reported that a language other than English was spoken at home all or most of the time; the average score for this student group was not reported because the sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.
  
• 67 percent of students with a race/ethnicity of two or more races reported that a language other than English was never or hardly ever spoken at home; the average score for this student group was not reported because the sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.
  
• 6 percent of students with a race/ethnicity of two or more races reported that a language other than English was spoken at home all or most of the time; the average score for this student group was not reported because the sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.
  

Slide 3: 

Image of a chart divided into two main categories: race/ethnicity and the frequency with which students talk about things studied in school with a family member. This second category is additionally subdivided into “never or hardly ever” and “at least once a week.” The percentage of students by race/ethnicity in each category is shown for 2012. Results are not shown for the “once every few weeks” response category.

• 17 percent of White students reported that they never or hardly ever talked about things studied in school with a family member; 66 percent of this student group reported doing so at least once a week.
  
• 18 percent of Black students reported that they never or hardly ever talked about things studied in school with a family member; 60 percent of this student group reported doing so at least once a week.
  
• 18 percent of Hispanic students reported that they never or hardly ever talked about things studied in school with a family member; 62 percent of this student group reported doing so at least once a week.
  
• 21 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students reported that they never or hardly ever talked about things studied in school with a family member; 61 percent of this student group reported doing so at least once a week.
  
• 20 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native students reported that they never or hardly ever talked about things studied in school with a family member; 60 percent of this student group reported doing so at least once a week.
  
• 19 percent of students with a race/ethnicity of two or more races reported that they never or hardly ever talked about things studied in school with a family member; 64 percent of this student group reported doing so at least once a week.
  

Slide 4: 

Image of a chart divided into two main categories: race/ethnicity and how much students work. This second category is additionally subdivided into “do not work at all” and “work 11 or more hours a week.” The percentage of students by race/ethnicity in each category is shown for 2012. Results are not shown for the “work once in awhile or less than 5 hours a week” and “work between 5 and 10 hours a week” response categories.

• 40 percent of White students reported that they do not work at all; 31 percent of this student group reported that they work 11 or more hours a week.
  
• 59 percent of Black students reported that they do not work at all; 22 percent of this student group reported that they work 11 or more hours a week.
  
• 57 percent of Hispanic students reported that they do not work at all; 22 percent of this student group reported that they work 11 or more hours a week.
  
• 64 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students reported that they do not work at all; 12 percent of this student group reported that they work 11 or more hours a week.
  
• 46 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native students reported that they do not work at all; 24 percent of this student group reported that they work 11 or more hours a week.
  
• 47 percent of students with a race/ethnicity of two or more races reported that they do not work at all; 29 percent of this student group reported that they work 11 or more hours a week.
  

Slide 5: 

Image of a chart divided into two main categories: race/ethnicity and students with disabilities. 

• 10 percent of White students were students with disabilities.
  
• 10 percent of Black students were students with disabilities.
  
• 9 percent of Hispanic students were students with disabilities.
  
• 3 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students were students with disabilities.
  
• 25 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native students were students with disabilities.
  
• 10 percent of students with a race/ethnicity of two or more races were students with disabilities.
  

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2012 Economics Assessment.