Table CRT5.1 shows the Federated States of Micronesia’s distribution of grade five reading scores against the PILNA reading proficiency scale. This scale converts a student’s reading performance into a level ranking from zero to eight. The expected minimum reading performance for grade five students is proficiency level four. Pacific stakeholders expect these students to reach or exceed this proficiency level.

The average reading performance of grade five students in Federated States of Micronesia was 419.03 (SD = 99.66). This corresponds to proficiency level two on the PILNA reading proficiency scale (level two is assigned to scores 362.5-412.5), as shown in the common proficiency scale ‘meter’ in reading for grade 5 five students in the Federated States of Micronesia, Figure CRF5.7. On average, grade five students from Federated States of Micronesia are not meeting the minimum expected standard in reading. The average performance of grade five students in reading at the regional level is higher at 444.30 (SD = 82.66), but still lower than the minimum expected standard of 462.5.

The average reading score does not tell us the whole story. The proportion of students who are meeting the minimum expected standard is also important, as this statistic shows how many students are performing at or above the minimum expected level. This is shown in Table CRT5.2. Approximately 35% of grade five students in Federated States of Micronesia were performing at or above the minimum expected level in reading (levels 4–8). The majority of grade five students in Federated States of Micronesia, 65%, were not meeting the minimum expected level of performance in reading (levels 0–3). This includes a significant proportion of grade five students scoring at level zero (32%), the lowest level on the reading scale.

Across the region, approximately 43% of grade five students performed at or above the expected proficiency level in reading.  This compared to approximately 36% in Federated States of Micronesia.  This means that a smaller proportion of grade five students (7% fewer) were performing at or above the expected level in reading when compared to the regional results.  Additionally, 56% of grade five students in Federated States of Micronesia were performing at the lowest three levels (levels 0–2) compared to 45% regionally.