Test Scores

How does Utah compare?

Compared to the rest of the nation, Utah usually scores around the average.  But when compared to states that share similar demographics, Utah scores at the bottom.

In 2007, the Utah Foundation released a report showing how Utah compares to other states with similar demographics in areas that affect student achievement - poverty, parental education levels, and ethnicity. 

The report uses the most recent test scores on the National Assessment of Education Progress, which is known as "The Nation’s Report Card” and is used by researchers and policymakers as the standard for measuring student achievement across the US. 

 

 

 Math, 2007

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 Reading, 2007

 

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 Science, 2005

 

Graph Notes

• NAEP Scores
  • Math: Scored on a scale of 0 to 500.  On the 2007 tests, scores from 262 to 298 are considered Basic; from 298 to 332 are considered Proficient; and above 333 are considered Advanced.
  • Reading: Scored on a scare of 0 to 500.  On the 2007 tests, scores from 243 to 280 are considered Basic; from 281 to 322 are considered Proficient; and above 323 are considered Advanced.
  • Writing: Scored on a scare of 0 to 300.  On the 2005 tests, scores from 143 to 169 are considered Basic; from 170 to 207 are considered Proficient; and above 208 are considered Advanced.
• State Abbreviations: IA = Iowa, MT = Montana, NE = Nebraska, SD = South Dakota, UT = Utah, and WI = Wisconsin

See how Utah compares to the rest of the U.S.

The links below take you to an interactive map on the NAEP website that lets you easily compare Utah to the rest of the U.S.

• Math Comparison Map>>
• Reading Comparison Map>>
• Science Comparison Map>>
  
• Writing Comparison Map>>

 

For more info

• Learn more about how Utah compares to similar states>>  This is a link to download a PDF of the report by the Utah Foundation that compares Utah's performance to that of similar states.  The report is called "School Testing Results, 2006 & 2007: How Utah compares to other states."
• Learn more about NAEP and other nationwide tests>>

How does the U.S. compare?

On international tests that include a broad range of countries, the U.S. scores above average.  However, when compared to other developed democracies, the U.S. scores in the middle or near the bottom.

Out of the 30 developed democracies belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development or OECD*, the U.S. ranked 25th in math and 21st in Science on the most recent international test for 15 year-olds.

Average Scores of Developed Nations, 15 Year-Olds, PISA 2006
National Center for Education Statistics³

In Math, the U.S. ranked 25th out of 30 developed democracies (OECD*).					In Science, the U.S. ranked 21st out of 30 developed democracies (OECD*).
MATH					SCIENCE
Rank	Country	Score			Rank	Country	Score
1	Finland	548			1	Finland	563
2	South Korea	547			2	Canada	534
3	Netherlands	531			3	Japan	531
4	Switzerland	530			4	New Zealand	530
5	Canada	527			5	Australia	527
6	Japan	523			6	Netherlands	525
7	New Zealand	522			7	South Korea	522
8	Belgium (Flemish)	520			8	Germany	516
9	Australia	520			9	United Kingdom	515
10	Denmark	513			10	Czech Republic	513
11	Czech Republic	510			11	Switzerland	512
12	Iceland	506			12	Austria	511
13	Austria	505			13	Belgium (Flemish)	510
14	Germany	504			14	Ireland	508
15	Sweden	502			15	Hungary	504
16	Ireland	501			16	Sweden	503
--	AVERAGE	498			--	AVERAGE	500
17	France	496			17	Poland	498
18	United Kingdom	495			18	Denmark	496
19	Poland	495			19	France	495
20	Slovak Republic	492			20	Iceland	491
21	Hungary	491			21	United States	489
22	Luxembourg	490			22	Slovak Republic	488
23	Norway	490			23	Spain	488
24	Spain	480			24	Norway	487
25	United States	474			25	Luxembourg	486
26	Portugal	466			26	Italy	475
27	Italy	462			27	Portugal	474
28	Greece	459			28	Greece	473
29	Turkey	424			29	Turkey	424
30	Mexico	406			30	Mexico	410

Graph Notes

	=	Score is higher than the U.S.
	=	Score is not measurably different from the U.S.
	=	Score is lower than the U.S.
*OECD	=	Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development.  Includes 30 developed countries that are committed to democracy and a market economy.

On an international test including a broad range of countries, the U.S. ranked 9th in math and 11th in science out of 48 countries.  Among the 15 countries with advanced economies, however, the U.S. scored just below the average ranking 7th in math and 9th in science.

Average Scores and Rankings, 8th Grade, TIMSS 2007
National Center for Education Statistics⁴

In Math, the U.S. ranked 9th overall and 7th out of 15 countries with advanced economies.						In Science, the U.S. ranked 11th overall and 9th out of 15 countries with advanced economies.
MATH						SCIENCE
Rank	Country	Advanced Economy	Score			Rank	Country	Advanced Economy	Score
1	Taiwan	x	598			1	Singapore	x	567
2	South Korea	x	597			2	Taiwan	x	561
3	Singapore	x	593			3	Japan	x	554
4	Hong Kong	x	572			4	South Korea	x	553
5	Japan	x	570			5	England	x	542
--	ADVANCED ECONOMIES AVERAGE	x	523			6	Hungary		539
6	Hungary		517			6	Czech Republic	x	539
7	England	x	513			8	Slovenia	x	538
8	Russia		512			9	Hong Kong	x	530
9	United States	x	508			10	Russia	x	530
10	Lithuania		506			--	ADVANCED ECONOMIES AVERAGE	x	525
11	Czech Republic	x	504			11	United States	x	520
12	Slovenia	x	501			12	Lithuania		519
--	AVERAGE		500			13	Australia	x	515
13	Armenia		499			14	Sweden	x	511
14	Australia	x	496			--	AVERAGE		500
15	Sweden	x	491			15	Scotland	x	496
16	Malta		488			16	Italy	x	495
17	Scotland	x	487			17	Armenia		488
18	Serbia		486			18	Norway	x	487
19	Italy	x	480			19	Ukraine		485
20	Malaysia		474			20	Jordan		482
21	Norway	x	469			21	Malaysia		471
22	Cyprus		465			21	Thailand		471
23	Bulgaria		464			23	Serbia		470
24	Israel	x	463			23	Bulgaria		470
25	Ukraine		462			25	Israel	x	468
26	Romania		461			26	Bahrain		467
27	Bosnia		456			27	Bosnia		466
28	Lebanon		449			28	Romania		462
29	Thailand		441			29	Iran		459
30	Turkey		432			30	Malta		457
31	Jordan		427			31	Turkey		454
32	Tunisia		420			32	Syria		452
33	Georgia		410			32	Cyprus		452
34	Iran		403			34	Tunisia		445
35	Bahrain		398			35	Indonesia		427
36	Indonesia		397			36	Oman		423
37	Syria		395			37	Georgia		421
38	Egypt		391			38	Kuwait		418
39	Algeria		387			39	Colombia		417
40	Colombia		380			40	Lebanon		414
41	Oman		372			41	Egypt		408
42	Palestine		367			41	Algeria		408
43	Botswana		364			43	Palestine		404
44	Kuwait		354			44	Saudi Arabia		403
45	El Salvador		340			45	El Salvador		387
46	Saudi Arabia		329			46	Botswana		355
47	Ghana		309			47	Qatar		319
48	Qatar		307			48	Ghana		303

Graph Notes

>>	= Score is higher than the U.S.
	= Score is not measurably different from the U.S.
<>	= Score is lower than the U.S.

 

For more info

• Learn more about the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)>>
• Learn more about the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)>>
• See how the U.S. scored on other international tests>>

 

 

SOURCES

1. Utah Foundation, Research Report, "School Testing Results, 2006 & 2007: How Utah compares to other states," October 2007.  Accessed at: http://www.utahfoundation.org/img/pdfs/rr681.pdf
2. US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress, State Profiles.  Accessed at: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states/
3. US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Program for International Student Assessment, Highlights from PISA 2006: Performance of U.S. 15-Year-Old Students in Science and Mathematics Literacy in an International Context.  Accessed at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2008016
4. US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, Highlights from TIMSS 2007: Mathematics and Science Achievement of U.S. Fourth and Eighth-Grade Students in an International Context.  Accessed at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2009/2009001.pdf