National Achievement-Level Results

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Overall NAEP Achievement Levels

Thirty-six percent of fourth-grade students at or above NAEP Proficient in science, lower compared to 2015

In 2019, thirty-six percent of fourth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level on the science assessment, which was 2 percentage points lower than in 2015 and 2 percentage points higher compared to 2009.  

Additional significant changes in achievement-level performance in 2019 include the following:

  • Seventy-three percent of fourth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Basic level, which was 3 percentage points lower compared to 2015 but not significantly different from 2009.
  • Twenty-seven percent of students performed below the NAEP Basic level in 2019, which was 3 percentage points higher compared to 2015 but not significantly different from 2009.
  • One percent of fourth-graders performed at the NAEP Advanced  level in 2019, which was not significantly different from 2015 but was higher compared to 2009.

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 science 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 science achievement levels in 2019 and in 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.

Figure | NAEP achievement-level results in NAEP science for fourth-grade students: 2009, 2015, and 2019
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Percent1009080706050403020100102030405060708090100YearBelowNAEP BasicNAEPBasicNAEPProficientNAEPAdvanced'19↑ Drag to change focal years
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NOTE: NAEP achievement levels are to be used on a trial basis and should be interpreted and used with caution.

Related to this topic:

  • National Average Scores
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NAEP Achievement Levels by Student Group

Lower percentages of fourth-grade students at or above NAEP Proficient for several student groups compared to 2015

In 2019, the percentages of fourth-grade students who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in science were lower than in 2015 for several reported student groups, including:

Compared to 2015, the percentages of fourth-grade students who performed at or above the NAEP Basic level in science were lower in 2019 for many reported student groups, including:

  • White students;
  • male and female students;
  • students eligible for and those not eligible for the National School Lunch Program ;
  • students attending public schools;
  • students attending charter schools and public, noncharter schools;
  • students attending city, suburban, and rural schools;
  • students attending schools in the Midwest and South regions of the country;
  •  students identified and not identified as students with disabilities ; and
  • students not identified as English learners .

In comparison to 2009, there were significant changes in the percentages of students who performed at or above NAEP Proficient , at or above NAEP Basic , and at NAEP Advanced in 2019. Examples of significant changes include the following:

  • The percentages of students who performed at or above NAEP Proficient were higher for several student groups. For example, female students, Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander students, and students of Two or More Races.
  • Among racial/ethnic groups, the percentages of students at or above the NAEP Basic level were higher for Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native students and lower for White students.
  • Higher percentages of female students and students attending schools in the South region of the country performed at the NAEP Advanced level.

The chart below lists the percentages of fourth-grade students performing at each of the NAEP science achievement levels in 2019 and in 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.

Race/ethnicity
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Figure | NAEP achievement-level results in NAEP science for fourth-grade students, by race/ethnicity: 2009, 2015, and 2019
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NOTE: NAEP achievement levels are to be used on a trial basis and should be interpreted and used with caution.