NAEP Long-Term Trends: Student Group Scores

Student Group Scores

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Student Group Score Results

Score gains for racial/ethnic and gender groups compared to the 1970s

The 2022 average reading scores for Black and White 9-year-old students were higher than 1971, the first LTT reading assessment year. The 2022 average reading score for Hispanic 9-year-old students was higher than in 1975, the first year that results were reported for this student group. Also, the average reading scores for male and female 9-year-old students were higher in 2022 than in 1971. Compared to 2020, however, scores for these groups, as well as most reported student groups, were lower.

The long-term trend assessments are administered to samples of students defined by age rather than by grade. Nine-year-olds are typically in fourth grade. Some students in the age group, however, are in a grade that is below or above the grade that is typical for their age. (For more information, see the About page.) The average reading scores for 9-year-old students in a grade below fourth and for students in the fourth grade were higher in 2022 than in 1971; however, in comparison to 2020 scores were lower for these student groups. Results are not shown for 9-year-olds in fifth grade or above because reporting standards were not met for most assessment years.

See long-term trend results for more student groups on the  NAEP Data Explorer.

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Percentile Scores by Student Groups

Scores higher at the 25th and 75th percentiles for Black, Hispanic, and White students compared to the early 1970s

The 2022 reading scores at the 25th and 75th percentiles for 9-year-old Black and White students were higher compared to 1971 scores. The scores for 9-year-old Hispanic students were also higher at these selected percentiles compared to 1975, the first year results were available for this student group. Reading scores at these selected percentiles were also higher in 2022 than in 1971 for 9-year-old male students, and for students below and at the grade typical for their age (fourth grade).

In comparison to 2020, scores at the 25th and 75th percentiles for 9-year-old Hispanic, White, and female students and students at the grade typical for their age (fourth grade) were lower in 2022.

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Demographic Trends

Demographic changes in student populations

The demographic makeup of the United States' student population has changed over the more than half-century since the long-term trend reading assessment was first administered. At age 9, the proportion of Hispanic students increased from 5 percent in 1975 to 28 percent in 2022, while the proportion of White students decreased from 80 percent to 47 percent over the same time period. Another notable change is that a higher percentage of 9-year-old students are now in a grade lower than the one typical for their age: 24 percent of 9-year-olds were in a grade lower than fourth grade in 1971, whereas 39 percent of 9-year-old students were below their typical grade in 2022. The proportion of 9-year-olds at grade 4 has decreased from 75 percent to 61 percent over the same time period.

Select a student group from the drop-down menu to view changes in the percentage distribution for that group over time.

Next page: Performance-Level Results

NOTE: The NAEP long-term trend reading scale ranges from 0 to 500. Results for 1971–1999 are from the original assessment format (including an original assessment sample in the 2004 Bridge Study), and results for 2004–2023 are from the revised assessment format. See more information about the two assessment formats and the 2004 Bridge Study. Results are not shown for data points where the sample sizes are insufficient to permit a reliable estimate or where data are not available. Black includes African American, Hispanic includes Latino, and “Other” includes Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, and unclassified, which was used in the NAEP long-term trend assessment prior to 2012 and was classified as Two or More Races in 2012 and later assessment years. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin. For the grade attended variable, fourth grade is the typical grade for 9-year-old students and eighth grade is the typical grade for 13-year-old students. Results are not available for parents’ highest education level prior to 2004 in NAEP long-term trend reading assessments because the wording of the survey question for this variable in the revised format of the reading assessments administered in 2004 and later was different from previous years. Results are not shown for private schools under the type of school category because the participation rate for private schools did not meet the minimum participation guidelines for reporting in recent long-term trend assessments since 2012. Results are not available for eligibility for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) prior to 2004 in NAEP long-term trend assessments. The information about the NSLP variable is based on available school records. If school records were not available, the student was classified as "Information not available." NAEP aims to include all students sampled for the assessments including students with disabilities and English learners. This goal is accomplished by allowing many of the same accommodations that students use on other tests such as extra testing time or individual administration. Traditionally, the long-term trend assessments have not provided such accommodations. Accommodations were first made available in the long-term trend assessments in 2004 as part of the changes made to the assessment. The category "students with disabilities" includes students identified as having either an Individualized Education Program or protection under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The results for students with disabilities and English learners are based on students who were assessed and cannot be generalized to the total population of such students. See more information about student group variables. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding or the omission of categories. Although the estimates (e.g., average scores or percentages) are shown as rounded numbers in the charts, the positions of the data points in the graphics are based on the unrounded numbers. Unrounded numbers were used for calculating the differences between the estimates, and for the statistical comparison test when the estimates were compared to each other. Not all apparent differences between estimates are statistically significant.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 1971–2023 Long-Term Trend Reading Assessments.