America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2008
Education
Education shapes the personal growth and life chances of children, as well as the economic and social progress of our Nation. Early educational experiences of young children, such as being read to daily, encourage the development of essential skills and prepare children for success in school.37 Later aspects of academic performance, such as mastering mathematics, reading, and other subjects; completing high school; and enrolling in college, provide opportunities for further education and future employment.
In 2005, 60 percent of children ages 3–5 were read to daily by a family member, an increase from 53 percent in 1993, when the data were first collected. Children in families with incomes of 200 percent or more of the poverty threshold were more likely to be read to daily by a family member (65 percent) than were children in families with incomes 100–199 percent of the poverty threshold (60 percent) or those in families with incomes below the poverty threshold (50 percent) in 2005.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) measures national trends in student performance in mathematics, reading, and other academic subjects. Average NAEP mathematics scores for 4th- and 8th-graders were higher in 2007 than in all previous assessments (Figure 12), with 39 percent of 4th-graders and 32 percent of 8th-graders at or above the Proficient level, a level that indicates solid academic achievement.38
Figure 12 Average mathematics scale scores for students in grades 4, 8, and 12, selected years 1990–2007
NOTE: Data are available for 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2007, although the 2003 and 2007 assessments only included grades 4 and 8. The 2005 assessment included a 12th-grade component, but the National Assessment Governing Board introduced changes in the 2005 NAEP mathematics framework for grade 12 in both the assessment content and administration procedures. As a result, the 12th-grade assessment results cannot be compared with those of previous assessments. In early years of the assessment, testing accommodations (e.g., extended time, small group testing) for children with disabilities and limited-English-proficient students were not permitted. In 1996, scores are shown for both the assessments with and without accommodations to show comparability across the assessments.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Average NAEP reading scores at 4th grade increased 4 points (on a scale of 0–500) between 1992 and 2007. At 8th grade, reading scores in 2007 had increased 1 point from 2005 and 3 points from 1992. At 12th grade, reading scores declined between 1992 and 2005 (the most recent year of data). In 2007, 33 percent of 4th-graders were at or above the Proficient achievement level in reading, a higher percentage than in all previous assessments. At 8th grade, 31 percent of students were at or above Proficient, a percentage not statistically different than in 1992. At 12th grade, 35 percent of students were at or above Proficient in 2005, 5 percentage points lower than in 1992.
In 2006, 88 percent of young adults ages 18–24 had completed high school with a diploma or an alternative credential such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate (Figure 13). This percentage represents a slight increase since 1980, when it was 84 percent. Among White, non-Hispanics, the high school completion rate increased from 88 to 92 percent between 1980 and 2002, then remained stable through 2006. The rate at which Black, non-Hispanic youth completed high school increased between 1980 and 1990, from 75 percent to 83 percent. It has fluctuated since then and, at 85 percent in 2006, the rate was not statistically different from 1990. Among Hispanics, the high school completion rate increased from 57 percent in 1980 to 71 percent in 2006.
Figure 13 Percentage of young adults ages 18–24 who have completed high school by race and Hispanic origin, 1980–2006
NOTE: Percentages are based only on those not currently enrolled in high school or below. Prior to 1992, this indicator was measured as completing 4 or more years of high school rather than the actual attainment of a high school diploma or equivalent. For all years, data on race and Hispanic origin are collected separately, and five race categories are used. Until 2002, respondents were asked to report only one race and were classified into a single race category. From 2003 onward, respondents could choose more than one race. Those reporting more than one race were classified as "Two or more races." Thus, data from 2003 onward are not directly comparable with data from earlier years. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race; race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, School Enrollment Supplement (1980–2006).
In 2006, 66 percent of high school completers39 enrolled immediately in a 2-year or 4-year college. This rate has trended upward from 49 percent in 1980; however, the rate has fluctuated from year to year. Between 1980 and 2005, the immediate enrollment rate for White, non-Hispanic high school completers increased from 50 to 73 percent, then decreased to 69 percent in 2006. Among Black, non-Hispanics, it increased from 43 to 55 percent between 1980 and 2006. Among Hispanics, it has fluctuated greatly, very likely due to small sample sizes. For this reason, a 3-year moving average is used to measure the trend. However, the apparent difference between the moving average in 1980 (50 percent) and 2005 (58 percent) is not statistically significant.
37 Snow, C.E., Burns, M.S., and Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
38 The achievement levels define what students should know and be able to do at each grade. They are set by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) and have undergone several evaluations but remain developmental in nature and continue to be used on a trial basis. Until the Commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics determines that the levels are reasonable, valid, and informative to the public, they should be interpreted and used with caution. For more information, see http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/.
39 Refers to those who completed 12 years of school for survey years 1980–1991 and to those who earned a high school diploma or equivalent (e.g., a General Educational Development [GED] certificate) for all years since 1992.