FAQ: National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
Q. How long has NAEP been around?
A. NAEP began conducting assessments in 1969. Since 1990, NAEP has reported results for states as well as the nation.
Q. What subjects does NAEP assess?
A. NAEP conducts state level assessments in math, reading, science, and writing. At the national level, NAEP also assesses the arts, civics, geography, U.S. history and other subjects.
Q. Who takes NAEP?
A. NAEP assesses representative samples of 4th, 8th, and 12th graders. 3,083 Oregon 4th graders and 2,853 Oregon 8th graders participated in the 2009 NAEP state math assessment. About 100 Oregon 12th graders participated in the national math assessment.
Q. Who conducts NAEP?
A. The National Center for Education Statistics within the U.S. Department of Education is responsible for carrying out NAEP. The independent, non-partisan National Assessment Governing Board oversees and sets policy for NAEP. The assessment is administered to students by federal contractors rather than school staff.
Q. What is statistical significance?
A. NAEP results are estimates. The margins of error around the estimates must be considered when making comparisons to previous Oregon results or the results from other states. Statistical tests consider both the size of the difference between two results and the margins of error to determine if a difference is “statistically significant.”
Q. What does the NAEP “Basic” performance level mean?
A. NAEP has four performance levels: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient and Advanced. “Basic” performance equates to grade-level or satisfactory performance at that grade level, while “Proficient” equates to scoring at the very top level of what could be expected for Grade 4 or 8. “Advanced” is substantially above grade level.
Q. Do students receive a NAEP score? Do schools?
A. No, NAEP releases only state level results for Oregon. No NAEP scores are assigned to students, schools, or districts.
Q. What are the key differences between NAEP and state assessments?
A. State assessments are administered to all students in grades 3-8 and 10, while NAEP state level assessments are administered to representative samples of 4th and 8th graders. State tests directly measure students’ knowledge of state standards. NAEP measures the cumulative knowledge of students and not necessarily what they have been taught in the current school year. NAEP exams are timed paper-pencil tests that require essay and short-answer responses. State tests are computer-adaptive, multiple choice assessments, with the exception of the state writing test, and are not timed. As the National Assessment Governing Board stresses “NAEP and state assessments serve different purposes and are used together to inform educational policy.”