Percent of Students Who Score Above Average on the NAEP Mathematics Assessment, by Race/Ethnicity and SES (2024)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress, best known as "NAEP," gives us an inside view of the academic preparedness of students at three points in time: 4th grade, 8th grade, and 12th grade. It is one of the most powerful assessments of students in the United States.

The snapshot below focuses only on mathematics, although several other indicators are studied, include reading and writing. These data are from the 2024 assessment.

Our focus here is on 4th and 8th grade mathematics scores of students by selected race/ethnic group and also by low and high socio-economic status (SES). There are two stories to tell.

First, the data confirm what we seemingly always confirm: that students from upper income families, as well as those who are White or Asian, do dramatically better than other students on NAEP assessments. As illustrated, in both 4th and 8th grade assessments, over 60 percent of White students and 75 percent of Asian students scored above average on the assessment, compared to 30 and 40 percent for Black and Hispanic students. Similarly, almost 80 percent of high-SES students score above average, compared to 32 percent of low-SES 4th grade students and 25 percent of low SES-8th grade students.

The second story is more daunting in many ways. The data for Black, Hispanic, and low-SES students clearly showcase that the educational damage—if one can use that term—happens by the 4th grade. The percentage of students from these groups who score above average on the mathematics assessment declines by the 8th grade. This is a grim but simple message: after the fourth grade, the chances of beating the odds and improving in mathematics—as well as other NAEP indicators—is remote at best. The damage has been done, so to speak.

This finding should send a significant message to policymakers and educators: we need to do more for these students early in the educational pipeline. Put another way—what we are doing and have done for decades isn't working for all students.

How do you read these data?