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| 2020 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 224.50. | Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) U.S. history scale score, standard deviation, and percentage of students attaining achievement levels, by grade level, selected student characteristics, and percentile: Selected years, 1994 through 2018 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected student characteristic | 4th-graders | 8th-graders | 12th-graders | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19941 | 2001 | 2006 | 2010 | 19941 | 2001 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 19941 | 2001 | 2006 | 2010 | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | ||||||||||||||
| Average U.S. history scale score2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All students | 205 | (1.0) | 208 | (0.9) | 211 | (1.1) | 214 | (0.8) | 259 | (0.6) | 260 | (0.8) | 263 | (0.8) | 266 | (0.8) | 267 | (1.0) | 263 | (0.8) | 286 | (0.8) | 287 | (0.9) | 290 | (0.7) | 288 | (0.8) |
| Sex | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Male | 203 | (1.5) | 207 | (1.1) | 211 | (1.2) | 215 | (1.0) | 259 | (0.8) | 261 | (0.9) | 264 | (0.9) | 268 | (0.8) | 270 | (1.1) | 265 | (0.9) | 288 | (0.8) | 288 | (1.1) | 292 | (0.9) | 290 | (0.8) |
| Female | 206 | (1.1) | 209 | (1.2) | 211 | (1.1) | 213 | (0.9) | 259 | (0.7) | 260 | (0.9) | 261 | (0.8) | 263 | (0.8) | 265 | (0.9) | 261 | (0.8) | 285 | (0.9) | 286 | (0.9) | 288 | (0.8) | 286 | (1.0) |
Race/ethnicity |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| White | 214 | (1.3) | 217 | (1.3) | 223 | (1.1) | 224 | (1.1) | 266 | (0.8) | 268 | (0.9) | 273 | (0.6) | 274 | (0.7) | 277 | (0.9) | 272 | (0.8) | 292 | (0.8) | 292 | (1.0) | 297 | (0.8) | 296 | (0.7) |
| Black | 176 | (1.6) | 186 | (2.0) | 191 | (1.9) | 198 | (1.9) | 238 | (1.6) | 240 | (1.9) | 244 | (1.2) | 250 | (1.1) | 251 | (1.3) | 246 | (1.2) | 265 | (1.5) | 267 | (1.4) | 270 | (1.3) | 268 | (1.5) |
| Hispanic | 175 | (2.6) | 184 | (2.6) | 194 | (1.9) | 198 | (1.2) | 243 | (1.4) | 240 | (2.0) | 248 | (1.2) | 252 | (1.0) | 257 | (0.9) | 253 | (0.9) | 267 | (1.7) | 271 | (1.9) | 275 | (1.0) | 275 | (1.3) |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 204 | (3.6) | 216 | (3.7) | 214 | (5.1) | 221 | (2.4) | 261 | (5.0) | 264 | (2.8) | 270 | (3.0) | 275 | (1.8) | 279 | (2.5) | 274 | (1.5) | 283 | (3.5) | 294 | (6.0) | 296 | (2.6) | 293 | (2.5) |
| Asian3 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 280 | (2.5) | 275 | (1.5) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
| Pacific/Islander3 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 190 | (5.9) | 193 | (6.2) | 245 | (3.4) | 255 | (4.4) | 244 | (6.3) | 259 | (5.0) | ‡ | (†) | 252 | (9.7) | 272 | (3.0) | 283 | (4.2) | 278 | (4.1) | 278 | (4.2) |
| Two or more races3 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 276 | (1.9) | 268 | (1.7) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
Parents' highest level of education4 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Did not finish high school | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 241 | (1.3) | 241 | (2.8) | 244 | (1.2) | 249 | (0.9) | 250 | (1.3) | 247 | (1.3) | 263 | (1.4) | 266 | (1.6) | 268 | (1.3) | 268 | (1.7) |
| Graduated high school | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 251 | (0.8) | 251 | (1.0) | 252 | (1.3) | 255 | (0.9) | 255 | (1.1) | 250 | (1.1) | 276 | (1.1) | 274 | (1.1) | 278 | (1.0) | 277 | (1.0) |
| Some education after high school | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 264 | (0.8) | 264 | (1.0) | 265 | (0.9) | 267 | (0.9) | 269 | (0.8) | 262 | (0.8) | 287 | (1.2) | 286 | (0.8) | 290 | (0.8) | 286 | (0.8) |
| Graduated college | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 270 | (0.8) | 273 | (0.9) | 274 | (0.8) | 276 | (0.8) | 277 | (1.1) | 272 | (0.8) | 296 | (0.9) | 298 | (1.2) | 300 | (0.8) | 298 | (0.8) |
Eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eligible | --- | (†) | 188 | (1.4) | 195 | (1.1) | 199 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 242 | (1.3) | 247 | (1.1) | 253 | (0.7) | 254 | (0.9) | 251 | (0.7) | --- | (†) | 269 | (1.4) | 273 | (1.0) | 273 | (1.0) |
| Not eligible | --- | (†) | 219 | (1.4) | 224 | (1.0) | 227 | (0.8) | --- | (†) | 267 | (1.1) | 273 | (0.7) | 275 | (0.8) | 279 | (1.0) | 274 | (0.9) | --- | (†) | 289 | (1.2) | 295 | (0.8) | 294 | (0.7) |
| Unknown | --- | (†) | 217 | (2.8) | 227 | (3.9) | 225 | (6.1) | --- | (†) | 266 | (2.0) | 281 | (2.7) | 278 | (2.0) | 281 | (2.5) | 278 | (1.6) | --- | (†) | 294 | (2.1) | 300 | (2.4) | 300 | (2.5) |
Percentile5 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | 147 | (2.1) | 157 | (1.4) | 165 | (2.3) | 169 | (1.4) | 217 | (1.1) | 216 | (1.3) | 221 | (1.4) | 227 | (1.2) | 229 | (1.1) | 222 | (1.2) | 243 | (1.2) | 244 | (1.2) | 249 | (1.3) | 246 | (1.3) |
| 25th | 180 | (1.5) | 184 | (1.4) | 189 | (1.3) | 192 | (1.6) | 239 | (0.9) | 239 | (0.9) | 243 | (0.9) | 246 | (0.9) | 248 | (1.0) | 243 | (0.9) | 265 | (1.2) | 266 | (1.1) | 270 | (1.0) | 267 | (1.3) |
| 50th | 210 | (0.9) | 211 | (1.1) | 213 | (1.0) | 216 | (0.6) | 261 | (1.1) | 262 | (1.1) | 265 | (0.7) | 267 | (0.9) | 269 | (1.0) | 265 | (0.9) | 288 | (0.8) | 288 | (1.1) | 291 | (0.9) | 290 | (0.7) |
| 75th | 234 | (1.2) | 234 | (1.0) | 235 | (1.1) | 238 | (0.9) | 282 | (0.7) | 284 | (1.0) | 285 | (0.7) | 286 | (0.7) | 288 | (1.0) | 285 | (0.9) | 309 | (0.9) | 309 | (1.0) | 312 | (0.7) | 311 | (0.6) |
| 90th | 253 | (1.4) | 254 | (1.4) | 254 | (1.0) | 256 | (1.4) | 299 | (0.6) | 302 | (0.7) | 302 | (1.0) | 302 | (1.1) | 303 | (1.0) | 301 | (0.9) | 326 | (1.0) | 326 | (1.5) | 329 | (0.9) | 328 | (1.0) |
| Standard deviation of the U.S. history scale score6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All students | 41 | (0.7) | 38 | (0.7) | 34 | (0.5) | 34 | (0.7) | 32 | (0.3) | 33 | (0.4) | 32 | (0.4) | 29 | (0.3) | 29 | (0.4) | 30 | (0.3) | 32 | (0.4) | 32 | (0.6) | 31 | (0.3) | 32 | (0.4) |
| Percent of students achieving U.S. history achievement levels | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievement level | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Below NAEP Basic7 | 36 | (1.1) | 34 | (1.2) | 30 | (1.3) | 27 | (0.8) | 39 | (0.9) | 38 | (1.0) | 35 | (1.0) | 31 | (1.0) | 29 | (1.3) | 34 | (1.0) | 57 | (1.1) | 57 | (1.2) | 53 | (1.1) | 55 | (1.0) |
| At or above NAEP Basic7 | 64 | (1.1) | 66 | (1.2) | 70 | (1.3) | 73 | (0.8) | 61 | (0.9) | 62 | (1.0) | 65 | (1.0) | 69 | (1.0) | 71 | (1.3) | 66 | (1.0) | 43 | (1.1) | 43 | (1.2) | 47 | (1.1) | 45 | (1.0) |
| At or above NAEP Basic by sex | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Male | 62 | (1.6) | 65 | (1.3) | 69 | (1.5) | 73 | (1.0) | 61 | (1.0) | 62 | (1.1) | 67 | (1.3) | 71 | (1.1) | 74 | (1.5) | 67 | (1.1) | 45 | (1.2) | 45 | (1.6) | 50 | (1.2) | 49 | (1.1) |
| Female | 65 | (1.4) | 67 | (1.4) | 70 | (1.2) | 73 | (1.0) | 61 | (1.3) | 61 | (1.2) | 64 | (1.0) | 67 | (1.2) | 69 | (1.4) | 64 | (1.2) | 40 | (1.4) | 40 | (1.2) | 44 | (1.2) | 41 | (1.4) |
| At or above NAEP Basic by race/ethnicity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| White | 73 | (1.3) | 76 | (1.5) | 84 | (1.2) | 83 | (1.0) | 70 | (1.1) | 71 | (1.1) | 79 | (0.8) | 80 | (0.9) | 84 | (1.2) | 78 | (1.2) | 50 | (1.2) | 49 | (1.3) | 56 | (1.3) | 55 | (1.2) |
| Black | 35 | (1.5) | 41 | (2.3) | 46 | (2.5) | 54 | (2.6) | 32 | (2.4) | 35 | (2.1) | 40 | (1.7) | 48 | (2.1) | 47 | (2.5) | 42 | (1.7) | 17 | (1.5) | 19 | (1.5) | 20 | (1.6) | 20 | (1.2) |
| Hispanic | 36 | (3.2) | 40 | (2.8) | 49 | (2.7) | 56 | (1.6) | 41 | (2.2) | 36 | (2.6) | 46 | (2.2) | 52 | (1.7) | 59 | (1.5) | 53 | (1.4) | 22 | (2.4) | 24 | (2.3) | 27 | (1.4) | 28 | (1.4) |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 62 | (4.3) | 74 | (4.5) | 71 | (4.8) | 82 | (3.1) | 60 | (6.9) | 65 | (3.0) | 75 | (4.4) | 78 | (2.1) | 82 | (2.6) | 79 | (1.8) | 40 | (4.7) | 51 | (6.7) | 54 | (3.5) | 50 | (3.2) |
| Asian3 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 84 | (2.6) | 81 | (1.7) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
| Pacific/Islander3 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 41 | (7.7) | 49 | (5.4) | 42 | (6.2) | 57 | (6.5) | 43 | (6.1) | 61 | (6.3) | ‡ | (†) | 51 | (13.7) | 21 | (6.3) | 37 | (7.8) | 32 | (7.3) | 29 | (5.9) |
| Two or more races3 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 81 | (2.5) | 71 | (2.7) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) |
| At or above NAEP Proficient8 | 17 | (1.0) | 18 | (0.9) | 18 | (1.0) | 20 | (0.7) | 14 | (0.6) | 16 | (0.7) | 17 | (0.8) | 17 | (0.8) | 18 | (0.9) | 15 | (0.7) | 11 | (0.7) | 11 | (0.9) | 13 | (0.7) | 12 | (0.5) |
| At NAEP Advanced9 | 2 | (0.3) | 2 | (0.3) | 2 | (0.3) | 2 | (0.3) | 1 | (0.1) | 1 | (0.2) | 1 | (0.1) | 1 | (0.1) | 1 | (0.2) | 1 | (0.1) | 1 | (0.2) | 1 | (0.3) | 1 | (0.2) | 1 | (0.1) |
| ---Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‡Reporting standards not met (too few cases for a reliable estimate). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Accommodations were not permitted for this assessment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Scale ranges from 0 to 500 for all three grades, but scores cannot be compared across grades. For example, the average score of 224 for White 4th-graders in 2010 does not denote lower performance than the score of 274 for White 8th-graders in 2010. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 In U.S. history assessments prior to 2014, separate data for Asians, Pacific Islanders, and students of Two or more races were not collected. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 Based on student reports. Data for students whose parents have an unknown level of education are included in table totals, but not shown separately. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 The percentile represents a specific point on the percentage distribution of all students ranked by their U.S. history score from low to high. For example, 10 percent of students scored at or below the 10th percentile score, while 90 percent of students scored above it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 The standard deviation provides an indication of how much the test scores varied. The lower the standard deviation, the closer the scores were clustered around the average score. About two-thirds of the student scores can be expected to fall within the range of one standard deviation above and one standard deviation below the average score. For example, the average score for all 8th-graders in 2018 was 263, and the standard deviation was 30. This means that about two-thirds of the students would be expected to have scores between 293 (one standard deviation above the average) and 233 (one standard deviation below). Standard errors also must be taken into account when making comparisons of these ranges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 NAEP Basic denotes partial mastery of the knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 NAEP Proficient represents solid academic performance. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 NAEP Advanced signifies superior performance. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: In 2014 and 2018, only 8th-grade students were assessed in U.S. history. Includes public, private, Bureau of Indian Education, and Department of Defense Education Activity schools. For 2001 and later years, includes students tested with accommodations (3 to 13 percent of all students, depending on grade level and year); excludes only those students with disabilities and English language learners who were unable to be tested even with accommodations (1 to 3 percent of all students). Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994, 2001, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 U.S. History Assessments, retrieved April 30, 2020, from the Main NAEP Data Explorer (https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE). (This table was prepared April 2020.) |
