NAEP - 2008 Long-Term Trend: Mathematics Overall Results

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Students' understanding of basic mathematics operations improves since 1978

Trend in NAEP mathematics performance-level results for 9-year-old students

Key. Original assessment format. Top bar percent at level 250 or above. Middle bar percent at level 200 or above. Bottom bar percent at level 150 or above. Revised assessment format. Top bar percent at level 250 or above. Middle bar percent at level 200 or above. Bottom bar percent at level 150 or above.

Findings

Ninety-nine percent of 9-year-olds in 2008 demonstrated the knowledge of simple arithmetic facts described for performance level 150.
In 2008, the percentage of 9-year-olds who demonstrated an initial understanding of the numerical operations and beginning problem-solving skills described for performance level 250 was higher than the percentages in either 2004 or 1978.

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2008.
NOTE: View complete data with standard errors.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 1978–2008 Long-Term Trend Mathematics Assessments.

Learn more about the mathematics performance levels.

To read more details on comparisons across years, see About the Long-Term Trend Assessment.

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2008 Long-Term Trend Report Card