NAEP Report Card: 2019 NAEP Science Assessment

Science scores decrease at grade 4; no significant changes at grades 8 and 12 compared to 2015

Fourth- and eighth-graders score higher compared to 2009; no significant change for twelfth-graders

In 2019, the average science score at fourth grade was lower by 2 points compared to 2015 while the score was higher by 1 point compared to 2009. At grade 8, the average score was not significantly different compared to 2015 but was four points higher compared to 2009. The average score at grade 12 in 2019 was not significantly different in comparison to 2015 and 2009.

Lower scores for fourth-grade students in two of three science content areas; no significant changes in content area scores for eighth- and twelfth-graders compared to 2015

The NAEP science assessment measures students’ knowledge and abilities in three content areas—Physical Science, Life Science, and Earth and Space Sciences. Learn more about the science content areas.

In 2019, average scores at grade 4 declined in Life Science and Earth and Space Sciences compared to 2015, while scores were higher in Physical Science and Earth and Space Sciences than in 2009. At grade 8, there were no significant changes in average scores across the three content areas in 2019 compared to 2015, while Physical Science and Life Science scores were higher than in 2009. There were no significant changes in average scores across the content areas at grade 12 compared to 2015 and 2009.

Scores decrease for lower- and middle-performing fourth-graders compared to 2015

NAEP reports scores at five selected percentiles to show the progress made by lower- (10th and 25th percentiles), middle- (50th percentile), and higher- (75th and 90th percentiles) performing students.  

The decrease in overall average science score between 2019 and 2015 consisted of score declines for lower- and middle-performing fourth-grade students. In 2019, there were no significant changes in scores for higher-performing students compared to 2015.

The increase in overall average science score between 2019 and 2009 consisted of score increases for higher-performing students. Scores were not significantly different for lower- and middle-performing students in 2019 compared to 2009.

Scores decline for lower-performing fourth-graders in all three science content areas

A comparison of content area performance by percentiles in 2019 and 2015 showed the following:

Please note that NAEP science content area scales are developed independently. As a result, comparisons cannot be made from one content area to another.

Score gains for many student groups from 2009 to 2015 while average scores decline for many student groups from 2015 to 2019

Scores decline for many lower- and middle-performing fourth-grade student groups compared to 2015

While many reported student groups made score gains in science from 2009 to 2015, average scores either declined or did not significantly change for most student groups from 2015 to 2019. The graphic above shows examples of this pattern in student performance by gender and race/ethnicity.

In addition, science scores in 2019 declined for lower- and middle-performing students across many selected student groups at fourth grade in comparison to 2015.

Download a data table summarizing the full set of results for fourth-grade student group scores by percentile (.xlsx).

In 2019, there were no significant changes in score gaps compared to 2015 for most reported student groups in fourth-grade science. While there was no significant change in the 2019 average science score for White students compared to 2009, scores at fourth grade increased for Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native students and students of Two or More Races. The score gains from 2009 to 2019 for these student groups contributed to a narrowing of the score gaps between these groups and their White peers.

In 2019, many student groups also had lower content area scores compared to 2015. For example, scores declined for

Twenty-seven percent of fourth-grade students performed below NAEP Basic in science, larger compared to 2015

Thirty-six percent of fourth-graders at or above NAEP Proficient, lower compared to 2015

The percentage of students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level was 2 percentage points lower compared to 2015, whereas the percentage of students who performed below the NAEP Basic level increased by 3 percentage points.

Compared to 2009, the percentage of students who performed at or above NAEP Proficient was higher in 2019, while the percentage of students who performed below NAEP Basic was not significantly different.

Thirty percent of fourth-graders participate in scientific inquiry-related classroom activities from never to once or twice a year

Larger percentage of lower-performing than higher-performing fourth-graders have teachers reporting that their students rarely participate in scientific inquiry-related activities

As part of the 2019 NAEP science assessment, teachers of fourth-graders were asked how often (never, about once or twice a year, about once or twice a month, about once or twice a week, or every day or almost every day) their students did various activities in class, including four types of activities that involved scientific inquiry: working with other students on a science activity or project, talking about the measurements and results from their hands-on activities, discussing the kinds of problems that engineers can solve, and figuring out different ways to solve a science problem. 

In 2019, thirty percent of all fourth-grade students in the nation had teachers who reported students’ frequency of participation in the four scientific inquiry-related activities as ranging from never to once or twice a year. Larger percentages of lower-performing students (below the 25th percentile) than higher-performing students (at or above the 75th percentile) had teachers who reported that their students never or about once or twice a year participated in the following inquiry-related activities: 

See a data table summarizing the full set of results for fourth-grade student experiences with scientific inquiry by percentile in the Report Card.

Decrease in science score for lowest-performing eighth-grade students compared to 2015

While the average science score was not significantly different in 2019 compared to 2015, the score decreased for the lowest-performing eighth-grade students at the 10th percentile. Scores were not significantly different across the performance distribution for most student groups compared to 2015. 

Compared to 2009, the higher average score for eighth-graders consisted of score increases for students at all five selected percentiles and for most reported student groups.

Download a data table summarizing the full set of results for eighth-grade student group scores by percentile (.xlsx).

Scores decline for lowest-performing eighth-grade students in all three content areas compared to 2015; scores increase for higher-performing students in two content areas

There were no significant changes in average scores across the three content areas in 2019 compared to 2015. However, there were changes in percentile scores as follows:

Please note that NAEP science content area scales are developed independently. As a result, comparisons cannot be made from one content area to another.

Gender score gap at grade 8 smaller compared to 2015 and 2009

White–Black and White–Hispanic score gaps smaller compared to 2009

While there were no significant changes in score gaps for most student groups in 2019 compared to 2015, the gender gap narrowed.  The 1-point score difference between male and female students in 2019 was smaller than the 3-point score gap in 2015 and the 4-point score gap in 2009. Male students scored higher than their female peers in 2009 and in 2015 while there was no significant difference between the two groups in 2019.

Score gaps were smaller for several other reported student groups in comparison to 2009. For example, the score gaps between White students and their Black and Hispanic peers were smaller in 2019 than in 2009. Greater score gains in science from 2009 to 2019 for Black and Hispanic students contributed to a narrowing of the score gaps between these groups and their White peers.

Thirty-three percent of eighth-grade students perform below NAEP Basic in science, not significantly different compared to 2015

Thirty-five percent of eighth-graders at or above NAEP Proficient, not significantly different compared to 2015

In 2019, there were no significant changes in the percentages of students performing at or above NAEP Proficient or below NAEP Basic on the science assessment compared to 2015.  

The percentages of students who performed at or above NAEP Proficient and at NAEP Advanced were higher in 2019 than in 2009; the percentage of students who performed below NAEP Basic was lower.  

Forty-two percent of eighth-graders participate in scientific inquiry-related classroom activities from never to once in a while

Larger percentage of lower-performing than higher-performing eighth-graders rarely participate in scientific inquiry-related activities

As part of the 2019 NAEP science assessment, eighth-graders were asked how often (never or hardly ever, once in a while, sometimes, often, or always or almost always) they did eight activities in their science class that involved scientific inquiry.

In 2019, forty-two percent of all eighth-grade students in the nation reported that they participated in inquiry-related activities in their science class at a frequency ranging from never to once in a while. Larger percentages of lower-performing students (below the 25th percentile) than higher-performing students (at or above the 75th percentile) reported that they never or hardly ever or once in a while participated in the following inquiry-related activities:

See a data table summarizing the full set of results for eighth-grade student experiences with scientific inquiry by percentile in the Report Card.

No significant progress in science performance at grade 12 for lower-, middle-, and higher-performing students compared to 2015

There were no significant changes in science scores for twelfth-grade students at all five selected percentiles in 2019 compared to 2015. There also were no significant changes in average scores since 2015 for any reported student groups including: race/ethnicity, gender, parental education level, type of school, attendance at a charter school, school location, region of the country, status as students with disabilities, and status as English learners. In addition, there were no significant changes in science score gaps at grade 12 for most reported student groups in 2019 compared to 2015 and 2009.

Overall student performance in science has also not significantly changed in comparison with 2009. However, the score declined by 4 points for the lowest-performing twelfth-graders at the 10th percentile in 2019. An apparent score increase of 3 points for the highest-performing students at the 90th percentile in 2019 was not a statistically significant change compared to 2009.

Download a data table summarizing the full set of results for twelfth-grade student group scores by percentile (.xlsx).

No significant changes in average scores across the content areas at grade 12 compared to 2015; scores decline for lowest-performing students in Physical Science and Life Science

Average scores did not significantly change across the science content areas in comparison to 2015. Looking at content area scores by performance level in 2019, the lowest-performing students at the 10th percentile scored lower in Physical Science and Life Science compared to 2015. 

While average scores were not significantly different compared to 2009 across the science content areas, there were significant changes in percentile scores as follows:

Please note that NAEP science content area scales are developed independently. As a result, comparisons cannot be made from one content area to another.

Forty-one percent of twelfth-grade students perform below NAEP Basic in science, not significantly different compared to 2015

Twenty-two percent of twelfth-graders at or above NAEP Proficient, not significantly different compared to 2015

In 2019, there were no significant changes in the percentages of students who performed at or above NAEP Proficient, below NAEP Basic, or at NAEP Advanced compared to 2015 and 2009.

Forty-one percent of twelfth-graders report having taken courses in biology, chemistry, and physics; seventy-one percent report taking no Advanced Placement science courses

As part of the 2019 NAEP science assessment, twelfth-grade students were asked about the science courses they had taken since eighth grade and whether they were currently enrolled in or had taken Advanced Placement (AP) science courses. Note that coursetaking data are collected from students’ self-reports of their coursetaking history and are not taken from students’ transcripts.

The typical high school science course sequence begins with biology, followed by chemistry and physics. In 2019, forty-one percent of all twelfth-grade students in the nation reported having taken courses in biology, chemistry, and physics. These students had a higher science score on average (160) than the 37 percent of students who reported having taken biology and chemistry (150) and the 22 percent of students who reported having taken biology only or other science courses (132).

Additionally, 71 percent of grade 12 students in 2019 reported having taken no AP science courses. These students had a lower science score on average (143) than the 17 percent of students who reported having taken one AP course (165), the 7 percent of students who reported having taken two AP courses (179), and the 5 percent of students who reported having taken three or more AP courses (176).

Larger percentage of female than male twelfth-grade students report interest in pursuing a career in science

As part of the 2019 NAEP science assessment, twelfth-graders were asked how likely (not at all likely, not likely, somewhat likely, quite likely, or extremely likely) they were to pursue a career in science.

In 2019, forty-six percent of all twelfth-grade students in the nation reported that they were somewhat or more likely to pursue a science career in science. A larger percentage of female students (51 percent) than male students (42 percent) reported that they were somewhat or more likely to pursue a science career.

The NAEP digitally based science assessment consisted of standalone, discrete questions, and scenario-based tasks comprising a connected sequence of questions. Scenario-based tasks were designed to engage students in scientific inquiry through hands-on activities and computer simulations set in real-world contexts. The tasks provided students opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in each of three science content areas and four science practices. The science assessment included two types of scenario-based tasks:

Learn more about the digitally based science assessment.