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The Nation's Achievement Inequality Report Card: An Assessment of Test Score and Equality Trends in Traditional Public, Charter, Catholic, and Department of Defense Schools. EdWorkingPaper No. 26-1378

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Title: The Nation's Achievement Inequality Report Card: An Assessment of Test Score and Equality Trends in Traditional Public, Charter, Catholic, and Department of Defense Schools. EdWorkingPaper No. 26-1378
Language: English
Authors: M. Danish Shakeel (ORCID 0000-0002-7700-8540), Misty Gallo, Patrick J. Wolf (ORCID 0000-0002-5668-2309), Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Source: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. 2026.
Availability: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 105
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Reports - Research
Numerical/Quantitative Data
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 4
Intermediate Grades
Grade 8
Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: Public Schools, Charter Schools, Catholic Schools, Grade 4, Grade 8, Reading Achievement, Mathematics Achievement, High Achievement, Low Achievement, National Competency Tests, Educational Trends, Trend Analysis, Achievement Gap, Elementary Secondary Education, COVID-19, Pandemics
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: National Assessment of Educational Progress
Abstract: We present a descriptive comparison of trends in achievement and inequality in traditional public, public charter, Catholic, and Department of Defense schools in the U.S. Our sample includes 6,155,570 observations for 4th and 8th graders in math and reading between 2005 and 2024. We focus on changes in the 90th and 10th percentile scores of the students in those school sectors on the National Assessment of Education Progress, adjusted for key student demographics. Analysis of exactly 1000 overall and subgroup achievement trends reveals that the 90-10 performance gaps are largest and widening at the fastest rate in the traditional public school sector, chiefly due to the declining annual trend for its low achievers at the 10th percentile. Most of this increase in inequality occurred prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which merely accelerated the pre-existing trend. In contrast, increased inequality in the public charter sector is solely due to performance improvements at the 90th percentile and is limited to 4th grade. Charter achievement trends are generally positive, with 10th percentile scores increasing along with, and sometimes exceeding, 90th percentile score gains, thereby reducing the 90-10 achievement gap. The 90-10 student performance gap in the Catholic sector increased over the 20 years of our study period, driven by both increases at the 90th percentile and declines at the 10th percentile, much like the traditional public school sector. The Department of Defense (DoD) schools are positive outliers in our study. Student achievement in DoD schools was higher in 2024 than in 2005, at both the 90th and 10th percentiles, with little change in the performance gap. We discuss subgroup heterogeneities, outliers, and policy implications.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678328
Database: ERIC
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  Data: The Nation's Achievement Inequality Report Card: An Assessment of Test Score and Equality Trends in Traditional Public, Charter, Catholic, and Department of Defense Schools. EdWorkingPaper No. 26-1378
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22M%2E+Danish+Shakeel%22">M. Danish Shakeel</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7700-8540">0000-0002-7700-8540</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Misty+Gallo%22">Misty Gallo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Patrick+J%2E+Wolf%22">Patrick J. Wolf</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5668-2309">0000-0002-5668-2309</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Annenberg+Institute+for+School+Reform+at+Brown+University%22">Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University</searchLink>
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  Data: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
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  Data: We present a descriptive comparison of trends in achievement and inequality in traditional public, public charter, Catholic, and Department of Defense schools in the U.S. Our sample includes 6,155,570 observations for 4th and 8th graders in math and reading between 2005 and 2024. We focus on changes in the 90th and 10th percentile scores of the students in those school sectors on the National Assessment of Education Progress, adjusted for key student demographics. Analysis of exactly 1000 overall and subgroup achievement trends reveals that the 90-10 performance gaps are largest and widening at the fastest rate in the traditional public school sector, chiefly due to the declining annual trend for its low achievers at the 10th percentile. Most of this increase in inequality occurred prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which merely accelerated the pre-existing trend. In contrast, increased inequality in the public charter sector is solely due to performance improvements at the 90th percentile and is limited to 4th grade. Charter achievement trends are generally positive, with 10th percentile scores increasing along with, and sometimes exceeding, 90th percentile score gains, thereby reducing the 90-10 achievement gap. The 90-10 student performance gap in the Catholic sector increased over the 20 years of our study period, driven by both increases at the 90th percentile and declines at the 10th percentile, much like the traditional public school sector. The Department of Defense (DoD) schools are positive outliers in our study. Student achievement in DoD schools was higher in 2024 than in 2005, at both the 90th and 10th percentiles, with little change in the performance gap. We discuss subgroup heterogeneities, outliers, and policy implications.
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  Data: 2026
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PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED678328
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 105
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Public Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Charter Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Catholic Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 4
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 8
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      – SubjectFull: Reading Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: High Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Low Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: National Competency Tests
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Trends
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Trend Analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Achievement Gap
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary Secondary Education
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      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
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      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
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      – SubjectFull: National Assessment of Educational Progress
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      – TitleFull: The Nation's Achievement Inequality Report Card: An Assessment of Test Score and Equality Trends in Traditional Public, Charter, Catholic, and Department of Defense Schools. EdWorkingPaper No. 26-1378
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