Below is an analysis of 4th grade reading proficiency for 2007 for the 50 states and how it interacts with other important education indicators such as funding, demographics, and achievement.

4th grade reading proficiency varies by region.

On average, 4th graders in the Northeast and the Midwest perform better on NAEP reading tests than 4th graders in the South and the West. In the Northeastern states, approximately 39 percent of 4th graders are reading at the proficient level, while in the Southern states, only 29 percent are reading at the proficient level. All of the states in the bottom ten in terms of percent proficient in 4th grade reading are located in the South or the West. 1

In Mississippi, only 19 percent of 4th graders are reading-proficient, the lowest percentage in the country. Compare this to third-ranking, similar-sized (and also much wealthier) Connecticut, where 41 percent of 4th graders are reading-proficient. This means that Connecticut has approximately 8,800 more 4th graders reading at the proficient level than Mississippi—around 22 percent of each state’s 4th grade population.

4th grade reading proficiency is roughly correlated with student poverty and state per-pupil expenditure.

In general, states that perform better in 4th grade reading proficiency have lower student poverty rates. Research by the RAND Corporation has found that NAEP performance is linked to student background and family characteristics. 2 In the states that rank in the bottom 10 in 4th grade reading proficiency, 19 percent of students are living in poverty, in comparison to the states that rank in the top 10, where 12 percent of students are living in poverty.

Mississippi, Louisiana, and New Mexico rank in the bottom five states in both 4th grade reading proficiency and student poverty. In contrast, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut all rank in the top five states in both categories.

In addition, there is a relationship between 4th grade reading proficiency and statewide per-pupil expenditure. While this correlation is not as strong as the correlation with student poverty, states that have more reading-proficient 4th graders generally spend more on education. This relationship could also be a reflection of student demographics and relative state poverty. The states that rank in the bottom 10 in 4th grade reading proficiency spend, on average, $7,795 per-pupil, while the states that rank in the top 10 spend $11,174 per-pupil.

4th grade reading proficiency has improved little over the past decade.

In 2007, only four percentage points more of 4th grade students nationwide (33 percent) performed at the proficient level in reading than in 1992 (29 percent).

The achievement gap among 4th graders in reading has been closing since 1992, but remains significant.

Reading proficiency has increased by six percentage points for 4th grade black students (8 percent to 14 percent proficient). Hispanic students are also performing much better on 4th grade reading tests—their proficiency increased five percentage points (12 percent to 17 percent proficient). White students’ proficiency increased as well (35 percent to 43 percent proficient) but at a slower rate.

1. 1. Regions. Northeast: Connecticut, Delware, Maine, Marland Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont. Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin. South: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia. West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
2. 2. David W. Grissmer, Ann Flanagan, Jennifer H. Kawata, & Stephanie Williamson, RAND Corporation, Improving Student Achievement: What State NAEP Test Scores Tell Us