Table CRT6.1 shows the Tuvalu distribution of year six 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 year six students is proficiency level five. Pacific stakeholders expect these students to reach or exceed this proficiency level.

The average performance of year six students in Tuvalu in reading was 470.65 (SD = 83.12). This corresponds to proficiency level four on the PILNA reading proficiency scale (level four is assigned to scores 462.5–487.5). On average, year six students in Tuvalu 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. This is shown in Table CRT6.1. Approximately 44% of year six students in Tuvalu were performing at or above the minimum expected level in reading (levels 5–8) but about 56% did not meet this level (levels 0–4). This shows that nearly half the year six students assessed in 2021 are meeting the minimum expected standard but more than half are not.

On average, year six students in Tuvalu (471) are scoring lower in reading than year six students in the region (492). Also, only about 44% of year six students met or exceeded the expected minimum reading proficiency levels in Tuvalu, compared with 53% across the region and 73% in Small Island States (Table CRT6.2).