State education
Massachusetts
NAEP Grade 4 reading mean scale score · data as of June 8, 2026.
Reading score (2024)
225
Basic
Change since prior NAEP
-2.0 pts
2022 → 2024
vs. U.S. average
+9.8 pts
U.S. score 215 (2024)
NAEP Grade 4 reading since 2013
Mean scale score (0-500). Massachusetts compared with the U.S. national average over the same period. NAEP administered every two years.
Year-by-year
| Year | Massachusetts | U.S. | vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 232 | 222 | +10.6 |
| 2015 | 235 | 223 | +12.8 |
| 2017 | 236 | 222 | +13.8 |
| 2019 | 231 | 221 | +10.6 |
| 2022 | 227 | 218 | +9.3 |
| 2024 | 225 | 215 | +9.8 |
Methodology
Source: NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress), the federal assessment run by NCES (National Center for Education Statistics). NAEP is the only assessment with a single methodology applied across all 50 states, which makes cross-state comparisons defensible.
Subject: Grade 4 reading. Scale: 0-500. NCES achievement bands: Basic 208, Proficient 238, Advanced 268.
"Change since prior NAEP" compares the two most-recent administrations. NAEP runs every two years.