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The Nation's Report Card


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Overall average reading scores higher in 2008 than in 2004 for students at all three age groups 

Average Scale Score
 Performance Level
 Percentile

Trend in NAEP reading average scores for 9-year-old students

graph key

Finding

  • At age 9, the average reading score in 2008 was 4 points higher than in 2004 and 12 points higher than in 1971.

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2008.
NOTE: View complete data with standard errors.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 1971–2008 Long-Term Trend Reading Assessments.

To read more details on comparisons across years, see About the Long-Term Trend Assessment.

2008 Long-Term Trend Report Card 2008 Long-Term Trend Report Card