Updated: October 26, 2026

U.S. Assessment Data

U.S. NAEP 2024 Results

National mathematics, reading, and science results for the 2024 NAEP cycle, covering grades 4, 8, and 12 with prior-cycle comparisons and achievement-level attainment.

Assessment: NAEP Cycle: 2024 Subjects: Mathematics, Reading, Science Grades: 4, 8, 12 Data: The Nation’s Report Card

National Result Snapshot

Grade 4 Mathematics

237

Reported 2-point increase from 2022.

Grade 8 Mathematics

274

Not statistically different from 2022.

Grade 4 Reading

215

2 points below 2022.

Grade 8 Reading

258

2 points below 2022.

Grade 12 Mathematics / Reading

147 / 283

Both results were reported 3 points below 2019.

Grade 8 Science

150

4 points below 2019.

Students at or Above NAEP Proficient in 2024

Percent of students meeting or exceeding the NAEP Proficient achievement level for each reported subject and grade.

Achievement-level thresholds are set separately for each subject and grade. NAEP Proficient is not the same measure as grade-level proficiency under individual state standards.

Data: National Center for Education Statistics, 2024 NAEP mathematics, reading, and science assessments.

National 2024 NAEP Results

Search table


Mathematics — Grade 4	237	0–500	2022	236	+2	39%	Higher than 2022
Mathematics — Grade 8	274	0–500	2022	274	0	28%	Not statistically different from 2022
Reading — Grade 4	215	0–500	2022	217	−2	31%	Lower than 2022
Reading — Grade 8	258	0–500	2022	260	−2	30%	Lower than 2022
Mathematics — Grade 12	147	0–300	2019	150	−3	22%	Lower than 2019
Reading — Grade 12	283	0–500	2019	285	−3	35%	Lower than 2019
Science — Grade 8	150	0–300	2019	154	−4	31%	Lower than 2019

Reported point changes follow NCES comparisons based on unrounded estimates. Published average scores are rounded to whole points, so subtracting two displayed averages may not reproduce the reported change exactly.

2024 Results Followed Different Patterns by Grade and Subject

Grade 4 mathematics moved upward from 2022, while the Grade 8 mathematics average was not statistically different from its 2022 result. The mathematics pattern therefore differed by grade rather than moving uniformly across the two main NAEP grade levels.
Reading moved downward at grades 4 and 8 compared with 2022, and Grade 12 reading was also below its 2019 result. The latest reading results therefore point in the same direction across all three grades, even though Grade 12 uses a different comparison cycle.
Grade 12 mathematics and Grade 8 science were also below their 2019 results. These score-point changes should be interpreted within each assessment rather than compared as if the mathematics, reading, and science scales were interchangeable.
The share reaching NAEP Proficient describes achievement-level attainment, not a common score scale across subjects or grades. It also should not be interpreted as the percentage performing at grade level under state accountability definitions.

Data Sources, Measurement and Comparability

Assessment Cycle

The results shown here are from the 2024 NAEP assessment cycle. Grades 4 and 8 mathematics and reading results were released in January 2025. Grade 12 mathematics and reading and Grade 8 science results were released in September 2025.

National Populations

Each result represents a subject- and grade-specific national student population. Grade 4, Grade 8, and Grade 12 results are not repeated measurements of the same students and should not be averaged together.

Score Scales

Grade 4 and Grade 8 mathematics and reading use 0–500 reporting scales. Grade 12 mathematics and Grade 8 science use 0–300 scales, while Grade 12 reading uses a 0–500 scale. Identical numeric ranges do not make scores from different subjects or grades directly comparable.

Achievement Levels

NAEP reports achievement using Below Basic, NAEP Basic, NAEP Proficient, and NAEP Advanced categories. Cut scores are defined separately for each assessment. NAEP Proficient represents competency over challenging subject matter and is not equivalent to a state definition of grade-level proficiency.

Statistical Comparisons

NCES comparisons use unrounded estimates and formal statistical tests. A displayed numeric difference alone is not enough to classify two assessment results as different. The table preserves the comparison finding reported with each national result.

Science Comparability

The Grade 8 science trend shown in the 2024 reporting series is compared with assessments from 2009 onward. Earlier NAEP science assessments used a different assessment design and are not part of the current comparable series.