Graphic reading: KDE News, Kentucky Department of Education

Kentucky’s 4th-grade math students saw an increase in their scores on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card. Only 14 other states made statistically significant gains in 4th-grade math during this testing cycle.

The rest of Kentucky’s scores in 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade math and reading held steady, marking the first time students in the Commonwealth have progressed or held steady on NAEP since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commonwealth’s students also were above the national average in both 4th- and 8th-grade reading, as well as 4th-grade math.

“I am pleased to begin to see evidence of success for all of the hard work put in by Kentucky’s public school educators to help their students recover from the impacts of COVID,” Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said. “We believe this is a step in the right direction, and I know that our educators are making a true impact on the lives of their students.”

For more than 50 years, NAEP has been the country’s only nationally representative and continuing survey of students’ educational achievement. The assessment is authorized by Congress and directed by the National Center for Education Statistics. In Kentucky, a representative, random sample of 4th- and 8th-graders are tested every two years in reading and mathematics.

Student performance on NAEP fits into one of four reporting categories: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient or Advanced.

2024 NAEP Scale Scores – Kentucky Compared to Other States/Jurisdictions

Grade/SubjectStates/Jurisdictions Scoring Lower than KentuckyStates/Jurisdictions Scoring Higher than KentuckyStates/Jurisdictions Scoring About the Same as Kentucky
4th-grade reading
16
2
33
8th-grade reading
12
6
33
4th-grade mathematics
12
5
34
8th-grade mathematics
9
23
19

2024 NAEP Achievement Level Percentages

Grade/Subject
Below Basic
At or Above Basic
At or Above Proficient
At or Above Advanced
4th-grade reading
38
62
33
10
8th-grade reading
33
67
29
4
4th-grade mathematics
22
78
38
6
8th-grade mathematics
42
58
24
6
NOTE: The Basic level signifies partial mastery of the knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work in a grade and subject. Proficient denotes solid academic performance demonstrating competency over challenging subject matter, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real-world situations and analytical skills. Advanced represents superior performance beyond proficiency. Proficient is not the same as being “on grade level,” which refers to student performance based on local standards and curriculum that can vary among school districts.

 

The NAEP reading assessment tests students on literary and informational texts. The questions measure students’ ability to locate and recall, integrate and interpret, and critique and evaluate text. In both 4th- and 8th-grade reading, Kentucky students were above the national average.

NAEP Reading Scale Scores – Trends Since 2011

Year
Kentucky 4th-Grade Scale Score
National Average 4th-Grade Scale Score
Kentucky 8th-Grade Scale Score
National Average 8th-Grade Scale Score
2011
225
220
269
264
2013
224
221
270
266
2015
228
221
268
264
2017
224
221
265
265
2019
221
219
263
262
2022
217
216
258
259
2024
218
214
258
257

 

The mathematics assessment addresses five content areas: number properties and operations; measurement; geometry; data analysis, statistics and probability; and algebra. Kentucky students were above the national average in 4th-grade, while they are gaining ground on the national average in 8th grade.

NAEP Mathematics Scale Scores – Trends Since 2011

Year
Kentucky 4th-Grade Scale Score
National Average 4th-Grade Scale Score
Kentucky 8th-Grade Scale Score
National Average 8th-Grade Scale Score
2011
241
240
282
283
2013
241
241
281
284
2015
242
240
278
281
2017
239
239
278
282
2019
239
240
278
281
2022
234
235
269
273
2024
238
237
271
272

Fletcher said while it is too early to tell if these improvements are a trend, he is grateful for the resources and time Kentucky has invested in its students.

“The Kentucky Department of Education remains committed to working with our districts, schools and educators to help ensure all of our public school students have access to vibrant learning experiences that can help prepare them for life after graduation,” Fletcher said. “We believe that the investments our General Assembly has made in literacy and numeracy, along with our collaboration with local school districts in these areas, will enable our students to achieve even higher levels in the years to come.”