Achievement-Level Results

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Overall NAEP Achievement Levels

Twenty-two percent of eighth-graders at or above NAEP Proficient in civics 

In 2022, twenty-two percent of eighth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level on the civics assessment. The percentage of eighth-grade students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level in 2022 was not significantly different compared to either the previous assessment in 2018 or to 1998, the first assessment year. 

Sixty-nine percent of eighth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Basic level in 2022, which was 3 percentage points lower compared to 2018, while the percentage of students performing in the range below NAEP Basic was 3 points higher compared to 2018. Compared to 1998, there was no significant change in the percentage of students performing at or above NAEP Basic.  Two percent of eighth-grade students performed at the NAEP Advanced level in 2022, which was not significantly different compared to either 2018 or 1998. 

NAEP achievement levels are performance standards that describe what students should know and be able to do. Results are reported as percentages of students performing at or above three achievement levels (NAEP Basic, NAEP Proficient, and NAEP Advanced). Students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level on NAEP assessments demonstrate solid academic performance and competency over challenging subject matter. It should be noted that the NAEP Proficient achievement level does not represent grade-level proficiency as determined by other assessment standards (e.g., state or district assessments). Find out more about the NAEP civics achievement levels.

Scroll down to explore NAEP achievement-level results for student groups.

The chart below lists the percentages of eighth-grade students performing at each of the NAEP civics achievement levels in 2022 and previous assessment years. Set the baseline at either NAEP Basic or NAEP Proficient to see the percentages of students performing at or above that NAEP achievement level. Click "Show NAEP achievement-level breakdown" to see the percentages of eighth-grade students at each of the NAEP achievement levels. Click "Hide NAEP achievement-level breakdown" to see the percentages of students at or above the selected baseline NAEP achievement level. Use the slider to change focal years.

Figure Trend in eighth-grade NAEP civics achievement-level results
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Percent1009080706050403020100102030405060708090100YearPercentage at or aboveNAEP Proficient'22↑ Drag to change focal years
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NOTE: NAEP achievement levels are to be used on a trial basis and should be interpreted and used with caution.
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NAEP Achievement Levels by Student Group

No significant change in percentages of eighth-grade students at or above NAEP Proficient for any student group compared to 2018

In 2022, the percentages of eighth-grade students who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in civics were not significantly different from 2018 for any student group .

The percentages of eighth-grade students who performed at or above the NAEP Basic level in civics were lower for many student groups in comparison to 2018. For example, the percentages performing at or above NAEP Basic were lower in 2022 than in 2018 for the following student groups:

Compared to the first assessment year in 1998, the percentages of eighth-grade students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level in civics didn't change significantly for most student groups in 2022 but was higher for Hispanic students.

The chart below lists the percentages of eighth-grade students performing at each of the NAEP civics achievement levels in 2022 and previous assessment years. Set the baseline at either NAEP Basic or NAEP Proficient to see the percentages of students performing at or above that NAEP achievement level. Click "Show NAEP achievement-level breakdown" to see the percentages of eighth-grade students at each of the NAEP achievement levels. Click "Hide NAEP achievement-level breakdown" to see the percentages of students at or above the selected baseline NAEP achievement level. Use the slider to change focal years.

Race/ethnicity
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Figure Trend in eighth-grade NAEP civics achievement-level results, by race/ethnicity
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NOTE: NAEP achievement levels are to be used on a trial basis and should be interpreted and used with caution.

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