Figure CRF7.2 shows the average reading scores for this group and for grade seven students in Federated States of Micronesia in previous PILNA cycles. The average reading score for grade seven students in Federated States of Micronesia in 2021 was lower than in 2018, but comparable to that in 2015. The standard deviation for average grade seven reading scores in 2021 (SD = 96.00) was higher than in 2018 (SD = 73.84) and moderately higher than 2015 (SD = 50.48). This shows that the spread of grade seven reading scores in PILNA 2021 was slightly wider than in previous years.

Standard deviation shows how close data points are to the average. A lower standard deviation means that data points are, overall, closer to the average; a higher standard deviation means that data points are, overall, further away from the average.