Results from the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment were released today.

A nationally representative sample of fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-grade students took the test during the first three months of 2019.  Previously, the NAEP science test was administered in 2015, 2011 (grade 8 only), and 2009. The results were not encouraging: a drop in fourth grade and stagnation in eighth and twelfth grade.

Other highlights include:

  • Scores decrease for lowest-performing students at grades 4 and 8 compared to 2015
  • Average scores higher at grades 4 and 8 compared to 2009; no significant score change at grade 12
  • Approximately one-third of fourth- and eighth-graders and less than one-quarter of twelfth-graders score at or above NAEP Proficient in 2019
  • At fourth grade, a lower percentage of students score at or above NAEP Proficient and a higher percentage score below NAEP Basic compared to 2015
  • Scores decline for lower-performing fourth-graders in all three content areas compared to 2015
  • No significant changes in average content area scores for eighth-graders compared to 2015
  • No significant changes in average content area scores for twelfth-graders compared to 2015 or 2009