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Education Dive
NAEP 2019: Reading scores drop for US students, with mixed math results
Mississippi sees the most improvement at the state level, with the
schools chief joking other low-performing states can no longer say
"Thank God for Mississippi."
Linda Jacobson
Oct. 30, 2019
Average reading scores for 4th and 8th graders in the U.S. have dropped
since 2017, according to the latest results of the “nation’s report
card.” Math scores increased by one point for 4th graders and decreased
by one point for 8th-graders, with progress overall remaining flat for
the past decade.
At 4th grade, the average reading score on the National Assessment of
Educational Progress’ 500-point scale was 220, compared to 222 in 2017.
Reading scores for 8th graders dropped four points, from 267 to 263.
While reading scores for both grade levels are higher than when
students started taking the test in 1992, there have been few
significant changes in performance since 2009.
Reading scores also dropped for low, middle- and high-performing
students at both grade levels. That's a departure from previous years,
when higher-performing students continued to show gains while the
scores of lower-performing students declined.
“The students who are struggling the most in reading are where they
were almost 30 years ago,” said Peggy Carr, the associate commissioner
of the assessment division at the National Center for Education
Statistics, which administers NAEP and other national assessment
programs in the U.S. She added declines were seen in both reading for
information and reading as a literary experience.
Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the National Assessment Governing
Board — which sets NAEP policy — added the results were "frustrating"
given the work of teachers and others to improve student achievement.
Math scores show a steeper upward trend since the beginning of the
assessment in 1990 — from 213 to 241 at 4th grade and from 263 to 282
in 8th grade. In 2019, low- and middle-performing 4th-graders made
small gains, while scores dropped among lower-performing 8th-graders.
In math, there were no changes in the percentage of students reaching
NAEP's proficient level, which Carr describes as an "aspirational
goal," while there were declines in the percentage of students reaching
proficiency in reading.
Scores for many student subgroups drop
In reading, scores among 4th graders dropped for both white and black
students, as well as for males and students eligible for free or
reduced-price meals. There was a slight increase, however, for English
learners, from 189 to 191. At 8th grade, reading scores decreased for
all racial and ethnic groups, except Asian/Pacific Islander students.
Scores also dropped for both males and females and for those eligible
and not eligible for subsidized meals.
In math, there was a significant drop of six points for American
Indian/Alaska Native students in 8th grade. And while trends show
growth for other student subgroups over time, performance among this
group has remained stagnant. There were no significant changes in
scores for other racial and ethnic groups, compared to 2017.
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