Achievement-Level Results

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Overall NAEP Achievement Levels

Lower percentage of eighth-grade students at or above NAEP Proficient compared to 2018

In 2022, thirteen percent of eighth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level on the U.S. history assessment, which was 2 percentage points lower compared to 2018 and not significantly different from the first assessment year in 1994.

Sixty percent of eighth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Basic level in 2022, which was 6 percentage points lower than in 2018 and not significantly different compared to 1994. One percent of eighth-grade students performed at the NAEP Advanced level, which was not significantly different in comparison to either 2018 or 1994.

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 BasicNAEP 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 U.S. history achievement levels.

Scroll down to explore NAEP achievement-level results for student groups.

The chart below lists the percentages of eighth-grade students performing at each of the NAEP U.S. history 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 eighth-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 Trend in eighth-grade NAEP U.S. history achievement-level results
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Baseline
Percent1009080706050403020100102030405060708090100YearPercentage at or aboveNAEP Proficient'22↑ 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.
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NAEP Achievement Levels by Student Group

No significant changes in percentages of eighth-grade students at or above NAEP Proficient for most student groups compared to 2018

In 2022, there were no significant changes in the percentages of eighth-grade students who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in U.S. history for any reported student group compared to 2018 with one exception: a lower percentage of students attending city schools performed at or above NAEP Proficient.

In 2022, the percentages of students who performed at or above NAEP Basic were lower for many student groups in comparison to 2018, as follows:

  • Hispanic and White students;
  • male and female students;
  • students eligible and not eligible for the National School Lunch Program ;
  • students whose parents did not finish high school, students whose parents graduated from high school, students whose parents had some education after high school, and students whose parents graduated from college;
  • students attending public schools;
  • students attending public, noncharter schools;
  • students attending city and suburban schools;
  • students attending schools in the Midwest, South, and West regions;
  • students who were and were not identified as students with disabilities ; and
  • students who were not identified as English learners .

The percentages of students who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in 2022 were not significantly different for any student group compared to the first assessment year in 1994. In comparison to 1994, the percentages of students who performed at or above the NAEP Basic level in 2022 were not significantly different for most student groups with two exceptions: the percentages were lower for students whose parents graduated from high school and for students whose parents had some education after high school.

The chart below lists the percentages of eighth-grade students performing at each of the NAEP U.S. history 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 eighth-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.

School location
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Figure Trend in eighth-grade NAEP U.S. history achievement-level results, by school location
Baseline
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NOTE: NAEP achievement levels are to be used on a trial basis and should be interpreted and used with caution.

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