NAEP

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas nationally. It produces the Nation’s Report Card, to notify the public about the academic achievement of elementary and secondary students in the United States. These assessments are administered periodically in mathematics, reading, science, writing, the arts, civics, economics, geography, and U.S. history, with foreign language and world history being developed. It is sponsored by the Department of Education and serves as a common assessment for the nation, since all tests are administered consistently and the same sets of test booklets are used. It stays basically the same from year to year and, therefore, illustrates a clear picture of student academic progress over time.

NAEP provides results on subject-matter achievement, instructional experiences, and school environment for populations of students. Grades for individual schools or students are not provided, however, report results can be compiled for selected large urban districts. NAEP results are based on samples of students at grades 4, 8, and 12. These specific ages and grades were selected because they signify critical points in a student’s academic achievement.

When NAEP results are reported, they become part of "The Nation's Report Card." These results are widely reported by the national and local media, and are an essential part of our nation’s evaluation of the state and progress of education. Reports are released six months after being administered every two years for math and reading at grade 4-8 and all other assessments are released about one year being administered. In a national sample, approximately 10,000-20,000 students are tested, while in a combined national and state sample there are approximately 135,000 to 165,000 students. Achievement is reported as scale scores and achievement levels. Scale scores categorize achievement into levels including below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced, while achievement levels report results based on standards of what students should know and be able to do.

NAEP has two main goals, which include tracking changes in the achievement of students at grades 4, 8, and 12 and comparing student achievement in states. It uses a nationally represented sample to acquire the information and is voluntary for every student, school, school district, and state; however, if a district receives Title I funds, by federal law they are required to participate in NAEP. NAEP is also confidential, as no personal information is asked or provided for the test.

As you can see, NAEP administers reports on many subject areas in grades 4, 8, and 12. It levels the playing field for all states to compare how students are achieving as a nation, where we are all working together toward a common goal of high achievement for all students. NAEP also shows progress over time for how students are performing in our nation. While there are many positives that arrived from NAEP, the amount of time it takes to provide reports is extensive, as it can take up to one year to report results to the public, and districts are not permitted to see their students or schools outcomes. As a result, NAEP is administered every two years, instead of yearly. In the national report, it also only reports the academic achievements of approximately 10,000-20,000 students, which is a limited number of students considering the size of our nation. I feel as though more students should be accounted for in the national report. Many people also argue that NAEP’s standards are too high and in Norway, for example, 91 percent of children would score below proficient, and less than a quarter of students in England and Scotland would make the benchmark. I am hopeful NAEP will show growth in students across the United States and be a competitive and comparable assessment nationwide.