Reading 2007

As the key that allows access to many forms of knowledge and information, reading literacy is a skill critical to learning. The NAEP reading assessment measures reading comprehension by asking students to read passages and answer questions about what they have read. In this way, it collects valuable information on the progress of literacy and provides a broad picture of what our nation's students are able to read and understand at specific grade levels.

A nationally representative sample of more than 350,000 students at grades 4 and 8 participated in the 2007 reading assessment. (In grade four, 7,830 schools and 191,000 students participated. In grade 8, 6,930 schools and 160,700 students participated.) Comparing these results to results from previous years shows the progress fourth- and eighth-graders are making both in the nation and in individual states.

Results

The 2007 assessment shows that reading skills are improving for both fourth- and eighth-graders, particularly among lower- and middle-performing students. Many student groups made gains in both grades; however, these gains were not always accompanied by significant closing of racial/ethnic and gender gaps.

Students demonstrated their reading comprehension skills by responding to questions about various types of reading passages on the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading assessment. Reading abilities were assessed in the contexts of literary experience, gaining information, and performing a task.

Fourth-graders scored higher in 2007 than in all the previous assessment years. The average reading score was up 2 points since 2005 and 4 points compared to the first assessment 15 years ago. Higher percentages of students were performing at or above the Basic and Proficient achievement levels in 2007 than in previous years.

The average reading score for eighth-graders was up 1 point since 2005 and 3 points since 1992; however, the trend of increasing scores was not consistent over all assessment years. In comparison to both 1992 and 2005, the percentage of students performing at or above the Basic level increased, but there was no significant change in the percentage of students at or above the Proficient level.

White, Black, and Hispanic students in both grades make gains

As indicated on the chart below, White, Black, and Hispanic students all scored higher in 2007 than in the first assessment 15 years ago at both grades 4 and 8. However, improvements for minority students did not always result in the narrowing of the achievement gaps with White students. Only the White-Black gap at grade 4 was smaller in comparison to the gaps in 2005 and 1992.

↑ Indicates the score was higher or the gap increased in 2007.
↓ Indicates the score was lower or the gap decreased in 2007.
↔ Indicates there was no significant change in the score or the gap in 2007.
‡ Reporting standards not met. Sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.

Female students outperform males

Patterns in improvement for male and female students varied by grade. Scores for both male and female students increased since 2005 at grade 4, but not at grade 8. In 2007, female students scored 7 points higher than male students at grade 4 and 10 points higher at grade 8. These gender score gaps were not significantly different from the gaps seen 15 years ago.

Four states and jurisdictions make gains in reading at both grades

Compared with 2005
	4 states and jurisdictions (District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, and Maryland) improved at both grades,
	13 states (Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming)  and Department of Defense schools improved at grade 4 only,
	2 states (Texas and Vermont) improved at grade 8 only,
	2 states declined at grade 8 (North Dakota and Rhode Island), and
	30 states showed no significant change at either grade.

Differing patterns emerged when results were examined by the contexts for reading. For example, 5 of the 44 states and jurisdictions that showed no change in overall performance at grade 8 did show a gain in at least one of the three reading contexts.

¹Department of Defense Education Activitiy (overseas and domestic schools).

What fourth-graders know and can do in reading

The item map below is useful for understanding performance at different levels on the scale.

The scale scores on the left represent the average scores for students who were likely to get the items correct or complete. The lower-boundary scores at each achievement level are noted. The descriptions of selected assessment questions are listed in the right column and indicate what students needed to do to answer the question successfully.

For example, the map on this page shows that fourth-graders performing near the middle of the Basic range (students with an average score of 220) were likely to be able to recognize the meaning of specialized vocabulary from context. Students performing near the lower end of the Proficient range (with an average score of 239) were likely to be able to identify a character's problem and describe how it was solved.

NOTE: Regular typeface denotes a constructed-response question. Italic typeface denotes a multiple-choice question. The position of a question on the scale represents the average scale score attained by students who had a 65 percent probability of successfully answering a constructed-response question, or a 74 percent probability of correctly answering a four-option multiple-choice question. For constructed response questions, the question description represents students' performance rated as completely correct. Scale score ranges for reading achievement levels are referenced on the map.

What eighth-graders know and can do in reading

The item map below illustrates the range of reading ability demonstrated by eighth-graders. For example, students performing in the middle of the Basic range (with an average score of 261) were likely to be able to identify the appropriate text recommendation for a specific situation. Students performing near the top of the Proficient range (with an average score of 318) were likely to be able to infer and explain traits of a character using specific examples.

NOTE: Regular typeface denotes a constructed-response question. Italic typeface denotes a multiple-choice question. The position of a question on the scale represents the average scale score attained by students who had a 65 percent probability of successfully answering a constructed-response question, or a 74 percent probability of correctly answering a four-option multiple-choice question. For constructed response questions, the question description represents students' performance rated as completely correct. Scale score ranges for reading achievement levels are referenced on the map.