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The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) was first administered in 1969, and is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what the nation’s students know and can do in mathematics, reading, and other subjects. Standard administration practices are used to provide a common measure of student achievement. NAEP is given to a representative sample of students across the country. Results are reported for groups of students with similar characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity and special education,), but scores for neither individual students nor schools are reported.
Between January and March of 2019, students who participated in NAEP were assessed in mathematics, reading, and science. Most students took the digital assessment on tablets, while a small subset of students took paper-and-pencil versions to help NAEP evaluate any differences in student performance between the two types of administration. All of the results can be accessed on the NAEP webpage (https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/media.aspx) and the key results for the nation are as follows:
Reading
Average reading scores at both the 4th and 8th grades were lower in 2019 as compared to 2017.
On the 4th grade NAEP in reading, 17 jurisdictions posted statistically significant lower scores in 2019 as compared to the 2017 scores. Washington’s scale score decline of approximately 3.4 points was not a statistically significant change, meaning that Washington was one of 32 states with no significant change in score. Average Scale scores for the 4th grade NAEP in reading over the most recent administrations:
Comparison | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Comparison Washington Average | 2013 225.0 | 2015 225.9 | 2017 223.1 | 2019 219.7 |
Comparison US Average | 2013 220.7 | 2015 221.4 | 2017 221.9 | 2019 219.7 |
On the 8th grade NAEP in reading, 31 states posted statistically significant lower scores in 2019 as compared to the 2017 scores. Washington’s scale score decline of approximately 5.3 points was a statistically significant change. Average Scale scores for the 8th grade NAEP in reading over the most recent administrations:
Comparison | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Comparison Washington Average | 2013 272 | 2015 267.3 | 2017 271.6 | 2019 266.3 |
Comparison US Average | 2013 266 | 2015 264 | 2017 266.6 | 2019 262 |
Math
Average math scores for the 4th grade were slightly higher nationally, and for the 8th grade the scores were mostly unchanged.
On the 4th grade NAEP in math, 40 states posted statistically significant similar scores in 2019 as compared to the 2017 scores. Washington’s scale score decline of approximately 2.2 points was not a statistically significant change. Average Scale scores for the 4th grade NAEP in math over the most recent administrations:
Comparison | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Comparison Washington Average | 2013 246.3 | 2015 245 | 2017 241.7 | 2019 239.5 |
Comparison US Average | 2013 241.2 | 2015 239.9 | 2017 239.7 | 2019 240 |
On the 8th grade NAEP in math, 43 states posted statistically significant similar scores in 2019 as compared to the 2017 scores. Washington’s scale score decline of approximately 3.3 points was not a statistically significant change. Average Scale scores for the 8th grade NAEP in math over time:
Comparison | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Comparison Washington Average | 2013 290 | 2015 286.5 | 2017 289.1 | 2019 285.8 |
Comparison US Average | 2013 283.6 | 2015 281.3 | 2017 282.8 | 2019 281 |
More about NAEP:
- SBE's Summary of Washington Performance on NAEP
- The Great Divergence: Growing Disparities Between the Nation’s Highest and Lowest Achievers in NAEP Mathematics and Reading Between 2009 and 2019 (NAEP Plus+)
- National Assessment Results Highlight How Income Inequality Affects Learning (OSPI)
- Performance gap among Washington students widens on national test as gifted education faces scrutiny (Seattle Times)