California’s fourth- and eighth-graders performed better than in the past on reading and math tests, but fewer than a third are considered proficient in those subjects, according to a new report issued Thursday.

The Nation’s Report Card shows that 33 percent of fourth-graders in the Golden State scored at or above the proficient level in math, and only 27 percent hit that mark on reading tests.

Among California’s eighth-graders, the numbers were 28 percent in math and 29 percent in reading.

Those scores were well below the nationwide average, in which 42 percent of fourth-graders and 35 percent of eighth-graders are proficient in math, 35 percent of fourth graders and 36 percent of eighth-graders measure up in reading.

The results come from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, which is given every two years to a sample of fourth- and eighth-graders.

Nationwide, this year’s results, compared with those in 2011, show average incremental gains of about one or two points on a 500-point scale.

Still, California’s eighth-graders made the biggest gain in reading scores in the country, jumping from 255 to 262, according to the report. Their math scores increased by three points, to 276.

Fourth-grade reading scores edged up two points to 213 in California, while math scores remained static at 234.

Although California ranked 45th in the country on the tests, state schools Superintendent Tom Torlakson put a positive spin on the results.

“The resilience and tenacity of our schools have seen them through some challenging years, and I’m glad to see this validation of the hard work of educators, students and their families,” Torlakson said in a statement. “These scores are another sign that we are moving in the right direction to prepare students for college and career, but we still have a lot of work to do to make sure every student graduates equipped to succeed.”

The release comes as a new era in education unfolds. President W. Bush’s landmark education law No Child Left Behind, which sought to close achievement gaps among racial groups and have every student doing math and reading at grade level by 2014, has essentially been dismantled.

After Congress failed to update the law before it was due for renewal in 2007, President Barack Obama allowed states to receive waivers if they showed they have their own plans to prepare students. Most states took him up on the offer, but California did not.

However, Los Angeles and Long Beach Unified are part of a consortium of eight California school districts that separately won a waiver from No Child. That move will free up $150 million in federal money the districts can use to educate low-income students and create new benchmarks for gauging their success.

In the meantime, a majority of states are rolling out Common Core State Standards, with the goal of better preparing the nation’s students for college or a job. The standards establish more uniform benchmarks for reading and math and replace goals that varied widely between the states.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.