New to this year’s Equality Index is a state-level education index. This portion of the index features achievement indicators based on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading and math test scores for grades 4 and 8, and high school graduation rates. These indicators are supported by additional data on some of the factors that can help to narrow these gaps, including teacher quality, pre-school and course enrollment, and student status and risk factors.

Figures depicting Black–White and Hispanic–White reading and math proficiency gaps as well as high school graduation gaps are presented throughout this section. These figures provide a simple way of summarizing and comparing achievement gaps across states.

INTERPRETING THE STATE EDUCATION INDEX RESULTS

READING PROFICIENCY GAPS

MATH PROFICIENCY GAPS

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION GAPS