Classroom Context: Hours of Instruction

As part of the 2009 mathematics assessment, teachers of fourth- and eighth-graders were asked about the number of hours they spent on mathematics instruction per week. The full text of the question, corresponding percentages, and scale scores of students whose teachers responded in each category are below.

How many hours of mathematics instruction do your students receive in a typical week?

A. Less than 3 hours
B. At least 3 hours, but less than 5 hours
C. At least 5 hours, but less than 7 hours
D. 7 or more hours

Grade 4

Grade 8

Percentage of Students

Average Scores

Fourth-graders who received less than three hours of mathematics instruction per week (230) scored lower than those who received more than three hours of instruction (242, 241, and 237 respectively).

scale scores, grade 4, time spent on math instruction

NOTE: The NAEP Mathematics scale ranges from 0 to 500. Some apparent differences between estimates may not be statistically significant. See complete data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009 Mathematics Assessment.

Browse questionnaires for the NAEP assessments.