National Achievement-Level Results
Overall NAEP Achievement Levels
Thirty-three percent of fourth-graders at or above NAEP Proficient in reading, lower compared to 2019
Thirty-three percent of fourth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level on the reading assessment in 2022. This percentage was 2 percentage points lower compared to 2019 but was 5 percentage points higher in comparison to 1992, the first reading assessment year.
Sixty-three percent of fourth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Basic level in 2022. This percentage was 4 percentage points lower compared to 2019 but was not significantly different compared to 1992. Thirty-seven percent of fourth-grade students performed below the NAEP Basic level in 2022, which was 4 percentage points higher compared to 2019 and not significantly different from 1992. Nine percent of fourth-graders performed at the NAEP Advanced level in 2022, which was not significantly different from 2019 but was higher in comparison to 1992.
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). NAEP achievement levels are to be used on a trial basis and should be interpreted and used with caution. Find out more about the NAEP reading achievement levels.
Scroll down to explore NAEP achievement-level results for student groups.
The chart below lists the percentages of fourth-grade students performing at each of the NAEP reading 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 fourth-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.
NAEP Achievement Levels by Student Group
Lower percentage of female students at or above NAEP Proficient in grade 4 reading compared to 2019
In 2022, the percentages of fourth-grade students who performed at or above NAEP Proficient in reading were not significantly different for some reported student groups, such as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and Hispanic students compared to 2019; however, the percentages were lower for the following student groups:
- White students;
- female students;
- students eligible and not eligible for the National School Lunch Program
- students attending public schools;
- students attending public, noncharter schools;
- students attending schools in the Northeast and Midwest regions;
- students attending schools in suburban and town locations;
- students who were not identified as students with disabilities
- students who were not identified as English learners
The percentages of fourth-grade students who performed at or above the NAEP Basic level in reading were lower for many student groups in comparison to 2019. For example, the percentages performing at or above NAEP Basic were lower in 2022 than in 2019 for the following student groups:
- Black and Hispanic students, students of Two or More Races, and White students;
- male and female students;
- students eligible and not eligible for the National School Lunch Program;
- students attending public schools;
- students attending public, noncharter schools;
- students attending schools in the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West regions;
- students attending schools in city, suburban, and town locations;
- students who were not identified as students with disabilities; and
- students who were not identified as English learners.
Compared to the first assessment year in 1992, the percentages of fourth-grade students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level were higher in 2022 for the following student groups:
- Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, and White students;
- male and female students; and
- students attending public schools.
The chart below lists the percentages of fourth-grade students performing at each of the NAEP reading 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 fourth-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.