NAEP results show a growing gap between highest- and lowest-scoring students

Change in scores since 2003 (in grade levels)

SOURCES: National Assessment of Educational Progress. NOTES: Change in scale scores at each percentile since 2003 reported, in grade level units. Grade levels calculated as one-fourth the difference between average national NAEP score in grades 4 and 8, following Kane et al. 2025. After scaling to grade-level units, we average across all tested grades and subjects in each year. FROM: PPIC Blog, March 2025. Get the data Embed Download image