- School book: I Am Jazz
- Seattle, New York elementary
- Recommended by Human Rights Campaign
California Mom Who Lost Daughter to Suic - First Liberty
Reading and Writing Proficiency Levels
- National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), “the nation’s report card,” showed that not even half (43%) of fourth graders in the U.S. scored at or above a proficient level in reading.
- The United States Global Literacy Ranking: Literacy rates for students in the United States have not increased since 2000, according to the 2018 results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), an international exam administered by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The United States ranked 13th out of 79 countries and regions for reading levels; the United States ranked 37th for math. (The PISA rankings divide Chinese provinces as separate regions, stating that each province is comparable to a typical OECD country. With both sets of rankings, three Chinese provinces had higher scores than the United States.) The PISA results also show a correlation between education spending and literacy rates, but only up to a point.
- Failing Grade: Literacy in America - The Policy Circle
| Year | 4th Grade Proficiency (%) | 8th Grade Proficiency (%) | Key Trends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Data Not Available | Data Not Available | NAEP begins in 1969, no reading data collected in first year. |
| 1971 | NAEP first reading test in 1971: Data for white students shows proficiency rates around 50%, but significantly lower for Black students (under 30%). | ||
| 1980 | ~55% at or above basic level | ~57% at or above basic level | Stagnation in reading proficiency rates for both grades; racial disparities in achievement are still significant. |
| 1990 | 29% proficient or higher | 30% proficient or higher | Some progress made, but proficiency remains below expected levels. Achievement gaps persist, particularly for low-income students and minorities. |
| 2000 | 32% proficient or higher | 33% proficient or higher | Incremental improvements due to education reforms like “No Child Left Behind” (2001). Achievement gaps continue to narrow slightly. |
| 2005 | 31% proficient or higher | 29% proficient or higher | Small declines in middle school reading levels, while 4th grade levels remain stable. |
| 2010 | 34% proficient or higher | 32% proficient or higher | Modest improvements at both grade levels. New focus on evidence-based reading programs. |
| 2015 | 36% proficient or higher | 34% proficient or higher | Continued small gains in reading proficiency, but many students still not meeting the proficiency benchmark. |
| 2019 | 35% proficient or higher | 34% proficient or higher | NAEP reading scores dip slightly compared to 2015; achievement gaps between racial and socioeconomic groups remain persistent. |
| 2022 | 33% proficient or higher | 31% proficient or higher | Pandemic effects: significant declines in literacy levels for both 4th and 8th graders due to disruptions in education from COVID-19. |
