Summary of Major Findings

Scores increase since 2007 in four districts at grade 4 and in two districts at grade 8

Representative samples of fourth- and eighth-grade public school students from 18 urban districts participated in the 2009 assessment. Eleven of the districts also participated in earlier assessment years, and seven districts participated for the first time in 2009. Between 800 and 2,400 fourth- and eighth-graders were assessed in each district.

• At grade 4, average reading scores increased since 2007 in 4 of the 11 participating districts, although there were no significant changes in the scores for fourth-graders in the nation or large cities overall. Scores were higher in 2009 than in 2002 for five of the six districts that participated in both years, along with increases for both the nation and large cities over the same period.
  
• At grade 8, average reading scores for the nation and large cities were higher in 2009 than in 2007; however, only 2 of the 11 participating districts showed gains. Although there were no significant changes in the scores for eighth-graders in the nation and large cities in comparison to 2002, scores were higher in 2009 for students in two of the five districts that participated in both years.

• Figure
• Table

 

Changes in 2009 average reading scores since 2002 and 2007

	Grade 4		Grade 8
Jurisdiction	Since 2002	Since 2007	Since 2002	Since 2007
National public
Large city
Atlanta
Austin	—		—
Boston	—		—
Charlotte	—		—
Chicago
Cleveland	—		—
District of Columbia (DCPS)
Houston
Los Angeles
New York City			—
San Diego	—		—
Indicates the score was higher in 2009. Indicates no significant change in the score in 2009. — District did not participate in 2002. NOTE: Large city results are representative of all large cities in the nation and not just the participating urban districts. Beginning in 2009, if the results for charter schools are not included in the school district's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report to the U.S. Department of Education under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, they are excluded from that district's Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) results. DCPS = District of Columbia Public Schools. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 2002–09 Reading Assessments.

 

Changes in 2009 average reading scores since 2002 and 2007

	Grade 4				Grade 8
Jurisdiction	Since 2002		Since 2007		Since 2002		Since 2007
National public	3	*	#		#		1	*
Large city	8	*	2		2		2	*
Atlanta	14	*	2		14	*	5	*
Austin	—		3		—		4
Boston	—		5	*	—		3
Charlotte	—		2		—		#
Chicago	9	*	2		#		#
Cleveland	—		-4		—		-4
District of Columbia (DCPS)	13	*	6	*	#		#
Houston	5		6	*	4		#
Los Angeles	6	*	2		7	*	3	*
New York City	11	*	4	*	—		3
San Diego	—		3		—		4
— District did not participate in 2002. # Rounds to zero. * Significant (p < .05) score change. NOTE: Large city results are representative of all large cities in the nation and not just the participating urban districts. Beginning in 2009, if the results for charter schools are not included in the school district's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report to the U.S. Department of Education under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, they are excluded from that district's Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) results. The score-point changes shown in this chart are based on the differences between unrounded scores as opposed to the rounded scores shown in figures presented on the remainder of the website. DCPS = District of Columbia Public Schools. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 2002–09 Reading Assessments.