Figure CRT7.1 shows the Marshall Islands’ distribution of grade seven 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 seven students is proficiency level five. Pacific stakeholders expect these students to reach or exceed this proficiency level.

The average performance of grade seven students in Marshall Islands in reading was 485.23 (SD = 82.93). This corresponds to proficiency at the higher part of level four on the PILNA reading proficiency scale (level four is assigned to scores 462.5–487.5), Figure CRF7.9. When looking at the average reading score, grade seven students in Marshall Islands are not meeting the minimum expected standard in reading.

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. Approximately 51% of grade seven students in Marshall Islands were performing at or above the minimum expected level in reading (levels 5–8) while about 49% did not meet this level (levels 0–4). This shows that approximately half of the grade seven students assessed in 2021 are meeting the minimum expected standard and approximately half are not, Figure CRT7.2

Across the region, approximately 53% of grade seven students performed at or above the expected proficiency level in reading, compared to approximately 51% in Marshall Islands. This means that a similar proportion of grade seven students in Marshall Islands and in the region were performing at or above the expected level in reading.