Table 3: The proficiency debate - Center for Public Education

Home > Evaluating performance > The proficiency debate: A guide to NAEP achievement levels > Table 3: The proficiency debate

- +

Table 3: The proficiency debate

This table shows the percent of students scoring at the proficient level on state reading assessments compared to the percent basic on NAEP (Elementary Reading 2005).

How to read this table: In 2005, 83 percent of Alabama students scored proficient or above on the state elementary reading assessment. That same year, 53 percent of Alabama fourth-graders scored at or above basic on NAEP-reading. The difference between students precent proficient on the state assessment and students basic on the NAEP-reading was 30 percentage points.

	State Assessment (Proficient Level)	NAEP (Basic Level)	Difference
Alabama	83	53	-30
Alaska	78	58	-20
Arizona	68	52	-16
Arkasas	52	63	11
California	47	50	3
Colorado	64	69	5
Connecticut	67	71	4
Delaware	85	73	-12
Florida	71	65	-6
Georgia	87	58	-29
Hawaii	56	53	-3
Idaho	87	69	-18
Illinois	60	62	2
Indiana	75	64	-11
Iowa	78	67	-11
Kansas	78	66	-12
Kentucky	68	65	-3
Louisiana	21	53	32
Maine	53	71	18
Maryland	74	65	-9
Massachusetts	50	78	28
Michigan	82	63	-19
Minnesota	81	71	-10
Mississippi	89	48	-41
Missouri	35	67	32
Montana	75	71	-4
Nebraska	79	68	-11
Nevada	43	52	9
New Hampshire	na	74	na
New Jersey	82	68	-14
New Mexico	52	51	-1
New York	70	69	-1
North Carolina	83	62	-21
North Dakota	na	72	na
Ohio	77	69	-8
Oklahoma	83	60	-23
Oregon	81	62	-19
Pennsylvania	64	69	5
Rhode Island	67	62	-5
South Carolina	36	57	21
South Dakota	87	70	-17
Tennessee	na	59	na
Texas	79	64	-15
Utah	na	68	na
Vermont	na	72	na
Virginia	85	72	-13
Washington	80	70	-10
West Virginia	81	61	-20
Wisconsin	82	67	-15
Wyoming	47	71	24
		Average	-6
Source: Hall D. and Kennedy S. Primary Progress, Secondary Challenge (2006). Education Trust