At its most fundamental level, reading comprehension requires knowing the meaning of words. Because vocabulary plays such an important role in reading comprehension, the measurement of students’ understanding of word meaning was integrated with the measurement of passage comprehension in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading assessment beginning in 2009.
National: Compared to 2009, reading scores for fourth-graders are unchanged and eighth-graders score higher.
State: Students in Hawaii and Maryland make gains since 2009 at both grades.
District: At grade 4, students in none of the urban districts score higher in 2011 than in 2009. At grade 8, students in Charlotte score higher in 2011 than in 2009.
To investigate the relationship between students’ achievement and various contextual factors, NAEP collects information from teachers about their background, education, and training. One of the questions on the teacher questionnaires for grade 4 and grade 8 asked them to indicate the highest degree that they held. Explore this contextual factor below for the nation, states, and the districts participating in the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA).
Grade 4 Nation: Teacher's Highest Degree
At grade 4, students whose teachers hold master’s degrees have scored higher than their peers whose teachers hold bachelor’s degrees in every assessment since 2005.
For grade 4 students whose teachers held master’s degrees, the average score was 220 in 2005 and 222 in 2007, 2009, and 2011. Each of these scores is significantly different from that of students whose teachers held bachelor’s degrees; their scores were 216 in 2005 and 218 in 2007, 2009, and 2011.
Grade 8 Nation: Teacher's Highest Degree
As at grade 4, students at grade 8 whose teachers hold master’s degrees have scored higher than their peers whose teachers hold bachelor’s degrees in every assessment since 2005.
For grade 8 students whose teachers held master’s degrees, the average score was 264 in 2005 and 2007; 265 in 2009; and 266 in 2011. Each of these scores is significantly different from that of students whose teachers held bachelor’s degrees; their scores were 259 in 2005; 261 in 2007 and 2009; and 262 in 2011.
Grade 4 Nation: Teacher's Highest Degree
Since 2005, the percentage of the nation’s grade 4 public school students whose teachers hold master’s degrees as their highest academic degree has increased and the percentage holding bachelor’s degrees has decreased.
The percentage of students at grade 4 whose teachers held master’s degrees was 41 in 2005; 43 in 2007; and 46 in 2009. These percentages are all significantly different from the percentage of 48 in 2011. The percentage of students at grade 4 whose teachers held bachelor’s degrees was 54 in 2005; 51 in 2007; and 48 in 2009. The percentages are all significantly different from the percentage of 46 in 2011.
Grade 8 Nation: Teacher's Highest Degree
At grade 8, the proportion of teachers holding master’s degrees has increased by 5 percentage points since 2009, while the proportion holding bachelor’s degrees has decreased by 6 percentage points over the same time period.
The percentage of students at grade 8 whose teachers held master’s degrees was 44 in 2005 and 2007, and 47 in 2009. These percentages are all significantly different from the percentage of 52 in 2011. The percentage of students at grade 8 whose teachers held bachelor’s degrees was 49 in 2005 and 2007, and 46 in 2009. The percentages are all significantly different from the percentage of 40 in 2011.
Grade 4 State: Teacher's Highest Degree
While 48 percent of the nation’s grade 4 public school students in 2011 have teachers who hold master’s degrees, the percentages in the states vary greatly, ranging from 21 percent in Louisiana to 86 percent in New York.
In 2011, between 76 and 100 percent of grade 4 students in New York have teachers who hold master’s degrees, while the percentage in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas is between 0 and 25 percent. In Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, the percentage is between 51 and 75 percent. The percentages in the remaining states are between 26 and 50 percent.
Grade 8 State: Teacher's Highest Degree
In 2011, fifty-two percent of grade 8 public school students in the nation have teachers who hold master’s degrees. The percentages in the states range from 26 percent in Louisiana to 85 percent in New York.
In 2011, between 76 and 100 percent of grade 8 students in New York have teachers who hold master’s degrees. In Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, the percentage is between 51 and 75 percent. The percentages in the remaining states are between 26 and 50 percent.
Grade 4 District: Teacher's Highest Degree
Forty-eight percent of the nation’s grade 4 public school students in 2011 had teachers who held master’s degrees (49 percent in large cities). The percentages in urban districts varied from 24 percent in Fresno to 83 percent in New York City.
In 2011 in New York City, between 76 and 100 percent of grade 4 students have teachers who hold master’s degrees, while the percentage in Atlanta, Baltimore City, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, the District of Columbia (DCPS), Jefferson County (Kentucky), Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and San Diego is between 51 and 75 percent. In Albuquerque, Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, Hillsborough County (Florida), Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami-Dade the percentage is between 26 and 50 percent, while the percentage in Fresno is between 0 and 25 percent.
Grade 8 District: Teacher's Highest Degree
Fifty-two percent of grade 8 public school students in the nation in 2011 had teachers who held master’s degrees (the same percentage as large cities). The percentages in urban districts ranged from 31 percent in Austin to 78 percent in New York City.
In 2011 in New York City, between 76 and 100 percent of grade 8 students have teachers who hold master’s degrees, while the percentage in Baltimore City, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Jefferson County (Kentucky), Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and San Diego is between 51 and 75 percent. In Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, the District of Columbia (DCPS), Fresno, Hillsborough County (Florida), Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami-Dade the percentage is between 26 and 50 percent.
Explore these results further.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 2005-2011 Reading Assessments.