Top Reading Story for Grade 12: Reading scores up since 2005 at grade 12

Overall, average reading scores for twelfth-graders improved since 2005. In addition, for the first time, state-level grade 12 reading results are available. Eleven states participated in the pilot state assessment. The results of the assessment are available in a combined 2009 Grade 12 Mathematics and Reading Report Card.

See a summary of the major findings.

Dig Deeper into Grade 12 Results

... by examining overall state performance versus the nation, and viewing results by parental education and students’ plans after high school.

Overall Results

Eleven states volunteered for the assessment. In the 2009 grade 12 reading assessment, students in 7 of the 11 states scored higher than the national average.

Parental Education: Did not finish high school

The percentage of students whose parents did not finish high school ranged from 3 percent in New Hampshire and South Dakota to 9 percent in Florida. In 10 of the 11 states, reading scores for students whose parents did not finish high school did not differ significantly from the average scores for their peers in the nation.

Parental Education: Graduated from high school

The percentage of students whose parents’ highest level of education was graduating from high school ranged from 15 percent in South Dakota to 28 percent in West Virginia. In 3 of the 11 states, students whose parents graduated from high school scored higher than their peers in the nation.

Parental Education: Graduated from college

The percentage of students whose parents’ highest level of education was graduating from college ranged from 39 percent in Arkansas and West Virginia to 58 percent in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In 4 of the 11 states, students whose parents graduated from college scored higher than their peers in the nation.

Plans after high school: Working full time

The percentage of grade 12 students who planned to work full time in the first year following high school ranged from 4 percent in New Jersey to 13 percent in Idaho. In 3 of the 11 states, students who planned to work full time after high school scored higher than their peers in the nation.

Plans after high school: Attending two-year college

The percentage of grade 12 students who planned to attend a two-year college in the first year following high school ranged from 7 percent in South Dakota to 30 percent in Iowa. In 2 of the 11 states, students who planned to attend a two-year college scored higher than their peers in the nation.

Plans after high school: Attending four-year college

The percentage of grade 12 students who planned to attend a four-year college in the first year following high school ranged from 51 percent in Idaho and Iowa to 72 percent in Massachusetts. In 6 of the 11 states, students who planned to attend a four-year college scored higher than their peers in the nation.

Top Reading Story for Grades 4 and 8: Reading scores up since 2007 at grade 8, but unchanged at grade 4

The average reading score for fourth-graders in 2009 was unchanged from the score in 2007 but was higher than the scores in other earlier assessment years from 1992 to 2005. The average reading score for eighth-graders in 2009 was one point higher than in 2007 and four points higher than in 1992.

See a summary of major findings.

Dig Deeper into National Results

The Proficient level has been set as the goal for student performance by the National Assessment Governing Board. Dig Deeper into the trends of student performance at the Proficient level by using the numbered navigation bar below.

Achievement Levels

• Grade 4, All Students

The percentage of fourth-graders in the nation performing at or above Proficient in reading increased from 29 percent in 1992 to 33 percent in 2009.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Explore more results.

• Grade 8, All Students

The percentage of eighth-graders at or above Proficient in reading increased from 29 percent in 1992 to 32 percent in 2009.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Explore more results.

Reading For Fun

Students who performed at or above Proficient were likely to read for fun
on their own.

• Grade 4, Students at or above Proficient

In both 2002 and 2009, approximately 80 percent of fourth-graders at or above Proficient reported reading for fun at least once or twice a week.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Explore more results.

• Grade 8, Students at or above Proficient

In both 2002 and 2009, approximately 60 percent of eighth-graders at or above Proficient reported reading for fun at least once or twice a week. Proficient students reporting that they read for fun almost every day increased from 33 percent in 2002 to 36 percent in 2009.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Explore more results.

Books in the Home

The availability of books in the home was also associated with students performing at or above the Proficient level.

• Grade 4, Students at or above Proficient

In both 2002 and 2009, over 85 percent of fourth-graders at or above Proficient reported having more than 25 books in their homes. The percentage of Proficient students reporting having more than 100 books decreased between 2002
and 2009.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

• Grade 8, Students at or above Proficient

Similar to grade 4, over 85 percent of eighth-graders at or above Proficient reported having more than 25 books in their homes in both 2002 and 2009. The percentage of Proficient students reporting having more than 100 books decreased between 2002 and 2009.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Top Reading Story for Urban Districts: Reading scores increase since 2007 in four districts at grade 4 and in two districts at grade 8

At grade 4, reading scores increased since 2007 in 4 of the 11 participating districts, but there were no significant changes in the scores for public school students in the nation or large cities.

At grade 8, reading scores for 2 of the 11 districts, and for public school students in the nation and large cities, were higher in 2009 than in 2007.

See summary of major findings.  

Dig Deeper into Urban District Data

Even though most participating districts performed below the national average,
scores for student groups in some districts were higher than their public school peers in the nation.  For example, the reading average score for lower-income grade 4 students in Boston was higher than the score for lower-income fourth-graders nationally. Explore the reading scores for various student groups in the grade 4 and grade 8 motion charts.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 1992 - 2009 Reading Assessments.

Explore the 2009 Grade 12 Reading and Mathematics Report Card

Explore the 2009 Grade 12 Reading and Mathematics Report Card

Explore the Reading 2009 Trial Urban District Report Card

Explore the Reading 2009 Trial Urban District Report Card

Explore the Reading 2009 Report Card

Explore the Reading 2009 Report Card

View State and District Snapshots

NCES provides a customized summary report for each state, jurisdiction, or district that participates in the NAEP assessments.

Select a state/jurisdiction and grade to view a State Snapshot report.

Select an urban district and grade to view a District Snapshot report.

Select a state/jurisdiction and subject to view a State Snapshot report at grade 12.

See 2009 Reading Framework

The reading framework serves as the blueprint for the assessment, describing the specific reading skills that should be assessed.

For more information, download the Reading Framework for the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress.