In 2015, Tennessee African American fourth-graders scored higher overall on the NAEP math exam than their
African American peers nationally for the first time. However, the average African American score for fourth-grade
math fell 20 points (on a 500-point scale) below the average score of white Tennessee fourth-graders and 22
points below that of white students nationally.
Grade 4 Reading Scores Racial PErformance Gaps
240
230
220
230
229
224
224
230
231
227
232
225
221
210
200
190
203
204
197
205
205
201
198
206
199
192
180
2007
2009
Tennessee Black/African American
2011
US Black/African American
2013
Tennessee White
2015
US White
Grade 8 Reading Scores Racial PErformance Gaps
300
290
280
290
282
292
282
293
281
293
284
291
285
270
260
250
259
254
260
254
262
263
260
257
252
253
240
230
2007
2009
Tennessee Black/African American
2011
US Black/African American
2013
Tennessee White
2015
US White
74