California · Education
NAEP 8th Grade Reading in California
Average reading score for 8th-graders on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the nation's report card, given every two years.
254 in 2024
#38 of 50 · Bottom tier (higher is better)
California is worse than the 50-state median (257). That's a gap of 3.
View interactive chart & trend → See full 50-state ranking →
1998 – 2024 · California only · interactive chart with US median overlay →
About naep 8th grade reading
What this measures: Average reading score for 8th-graders on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, given every two years.
Why it matters: Reading ability at age 13 is the strongest school-age predictor of high-school graduation and post-secondary outcomes.
Watch out: Scale score (0 to 500). State reading scores have been broadly flat or falling nationally since 2017.
Recent trend
| Year | California | US median |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 250 | 264 |
| 2007 | 251 | 264 |
| 2009 | 253 | 265 |
| 2011 | 255 | 266 |
| 2013 | 262 | 267 |
| 2015 | 259 | 267 |
| 2017 | 263 | 266 |
| 2019 | 259 | 263 |
| 2022 | 259 | 259 |
| 2024 | 254 | 257 |
California vs. neighboring states
Same metric (naep 8th grade reading), latest year with full state coverage. Click any name for that state's full report.
| State | NAEP 8th Grade Reading | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 255 | #36 of 50 |
| Nevada | 253 | #42 of 50 |
| Arizona | 254 | #39 of 50 |
How California compares (2024)
Top 5 best
| #1 | Massachusetts | 268 |
| #2 | New Jersey | 266 |
| #3 | Colorado | 265 |
| #4 | New Hampshire | 264 |
| #5 | Connecticut | 263 |
Bottom 5
| #46 | Delaware | 249 |
| #47 | Oklahoma | 249 |
| #48 | West Virginia | 247 |
| #49 | Alaska | 246 |
| #50 | New Mexico | 245 |
Source and methodology
Source: NAEP / Nation's Report Card · Direction: higher is better · Unit: score
Download raw CSV (all 50 states, all years)