In 2017, 40 percent of fourth-grade students performed at or above the Proficient level on the mathematics assessment compared to 40 percent of students in 2015, the previous assessment year. The percentage of fourth-grade students performing at or above Proficient in 2017 was 27 percentage points higher compared to 1990, the first assessment year.

In 2017, 80 percent of fourth-grade students performed at or above the Basic level, which was 2 percentage points lower compared to 2015 and 30 percentage points higher compared to 1990. Eight percent of fourth-graders performed at the Advanced level in 2017, which was 7 percentage points higher in comparison to 1990.

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 (Basic, Proficient, and Advanced). Students performing at or above the 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 mathematics achievement levels.

Scroll down to explore achievement level results for student groups.

INTERPRETING THE RESULTS

NAEP achievement-level setting is based on the collective judgments of a broadly representative panel of teachers, education specialists, and members of the general public. The authorizing legislation for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) requires that the achievement levels be used on a trial basis until the Commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) determines that the achievement levels are reasonable, valid, and informative to the public (20 USC § 9622(e)(2)(C)). The NCES Commissioner’s determination is to be based on a congressionally mandated, rigorous, and independent evaluation. The latest evaluation of the achievement levels was conducted by a committee convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in 2016. The evaluation concluded that further evidence should be gathered to determine whether the achievement levels are reasonable, valid, and informative. Accordingly, the NCES commissioner determined that the trial status of the achievement levels should be maintained at this time. Read more about how NAEP achievement levels are set.

The chart below lists the percentages of fourth-grade students performing at each of the mathematics achievement levels in 2017. Click to set the baseline at either Basic or Proficient to see the percentages of students performing at or above Basic or at or above Proficient. Set the view to cumulative achievement level to see the percentage of students at or above Basic or at or above Proficient. Set the view to discrete achievement level to see the percentage of students at each of the achievement levels.

In 2017, the percentages of fourth-grade students who performed at or above the Proficient level in mathematics did not change significantly for most reportable student groups compared to 2015, the previous assessment year.

In 2017, the percentages of students who performed at or above the Basic level were lower for several student groups. For example, compared to 2015, the percentages of students who performed at or above the Basic level was lower for

• White students,
• male and female students,
• students eligible and not eligible for the National School Lunch Program,
• students attending public schools,
• students attending non-charter public schools, and
• students attending city schools.

Compared to the first assessment year in 1990, the percentages of students who performed at or above the Basic and Proficient levels in mathematics were higher for

• White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander students,
• male and female students, and
• students attending public and Catholic schools.

The chart below lists the percentages of fourth-grade students performing at each of the mathematics achievement levels in 2017. Use the drop-down menu to select a student group. Click to set the baseline at either Basic or Proficient to see the percentages of students performing at or above Basic or at or above Proficient. Set the view to cumulative achievement level to see the percentage of students at or above Basic or at or above Proficient. Set the view to discrete achievement level to see the percentage of students at each of the achievement levels.