At the beginning of the school year, norm-referenced assessment results for the previous school year are automatically mailed to parents. During the first week of school, a fifth-grade teacher receives a phone call from a parent who wants to know what a percentile score of 45 in mathematics means. To best answer the parent's question, the teacher should explain that the student
A. Scored below average compared to peers
B. Scored above average compared to peers
C. Achieved a perfect score
D. Scored at the median level