Appendix J1 - Communication Materials

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS
NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 

Appendix J1
2018 Communications and Recruitment
Materials

OMB# 1850-0928 v.

revised September 2017

Appendix D provides the full, draft set of possible communication and recruitment
materials to be used in NAEP 2018 and 2019. This appendix (Appendix J1) provides
NAEP 2018 communication materials. Each appendix part is noted as being 1) the
same as in a previously approved version; 2) updated for 2018 (to be
approved in this version).

Table of Contents
Appendix J1-1 NAEP Participation Letter from Chiefs

[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)]……………………………………….………………….. …4

Appendix J1-2 NAEP Participation Letter for Chiefs to Superintendents
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)] ....................................................................................... 7
Appendix J1-3 NAEP State Coordinator Selection Notification Letter to Principal
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)]….......................................................................................... 10
Appendix J1-4 NAEP Facts for Districts Brochure

[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)] …………………………………………………………......... 17

Appendix J1-5 NAEP Facts for Principals Brochure

[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)]..................................................................................... 20

Appendix J1-6 NAEP Save-the-Date Letter from NAEP State Coordinator to School Principal

[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)]……………………………………………………………..31

Appendix J1-7 NAEP in Your School Brochure

[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)]……………………………………………………………….33

Appendix J1-8 NAEP in Your Private School

[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)]…………………………………………………………………………44

Appendix J1-9 NAEP Assessment Details Letter from NAEP State Coordinator to Principal

[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)] ............................................................................................. 49

Appendix J1-10 NAEP Assessment Details Letter from NAEP State Coordinator to School Coordinator

[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)].............................................................................................. 52

Appendix J1-11 School Coordinator Responsibilities: A Guide to MyNAEP
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)] ............................................................................................. 55
Appendix J1-12 Templates for State-Specific SD Inclusion Policy
(New version included for approval)………………………………………………………………………60
Appendix J1-13 Templates for State-Specific ELL Inclusion Policy

(New version included for approval)…………………………………………………………………………….79

Appendix J1-14 NAEP Sample Parent Notification Letter
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)] ............................................................................................. 95

Appendix J1-15 NAEP Facts for Teachers Brochure Policy

(New version included for approval)……………………………………………………………….……………102

Appendix J1-16 Best Practices: Guide, Initial Mailing and Emails for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP
Participation [Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.7)]……………………………….……………….107
Appendix J1-17 NAEP 2018 Initial Contact Letter to Private School
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)] ............................................................................188
Appendix J1-18 2018 Sample Letter NCEA to Diocese Superintendent
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)] ............................................................................191
Appendix J1-19 An Overview of NAEP
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928v.5)]..............................................................................194
Appendix J1-20 An Overview of NAEP for Private Schools
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928v.7)]………………………………………….…….... 198
Appendix J1-21 NAEP-NTPS Participation Letter to States
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928v.5)]…………………………………………………..203
.
Appendix J1-22 NAEP-NTPS Fact Sheet
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928v.5)]............................................................................. 205
Appendix J1-23 Oral Reading Fluency Fact Sheet
[Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928v.5)]…….. .................................................................. 212

Appendix J1-1: NAEP Participation Letter from Chiefs
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

4

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

NAME
TITLE
ADDRESS 1
ADDRESS 2
CITY, STATE, ZIP
Dear NAME:
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has begun preparing for the 2018 cycle of the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), and I would like to inform you of assessment
activities that will be taking place in your state. Because the NAEP assessments will be conducted at the
national level only, there will be no state level results reported; the national results for these assessments
will be available in 2019.
From January 29 through March 9, 2018, the following NAEP assessments will occur:
 Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL) at grade 8
 U.S. History, Civics, and Geography at grade 8
 Field and pilot testing at grades 4, 8, and 12 and special studies
Participation in these components is voluntary, but as each state’s participation in NAEP is essential for
providing a national perspective of how students are performing in U.S. history, civics, geography and
technology and engineering literacy, I respectfully encourage your support. Your NAEP State
Coordinator will receive the sample of schools selected for these assessments in May of this year. Also,
for your information we have included a one-page chart of the activities currently taking place in your
state for the NCES assessments.
Frameworks for the U.S history, civics, geography, and technology and engineering literacy assessments
can be accessed at www.nagb.org.
NCES is also exploring the feasibility of linking the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS),
which collects data on core topics such as classes taught and school characteristics, with student
performance on NAEP. In 2018, NCES will explore the operational feasibility of linking the two studies.
In a couple of weeks, you will receive a letter with more detailed information and a request for state
volunteers to participate in this study.
The following international assessments will also occur as part of our 2018 cycle: the Program for
International Student Assessment (PISA), the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), the
International Computer and Information Literacy Survey (ICILS), and the International Early Learning
Study (IELS). If interested, states have the opportunity to participate and receive results for these
international assessments. Please see the enclosed information sheet that outlines the necessary
information, if interested in state level participation.

5

Each of the NCES assessment program areas will contact states with more detailed information about the
assessments, including further description of the program and specifics for when administration will
occur. We will continue to keep you informed of NAEP activities and notify you of any changes to the
NAEP assessments. If you have any questions or if you would like additional information about the
assessments, please contact Holly Spurlock, Program Director, Assessment Operations, at
holly.spurlock@ed.gov or (202) 245-7132, or Gina Broxterman at gina.broxterman@ed.gov or (202) 2457791. Further information is also available through the NAEP website at www.nationsreportcard.gov.
Thank you for your continued support of NAEP.
Sincerely,

Peggy Carr, Ph.D.
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
CC:

State Assessment Director

6

Appendix J1-2: NAEP Participation Letter from Chiefs to Superintendents
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

7

Early May NAEP 2018 Notification Letter From
CHIEF STATE SCHOOL OFFICER TO DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT
Red text should be customized before mail merge: highlighted text represents mail merge fields
Dear District Superintendent name,
I am pleased to notify you that number schools in your district have been selected to participate in the 2018
administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAEP is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various subjects.
Selected schools represent schools across the nation, and their participation provides NAEP an accurate picture of
student performance. School District will play an important role by participating, and I know that we can count on
your full support to make this a meaningful experience for your schools and students.
Selected schools are notified in advance so that principals can place the assessment window (January 29 to March 9,
2018) on their calendars and incorporate NAEP into the planned school program. A few additional schools within
School District may also be selected at a later date; your NAEP State Coordinator will contact you should this
happen. Starting in June, each school will receive its assessment date. Schools may work with the NAEP State
Coordinator if there is a conflict with the scheduled assessment date.
The NAEP 2018 administration will include two main assessment programs. The attached list of district schools
selected for NAEP shows the assessment program for each selected school.
 Operational Assessments
o Grade 8: Civics, geography, and U.S. history
o Grade 8: Technology and engineering literacy
 Pilot Assessments and Special Studies
o Grades 4, 8, and 12: Reading special studies and science pilots
o Grade 4: Oral reading fluency study
o Grade 12: Mathematics and reading pilots
For the operational assessments, NAEP will administer civics, geography, and U.S. history assessments to grade 8
students. Most students will take the assessment on tablets provided by NAEP representatives, while a small subset
of students will take paper-and-pencil versions of the assessment. NAEP is administering these assessments via both
tablets and paper booklets to evaluate any differences in student performance. The technology and engineering
literacy assessment will be administered via laptops to maintain compatibility with previous years. National results
will be released as The Nation’s Report Card.
NAEP will also administer pilot assessments and special studies on tablets. Reading special studies and science
pilots will be administered at grades 4, 8, and 12. Grade 12 students will also participate in mathematics and reading
pilots. Results will not be released but will be used to inform NAEP assessments.
Some grade 4 students may participate in a small oral reading fluency study that collects information on basic
reading skills, such as decoding, word recognition, and fluency. Other special studies may occur in a few schools as
well. As in previous years, NAEP representatives provide significant support to schools: they bring all necessary
materials and equipment, including tablets and laptops, and administer the assessment.
Please include the NAEP assessment window (January 29 to March 9, 2018) on your district test calendar.
Information about NAEP can be found in the enclosures listed below and at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.
Name, our NAEP State Coordinator, will contact your staff with additional information.
Thank you for supporting this important assessment and for helping accomplish our goal of 100 percent
participation.
Sincerely,
Name of Chief State School Officer

8

Enclosures:

List of district schools selected for NAEP
Facts for Districts

CC:

State Testing Director
District Testing Director
NAEP State Coordinator

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from
education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information each
student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information
Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws,
student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than
employees or agents. By law, every NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she
willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic submission of student information will be
monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the
Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce
statistical reports.

9

Appendix J1-3: NAEP State Coordinator Selection Notification Letter to Principal
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

10

May NAEP 2018 Notification Letter From
NAEP STATE COORDINATOR TO SCHOOL PRINCIPAL: For TEL Schools
Red text should be customized before mail merge; highlighted text represents mail merge fields
Dear Principal,
I am pleased to inform you that school name has been selected to represent schools across the nation by participating in
the 2018 administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAEP is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various subjects. It is
conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. As part of the
NAEP 2018 program, selected grade 8 students will participate in the computer-based technology and engineering
literacy (TEL) assessment.
The TEL assessment will measure students’ capacity to use, understand, and evaluate technology, as well as to
understand technological principles and strategies. Students will use NAEP-provided laptops to complete problemsolving tasks based on interactive scenarios reflecting realistic situations, along with multiple-choice and short-answer
questions. The results from this assessment will be released as The Nation’s Report Card, and results from the 2014
assessment are available at https://nationsreportcard.gov/tel_2014.
For now, I am writing only to notify you of the assessment. In June, I will send you an assessment date. If the date
presents a conflict for your school, we will work together to identify an alternate. Our goal is to schedule the assessment
prior to the beginning of the school year so that you may include it on your 2017-2018 school calendar.
At the beginning of the school year, I will send you detailed assessment information and will ask you to identify a
school coordinator, provide a student list, and submit additional information. As in previous years, NAEP
representatives provide significant support to schools: they bring all necessary materials and equipment, including
laptops, and administer the assessment. Outlined below is a broad overview of the assessment:





Subjects:
Grade:
Sessions:
Session duration:




Assessment administrator:
Assessment window:

Technology and engineering literacy
8
Two sequential sessions of approximately 15 students each
Approximately 120 minutes per session (including transition time
and instructions)
NAEP representatives
January 29–March 9, 2018

More information about NAEP can be found in the enclosures listed below and at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/schools.asp. If you have questions, please contact me at telephone number or
via email at email address.
Our chief state school officer, name, and your district superintendent, name, support NAEP and look forward to your
school’s participation. We know that we can count on you to help reach our goal of 100 percent participation.
Sincerely,

NAEP State Coordinator
Enclosures:

Facts for Principals – Link for electronic mailing

CC:

District Test Director

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from education
agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family
11

Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information each student
provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection
provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept
confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every
NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is
subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable
information about students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and
other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015.
The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

12

May NAEP 2018 Notification Letter From
NAEP STATE COORDINATOR TO SCHOOL PRINCIPAL: For Social Studies Schools
Red text should be customized before mail merge; highlighted text represents mail merge fields
Dear Principal,
I am pleased to inform you that school name has been selected to represent schools across the nation by participating in
the 2018 administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAEP is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various subjects. It is
conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. As part of the
NAEP 2018 program, students will participate in civics, geography, and U.S. history assessments.
Most students will take the assessment on tablets provided by NAEP representatives. A subset of students will take
paper-and-pencil versions of the assessment. NAEP is administering the assessments via both tablets and paper booklets
to evaluate any differences in student performance. Each student will be assessed in only one subject. The results from
these assessments will be released as The Nation’s Report Card, and results from the 2014 assessment are available at
https://nationsreportcard.gov/hgc_2014.
For now, I am writing only to notify you of the assessment. In June, I will send you an assessment date. If the date
presents a conflict for your school, we will work together to identify an alternate. Our goal is to schedule the assessment
prior to the beginning of the school year so that you may include it on your 2017-2018 school calendar.
At the beginning of the school year, I will send you detailed assessment information and will ask you to identify a
school coordinator, provide a student list, and submit additional information. As in previous years, NAEP
representatives provide significant support to schools: they bring all necessary materials and equipment, including
tablets, and administer the assessment. Outlined below is a broad overview of the assessment:




Subjects:
Grade:
Tablet sessions:



Paper booklet sessions:




Assessment administrator:
Assessment window:

Civics, geography, and U.S. history
8
One or two sessions of about 25 students each. Each session
will last approximately 120 minutes (including transition time and
instructions).
One or two sessions of about 25 students each. The session(s) will last
approximately 90 minutes and must be conducted in a separate space from
the tablet sessions.
NAEP representatives
January 29–March 9, 2018

More information about NAEP can be found in the enclosures listed below and at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/schools.asp. If you have questions, please contact me at telephone number or
via email at email address.
Our chief state school officer, name, and your district superintendent, name, support NAEP and look forward to your
school’s participation. We know that we can count on you to help reach our goal of 100 percent participation.
Sincerely,

NAEP State Coordinator
Enclosures:

Facts for Principals – Link for electronic mailing

CC:

District Test Director

13

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from education
agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information each student
provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection
provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept
confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every
NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is
subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable
information about students.. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and
other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015.
The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

14

May NAEP 2018 Notification Letter From
NAEP STATE COORDINATOR TO SCHOOL PRINCIPAL: For pilot assessment schools (all grades)
Red text should be customized before mail merge; highlighted text represents mail merge fields
Dear Principal,
I am pleased to inform you that school name has been selected to represent schools across the nation by participating in
the 2018 administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAEP is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various subjects. It is
conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. As part of the
NAEP 2018 program, students will participate in mathematics, reading, and science pilot assessments and special
studies. Results will not be released but will be used to inform NAEP assessments.
Students will use tablets provided by NAEP to complete the assessment. Each student will be assessed in only one
subject. As NAEP transitions to digitally based assessments, results from these assessments will help determine how to
maximize the use of tablets.
Include following paragraph for grade 4 ORF schools only. A subset of students may be selected to participate in an
oral reading fluency study, which offers students an opportunity to put their basic reading skills into practice. The
module allows students to read a series of passages aloud and assesses their aptitude in decoding, word recognition, and
fluency to yield descriptive data on how well students respond to oral reading challenges. The recorded student
responses are confidential*, and they provide context and meaning to the assessment results.
For now, I am writing only to notify you of the assessment. In June, I will send you an assessment date. If the date
presents a conflict for your school, we will work together to identify an alternate. Our goal is to schedule the assessment
prior to the beginning of the school year so that you may include it on your 2017-2018 school calendar.
At the beginning of the school year, I will send you detailed assessment information and will ask you to identify a
school coordinator, provide a student list, and submit additional information. As in previous years, NAEP
representatives provide significant support to schools: they bring all necessary materials and equipment, including
tablets, and administer the assessment. Outlined below is a broad overview of the assessment:





Subjects:
Grade:
Sessions:
Session Duration:




Assessment administrator:
Assessment window:

Mathematics, reading, and science
4 or 8 or 12
Two sequential sessions of approximately 25 students each
Approximately 120 minutes for students, including transition time
and instructions
NAEP representatives
January 29–March 9, 2018

More information about NAEP can be found in the enclosures listed below and at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/schools.asp. If you have questions, please contact me at telephone number or
via email at email address.
Our chief state school officer, name, and your district superintendent, name, support NAEP and look forward to your
school’s participation. We know that we can count on you to help reach our goal of 100 percent participation.
Sincerely,

NAEP State Coordinator
Enclosures:

Facts for Principals – Link for electronic mailing

CC:

District Test Director

15

*National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from education
agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information each student
provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection
provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept
confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every
NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is
subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable
information about students.. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and
other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015.
The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

16

Appendix J1-4: NAEP Facts for Districts Brochure
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

17

NAEP 2018

Facts for Districts

NAEP is an integral part
of education in the
United States.
Elected officials, policymakers, and
educators all use NAEP results to
develop ways to improve education.

National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

“The NAEP representatives were informative and provided specific
instructions when administering the assessment. Their professionalism
and knowledge before the assessment ensured that the students had
a positive experience with NAEP.”
- Amneris Montalvo, NAEP School Coordinator, Citrus Grove Middle School, Miami, FL
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what our nation’s students know and
can do in various subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing, as well
as civics, geography, technology and engineering literacy, and U.S. history. The results
of NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card.

NAEP serves a different role than
state assessments. While states have
their own unique assessments with
different content standards, the same
NAEP assessment is administered
in every state, providing a common
measure of student achievement.
Depending on the type of NAEP
assessment that is administered,
the data can be used to compare
and understand the performance
of demographic groups within your
state, the nation, other states, and
districts that participate in the Trial
Urban District Assessment. NAEP
is not designed to collect or report
results for individual students,
classrooms, or schools.
To provide a better understanding of
educational experiences and factors
that may be related to students’
learning, students, teachers, and
principals who participate in NAEP
are asked to complete survey
questionnaires.

District staff play an essential role in NAEP. Superintendents and district staff can
work closely with principals to explain the importance of the assessment to teachers
and participating students. When students take part in the assessment and give their
best effort, NAEP gets the most accurate measure possible of student achievement
across the country. The table below shows which subjects will be assessed in 2018.
National results will be released for the civics, geography, U.S. history, and technology
and engineering literacy assessments—information collected from pilots is used to
prepare for future NAEP assessments.

The NAEP 2018 Program (January 29 to March 9, 2018)
Grade

Grade 4

Grade 8

Grade 12

Subject

Format
Tablet

Reading (Special Studies)

√

Science (Pilot)

√

Civics, Geography and U.S. History

√

Technology and Engineering
Literacy

Paper/Pencil

√
√

Reading (Special Study)

√

Science

√

Mathematics (Pilot)

√

Reading (Pilot/Special Study)

√

Science (Pilot)

√

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

Laptop

18

It’s important to know...
NAEP was first administered in 1969 to measure student achievement nationally. In 1990, NAEP was administered at the state level
for the first time. Students in grades 4 and 8 are currently assessed at the national and state levels in mathematics and reading
every two years and in other subjects in alternating years. In 2002, NAEP began the Trial Urban District Assessment program,
which measures student achievement in some of the nation’s large urban districts. Students, teachers, and schools are asked to
complete a survey questionnaire in order to provide valuable contextual information about participating students’ educational
experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom.
Special studies are also conducted periodically. They are administered as part of NAEP and often involve special data collection
procedures in the field, in-depth analyses of NAEP results, and evaluations of various technical procedures. For more information
about NAEP special studies, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies.
NAEP is considered the gold standard of assessments because of its high technical quality. From the development of
assessment frameworks and questions to the reporting of results, NAEP represents the best thinking of assessment and content
specialists, state education staff, and teachers from around the nation. NAEP is a trusted resource that measures student progress
and helps inform policy decisions that improve education in the United States.
NAEP reports on results for different demographic groups rather than for individual students or schools. Within a school, just
some of the student population participates, and student responses are combined with those from other participating students to
produce the results. Student responses on NAEP are confidential*, and the privacy of each participating school and student is
essential. Names of participating students never leave the school and are not associated with the digital or paper test booklet after
the student takes the assessment.
NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling process. This process ensures that the schools and students selected are
representative of schools and students across the United States. To ensure that the sample represents all students in the nation’s
schools, NAEP allows a broad range of accommodations for students with disabilities and English language learners.
NAEP is designed to cause minimal disruption of classroom instruction. Including transition time, directions, and the completion
of a survey questionnaire, it takes approximately 120 minutes for students to complete digital assessments and up to 90 minutes
for students to complete paper-and-pencil assessments. Each student will be assessed in one format and one subject only.
Teachers do not need to prepare their students to take the assessment but should encourage them to do their best. NAEP
representatives provide significant support to your district’s schools by working with the designated coordinator in each school to
organize assessment activities. NAEP representatives will bring all necessary materials and equipment to schools on assessment
day. Schools will only need to provide space for students to take the assessment, desks or tables, and an adequate number of
electrical outlets in the assessment location—schools will not need to provide internet access.
NAEP items can be used as a helpful educational resource in the classroom. Teachers and district staff can use the NAEP
Questions Tool at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nqt to see how students’ performance compares nationally on specific
items. Released NAEP items come with a scoring guide, sample student responses, and performance data.
District and school staff can also
view results, depending on the type of assessment, for the nation, states, and selected urban districts over time;
compare results for various demographic groups; and
access information designed for teachers, students, and parents.
Visit the NAEP website at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard to access this information and more.
*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V,
Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone
other than employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about
students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance
with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
19

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

Appendix J1-5: NAEP Facts for Principals Brochures
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

20

NAEP 2018

Facts for Principals
National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

Technology and Engineering Literacy

NAEP is an integral part
of education in the
United States.
Elected officials, policymakers, and
educators all use NAEP results to
develop ways to improve education.

“Informational assessment materials were accessible and
easy to understand. The NAEP representative assigned to
our school was supportive and very knowledgeable about
assessment protocols and what our school needed to do
to be well prepared. On testing day, the NAEP team was
organized and administered the assessment efficiently.”
- Ronda E. George, Assistant Principal, Noe Middle School, Louisville, KY

NAEP serves a different role than
state assessments. While states have
their own unique assessments with
different content standards, the same
NAEP assessment is administered
in every state, providing a common
measure of student achievement.
Depending on the type of NAEP
assessment that is administered,
the data can be used to compare
and understand the performance
of demographic groups within your
state, the nation, other states, and
districts that participate in the Trial
Urban District Assessment. NAEP
is not designed to collect or report
results for individual students,
classrooms, or schools.
To provide a better understanding of
educational experiences and factors
that may be related to students’
learning, students and principals
who participate in NAEP are asked to
complete survey questionnaires.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what our nation’s students know and
can do in various subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing, as
well as civics, geography, U.S. history, and technology and engineering literacy. The
results of NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card.
NAEP is designed to be minimally disruptive to schools, and NAEP representatives
will provide significant support to your school on assessment day. As principals, you
make an important contribution to the program by selecting and empowering a
NAEP school coordinator, meeting with teachers and participating students, and
encouraging your students to participate and do their best. You are essential
partners in NAEP. When students participate and give their best effort, NAEP gets
the most accurate measure possible of student achievement across the country.
In 2018, the NAEP technology and engineering literacy assessments will be
administered on laptops to students at grade 8. There will be two sequential
sessions of students taking this assessment. Results will be released at the national
level. NAEP representatives will bring all necessary materials and equipment to
schools on assessment day. Schools will only need to provide space for students to
take the assessment, desks or tables, and an adequate number of electrical outlets
in the assessment location—schools will not need to provide internet access.

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

21

It’s important to know...
NAEP was first administered in 1969 to measure student achievement nationally. In 1990, NAEP was administered at the state level
for the first time. Students in grades 4 and 8 are currently assessed at the national and state level in mathematics and reading
every two years and in other subjects in alternating years. In 2002, NAEP began the Trial Urban District Assessment program,
which measures student achievement in some of the nation’s large urban districts. Students and schools are asked to complete a
survey questionnaire in order to provide valuable contextual information about participating students’ educational experiences
and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom.
Special studies are also conducted periodically. They are administered as part of NAEP and often involve special data collection
procedures in the field, in-depth analyses of NAEP results, and evaluations of various technical procedures. For more information
about NAEP special studies, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies.
NAEP is considered the gold standard of assessments because of its high technical quality. From the development of
assessment frameworks and questions to the reporting of results, NAEP represents the best thinking of assessment and content
specialists, state education staff, and teachers from around the nation. NAEP is a trusted resource that measures student progress
and helps inform policy decisions that improve education in the United States.
NAEP reports on results for different demographic groups rather than for individual students or schools. Within a school, just
some of the student population participates, and student responses are combined with those from other participating students to
produce the results. Students responses on NAEP are confidential*, and the privacy of each participating school and student is
essential. Names of participating students never leave the school and are not associated with the digital or paper test booklet after
the student takes the assessment.
NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling process. This process ensures that the schools and students selected are
representative of schools and students across the United States. To ensure that the sample represents all students in the nation’s
schools, NAEP allows a broad range of accommodations for students with disabilities and English language learners.
NAEP is designed to cause minimal disruption of classroom instruction. Including transition time, directions, and completion of a
survey questionnaire, it takes approximately 120 minutes for students to complete digital assessments. Teachers do not need to
prepare their students to take the assessment but should encourage them to do their best. NAEP representatives provide
significant support to your school by working with the designated coordinator in your school to organize assessment activities.
NAEP items can be used as a helpful educational resource in the classroom. Teachers and district staff can use the NAEP
Questions Tool at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nqt to see how students’ performance compares nationally on specific
items. Released NAEP items come with a scoring guide, sample student responses, and performance data.
District and school staff can also
view results, depending on the type of assessment, for the nation, states, and selected districts over time;
compare results for various demographic groups; and
access information designed for teachers, students, and parents.
Visit the NAEP website at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard to access this information and more.

*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle
A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than
employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has
taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic
submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity
Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
22

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

NAEP 2018

Facts for Principals
Civics

Geography

NAEP is an integral part
of education in the
United States.
Elected officials, policymakers, and
educators all use NAEP results to
develop ways to improve education.

U.S. History

National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

“Informational assessment materials were accessible and
easy to understand. The NAEP representative assigned to
our school was supportive and very knowledgeable about
assessment protocols and what our school needed to do
to be well prepared. On testing day, the NAEP team was
organized and administered the assessment efficiently.”
- Ronda E. George, Assistant Principal, Noe Middle School, Louisville, KY

NAEP serves a different role than
state assessments. While states have
their own unique assessments with
different content standards, the same
NAEP assessment is administered
in every state, providing a common
measure of student achievement.
Depending on the type of NAEP
assessment that is administered,
the data can be used to compare
and understand the performance
of demographic groups within your
state, the nation, other states, and
districts that participate in the Trial
Urban District Assessment. NAEP
is not designed to collect or report
results for individual students,
classrooms, or schools.
To provide a better understanding of
educational experiences and factors
that may be related to students’
learning, students, teachers, and
principals who participate in NAEP
are asked to complete survey
questionnaires.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what our nation’s students know and
can do in various subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing, as
well as civics, geography, U.S. history, and technology and engineering literacy. The
results of NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card.
NAEP is designed to be minimally disruptive to schools, and NAEP representatives
will provide significant support to your school on assessment day. As principals, you
make an important contribution to the program by selecting and empowering a
NAEP school coordinator, meeting with teachers and participating students, and
encouraging your students to participate and do their best. You are essential
partners in NAEP. When students participate and give their best effort, NAEP gets
the most accurate measure possible of student achievement across the country.
In 2018, the NAEP civics, geography, and U.S. history assessments will be
administered on tablets to students at grade 8. A small number of students, in a
session separate from those taking the assessment on tablets, may take paper-andpencil assessments in these subjects. Administering these assessments via both
tablet and paper and pencil will help NAEP evaluate any differences in student
performance between the two types of administration—each student will be
assessed in one format and one subject only. Results will be released at the national
level. NAEP representatives will bring all necessary materials and equipment to
schools on assessment day. Schools will only need to provide space for students to
take the assessment, desks or tables, and an adequate number of electrical outlets
in the assessment location—schools will not need to provide internet access.

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

23

It’s important to know...
NAEP was first administered in 1969 to measure student achievement nationally. In 1990, NAEP was administered at the state level
for the first time. Students in grades 4 and 8 are currently assessed at the national and state level in mathematics and reading
every two years and in other subjects in alternating years. In 2002, NAEP began the Trial Urban District Assessment program,
which measures student achievement in some of the nation’s large urban districts. Students, teachers, and schools are asked to
complete a survey questionnaire in order to provide valuable contextual information about participating students’ educational
experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom.
Special studies are also conducted periodically. They are administered as part of NAEP and often involve special data collection
procedures in the field, in-depth analyses of NAEP results, and evaluations of various technical procedures. For more information
about NAEP special studies, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies.
NAEP is considered the gold standard of assessments because of its high technical quality. From the development of
assessment frameworks and questions to the reporting of results, NAEP represents the best thinking of assessment and content
specialists, state education staff, and teachers from around the nation. NAEP is a trusted resource that measures student progress
and helps inform policy decisions that improve education in the United States.
NAEP reports on results for different demographic groups rather than for individual students or schools. Within a school, just
some of the student population participates, and student responses are combined with those from other participating students to
produce the results. Students responses on NAEP are confidential*, and the privacy of each participating school and student is
essential. Names of participating students never leave the school and are not associated with the digital or paper test booklet after
the student takes the assessment.
NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling process. This process ensures that the schools and students selected are
representative of schools and students across the United States. To ensure that the sample represents all students in the nation’s
schools, NAEP allows a broad range of accommodations for students with disabilities and English language learners.
NAEP is designed to cause minimal disruption of classroom instruction. Including transition time, directions, and completion of a
survey questionnaire, it takes approximately 120 minutes for students to complete digital assessments and up to 90 minutes for
students to complete paper-and-pencil assessments. Teachers do not need to prepare their students to take the assessment but
should encourage them to do their best. NAEP representatives provide significant support to your school by working with the
designated coordinator in your school to organize assessment activities.
NAEP items can be used as a helpful educational resource in the classroom. Teachers and district staff can use the NAEP
Questions Tool at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nqt to see how students’ performance compares nationally on specific
items. Released NAEP items come with a scoring guide, sample student responses, and performance data.
District and school staff can also
view results, depending on the type of assessment, for the nation, states, and selected districts over time;
compare results for various demographic groups; and
access information designed for teachers, students, and parents.
Visit the NAEP website at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard to access this information and more.

*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A,
Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than
employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has
taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic
submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity
Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
24

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

NAEP 2018

Facts for Principals
Grade 12

Mathematics

NAEP is an integral part
of education in the
United States.
Elected officials, policymakers, and
educators all use NAEP results to
develop ways to improve education.

Reading

Science

National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

“Informational assessment materials were accessible and
easy to understand. The NAEP representative assigned to
our school was supportive and very knowledgeable about
assessment protocols and what our school needed to do
to be well prepared. On testing day, the NAEP team was
organized and administered the assessment efficiently.”
- Ronda E. George, Assistant Principal, Noe Middle School, Louisville, KY

NAEP serves a different role than
state assessments. While states have
their own unique assessments with
different content standards, the same
NAEP assessment is administered
in every state, providing a common
measure of student achievement.
Depending on the type of NAEP
assessment that is administered,
the data can be used to compare
and understand the performance
of demographic groups within your
state, the nation, other states, and
districts that participate in the Trial
Urban District Assessment. NAEP
is not designed to collect or report
results for individual students,
classrooms, or schools.
To provide a better understanding of
educational experiences and factors
that may be related to students’
learning, students, teachers, and
principals who participate in NAEP
are asked to complete survey
questionnaires.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what our nation’s students know and
can do in various subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing, as
well as civics, geography, U.S. history, and technology and engineering literacy. The
results of NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card.
NAEP is designed to be minimally disruptive to schools, and NAEP representatives
will provide significant support to your school on assessment day. As principals, you
make an important contribution to the program by selecting and empowering a
NAEP school coordinator, meeting with teachers and participating students, and
encouraging your students to participate and do their best. You are essential
partners in NAEP. When students participate and give their best effort, NAEP gets
the most accurate measure possible of student achievement across the country.
In 2018, NAEP will administer mathematics, reading, and science pilot
assessments on tablets at grade 12. Each student will be assessed in only one
subject. Results from these pilot assessments will not be released but will be used to
inform NAEP assessments. Science pilot assessments will include hands-on tasks
where students use materials and laboratory equipment to perform actual science
experiments. NAEP representatives will bring all necessary materials and equipment
to schools on assessment day. Schools will only need to provide space for students
to take the assessment, desks or tables, and an adequate number of electrical
outlets in the assessment location—schools will not need to provide internet access.

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

25

It’s important to know...
NAEP was first administered in 1969 to measure student achievement nationally. In 1990, NAEP was administered at the state level
for the first time. Students in grades 4 and 8 are currently assessed at the national and state level in mathematics and reading
every two years and in other subjects in alternating years. In 2002, NAEP began the Trial Urban District Assessment program,
which measures student achievement in some of the nation’s large urban districts. Students, teachers, and schools are asked to
complete a survey questionnaire in order to provide valuable contextual information about participating students’ educational
experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom.
Special studies are also conducted periodically. They are administered as part of NAEP and often involve special data collection
procedures in the field, in-depth analyses of NAEP results, and evaluations of various technical procedures. For more information
about NAEP special studies, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies.
NAEP is considered the gold standard of assessments because of its high technical quality. From the development of
assessment frameworks and questions to the reporting of results, NAEP represents the best thinking of assessment and content
specialists, state education staff, and teachers from around the nation. NAEP is a trusted resource that measures student progress
and helps inform policy decisions that improve education in the United States.
NAEP reports on results for different demographic groups rather than for individual students or schools. Within a school, just
some of the student population participates, and student responses are combined with those from other participating students to
produce the results. Students responses on NAEP are confidential*, and the privacy of each participating school and student is
essential. Names of participating students never leave the school and are not associated with the digital or paper test booklet after
the student takes the assessment.
NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling process. This process ensures that the schools and students selected are
representative of schools and students across the United States. To ensure that the sample represents all students in the nation’s
schools, NAEP allows a broad range of accommodations for students with disabilities and English language learners.
NAEP is designed to cause minimal disruption of classroom instruction. Including transition time, directions, and completion of a
survey questionnaire, it takes approximately 120 minutes for students to complete digital assessments. Teachers do not need to
prepare their students to take the assessment but should encourage them to do their best. NAEP representatives provide
significant support to your school by working with the designated coordinator in your school to organize assessment activities.
NAEP items can be used as a helpful educational resource in the classroom. Teachers and district staff can use the NAEP
Questions Tool at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nqt to see how students’ performance compares nationally on specific
items. Released NAEP items come with a scoring guide, sample student responses, and performance data.
District and school staff can also
view results, depending on the type of assessment, for the nation, states, and selected districts over time;
compare results for various demographic groups; and
access information designed for teachers, students, and parents.
Visit the NAEP website at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard to access this information and more.

*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V,
Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone
other than employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about
students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance
with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
26

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

NAEP 2018

Facts for Principals
Grade 8

Reading

NAEP is an integral part
of education in the
United States.
Elected officials, policymakers, and
educators all use NAEP results to
develop ways to improve education.

Science

National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

“Informational assessment materials were accessible and
easy to understand. The NAEP representative assigned to
our school was supportive and very knowledgeable about
assessment protocols and what our school needed to do
to be well prepared. On testing day, the NAEP team was
organized and administered the assessment efficiently.”
- Ronda E. George, Assistant Principal, Noe Middle School, Louisville, KY

NAEP serves a different role than
state assessments. While states have
their own unique assessments with
different content standards, the same
NAEP assessment is administered
in every state, providing a common
measure of student achievement.
Depending on the type of NAEP
assessment that is administered,
the data can be used to compare
and understand the performance
of demographic groups within your
state, the nation, other states, and
districts that participate in the Trial
Urban District Assessment. NAEP
is not designed to collect or report
results for individual students,
classrooms, or schools.
To provide a better understanding of
educational experiences and factors
that may be related to students’
learning, students, teachers, and
principals who participate in NAEP
are asked to complete survey
questionnaires.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what our nation’s students know and
can do in various subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing, as
well as civics, geography, U.S. history, and technology and engineering literacy. The
results of NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card.
NAEP is designed to be minimally disruptive to schools, and NAEP representatives
will provide significant support to your school on assessment day. As principals, you
make an important contribution to the program by selecting and empowering a
NAEP school coordinator, meeting with teachers and participating students, and
encouraging your students to participate and do their best. You are essential
partners in NAEP. When students participate and give their best effort, NAEP gets
the most accurate measure possible of student achievement across the country.
In 2018, NAEP will administer reading special studies and science pilot
assessments on tablets at grade 8. Each student will be assessed in only one
subject. Results from these pilot assessments and special studies will not be
released but will be used to inform NAEP assessments. Science pilot assessments
will include hands-on tasks where students use materials and laboratory equipment
to perform actual science experiments. NAEP representatives will bring all
necessary materials and equipment to schools on assessment day. Schools will only
need to provide space for students to take the assessment, desks or tables, and an
adequate number of electrical outlets in the assessment location—schools will not
need to provide internet access.

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

27

It’s important to know...
NAEP was first administered in 1969 to measure student achievement nationally. In 1990, NAEP was administered at the state level
for the first time. Students in grades 4 and 8 are currently assessed at the national and state level in mathematics and reading
every two years and in other subjects in alternating years. In 2002, NAEP began the Trial Urban District Assessment program,
which measures student achievement in some of the nation’s large urban districts. Students, teachers, and schools are asked to
complete a survey questionnaire in order to provide valuable contextual information about participating students’ educational
experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom.
Special studies are also conducted periodically. They are administered as part of NAEP and often involve special data collection
procedures in the field, in-depth analyses of NAEP results, and evaluations of various technical procedures. For more information
about NAEP special studies, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies.
NAEP is considered the gold standard of assessments because of its high technical quality. From the development of
assessment frameworks and questions to the reporting of results, NAEP represents the best thinking of assessment and content
specialists, state education staff, and teachers from around the nation. NAEP is a trusted resource that measures student progress
and helps inform policy decisions that improve education in the United States.
NAEP reports on results for different demographic groups rather than for individual students or schools. Within a school, just
some of the student population participates, and student responses are combined with those from other participating students to
produce the results. Students responses on NAEP are confidential*, and the privacy of each participating school and student is
essential. Names of participating students never leave the school and are not associated with the digital or paper test booklet after
the student takes the assessment.
NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling process. This process ensures that the schools and students selected are
representative of schools and students across the United States. To ensure that the sample represents all students in the nation’s
schools, NAEP allows a broad range of accommodations for students with disabilities and English language learners.
NAEP is designed to cause minimal disruption of classroom instruction. Including transition time, directions, and completion of a
survey questionnaire, it takes approximately 120 minutes for students to complete digital assessments. Teachers do not need to
prepare their students to take the assessment but should encourage them to do their best. NAEP representatives provide
significant support to your school by working with the designated coordinator in your school to organize assessment activities.
NAEP items can be used as a helpful educational resource in the classroom. Teachers and district staff can use the NAEP
Questions Tool at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nqt to see how students’ performance compares nationally on specific
items. Released NAEP items come with a scoring guide, sample student responses, and performance data.
District and school staff can also
view results, depending on the type of assessment, for the nation, states, and selected districts over time;
compare results for various demographic groups; and
access information designed for teachers, students, and parents.
Visit the NAEP website at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard to access this information and more.

*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V,
Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to
anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors
and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable
information about students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and
contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical
reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
28

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

NAEP 2018

Facts for Principals
Grade 4

Reading

NAEP is an integral part
of education in the
United States.
Elected officials, policymakers, and
educators all use NAEP results to
develop ways to improve education.

Science

National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

“Informational assessment materials were accessible and
easy to understand. The NAEP representative assigned to
our school was supportive and very knowledgeable about
assessment protocols and what our school needed to do
to be well prepared. On testing day, the NAEP team was
organized and administered the assessment efficiently.”
- Ronda E. George, Assistant Principal, Noe Middle School, Louisville, KY

NAEP serves a different role than
state assessments. While states have
their own unique assessments with
different content standards, the same
NAEP assessment is administered
in every state, providing a common
measure of student achievement.
Depending on the type of NAEP
assessment that is administered,
the data can be used to compare
and understand the performance
of demographic groups within your
state, the nation, other states, and
districts that participate in the Trial
Urban District Assessment. NAEP
is not designed to collect or report
results for individual students,
classrooms, or schools.
To provide a better understanding of
educational experiences and factors
that may be related to students’
learning, students, teachers, and
principals who participate in NAEP
are asked to complete survey
questionnaires.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what our nation’s students know and
can do in various subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing, as
well as civics, geography, U.S. history, and technology and engineering literacy. The
results of NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card.
NAEP is designed to be minimally disruptive to schools, and NAEP representatives
will provide significant support to your school on assessment day. As principals, you
make an important contribution to the program by selecting and empowering a
NAEP school coordinator, meeting with teachers and participating students, and
encouraging your students to participate and do their best. You are essential
partners in NAEP. When students participate and give their best effort, NAEP gets
the most accurate measure possible of student achievement across the country.
In 2018, NAEP will administer reading special studies and science pilot
assessments on tablets at grade 4. Each student will be assessed in only one
subject. Results from these pilot assessments and special studies will be used to
inform NAEP assessments. Science pilot assessments will include hands-on tasks
where students use materials and laboratory equipment to perform actual science
experiments. NAEP representatives will bring all necessary materials and equipment
to schools on assessment day. Schools will only need to provide space for students
to take the assessment, desks or tables, and an adequate number of electrical
outlets in the assessment location—schools will not need to provide internet access.

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

29

It’s important to know...
NAEP was first administered in 1969 to measure student achievement nationally. In 1990, NAEP was administered at the state level
for the first time. Students in grades 4 and 8 are currently assessed at the national and state level in mathematics and reading
every two years and in other subjects in alternating years. In 2002, NAEP began the Trial Urban District Assessment program,
which measures student achievement in some of the nation’s large urban districts. Students, teachers, and schools are asked to
complete a survey questionnaire in order to provide valuable contextual information about participating students’ educational
experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom.
Special studies are also conducted periodically. They are administered as part of NAEP and often involve special data collection
procedures in the field, in-depth analyses of NAEP results, and evaluations of various technical procedures. For more information
about NAEP special studies, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies.
NAEP is considered the gold standard of assessments because of its high technical quality. From the development of
assessment frameworks and questions to the reporting of results, NAEP represents the best thinking of assessment and content
specialists, state education staff, and teachers from around the nation. NAEP is a trusted resource that measures student progress
and helps inform policy decisions that improve education in the United States.
NAEP reports on results for different demographic groups rather than for individual students or schools. Within a school, just
some of the student population participates, and student responses are combined with those from other participating students to
produce the results. Students responses on NAEP are confidential*, and the privacy of each participating school and student is
essential. Names of participating students never leave the school and are not associated with the digital or paper test booklet after
the student takes the assessment.
NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling process. This process ensures that the schools and students selected are
representative of schools and students across the United States. To ensure that the sample represents all students in the nation’s
schools, NAEP allows a broad range of accommodations for students with disabilities and English language learners.
NAEP is designed to cause minimal disruption of classroom instruction. Including transition time, directions, and completion of a
survey questionnaire, it takes approximately 120 minutes for students to complete digital assessments. Teachers do not need to
prepare their students to take the assessment but should encourage them to do their best. NAEP representatives provide
significant support to your school by working with the designated coordinator in your school to organize assessment activities.
NAEP items can be used as a helpful educational resource in the classroom. Teachers and district staff can use the NAEP
Questions Tool at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nqt to see how students’ performance compares nationally on specific
items. Released NAEP items come with a scoring guide, sample student responses, and performance data.
District and school staff can also
view results, depending on the type of assessment, for the nation, states, and selected districts over time;
compare results for various demographic groups; and
access information designed for teachers, students, and parents.
Visit the NAEP website at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard to access this information and more.

*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V,
Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone
other than employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about
students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance
with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
30

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

Appendix J1-6: NAEP Save-the-Date Letter from NAEP
State Coordinator to School Principal
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

31

NAEP 2018 Save-the-Date Letter From
NAEP STATE COORDINATOR TO SCHOOL PRINCIPAL – For All Sampled Schools
Red text should be customized before mail merge; highlighted text represents mail merge fields

Save the date! NAEP is coming on (assessment date).
Dear Principal:
In May, I notified you that your school was selected to participate in the 2018 administration of the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). This letter includes the scheduled assessment date
for your school.
Your school’s grade (4 or 8 or 12) students will take the assessment for about 90 to 120 minutes on
(assessment date). Please place the NAEP assessment date on your 2017-2018 school calendar.
Approximately (estimated student sample) students from your school will be selected to participate, but
that number will vary, depending on actual fall 2017 student enrollment. NAEP representatives will
provide significant support to your school, bring all necessary materials and equipment, and administer
the assessment.
If you have questions or a conflict with the scheduled assessment date, please contact me at (telephone
number) or (email address) by (date). I will send you more information about preparing for the
assessment at the beginning of the school year.
NAEP provides a common measure of student achievement across the country and is used to inform
education policies and practices. Schools and students have an important role in ensuring that NAEP
provides accurate results. Our goal is 100 percent participation in this important assessment, and we know
that we can count on you to help us reach it.
Sincerely,
NAEP State Coordinator
CC:

District Test Coordinator

Enclosure:

NAEP in Your School 2018

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from
education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information each
student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information
Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student
responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or
agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such
as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of
$250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic submission
of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and
contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be
combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

32

Appendix J1-7: NAEP in Your School Brochure
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

33

NAEP 2018

In Your School
Technology and Engineering Literacy

What is NAEP?
The National Assessment
of Educational Progress
(NAEP) is an essential
measurement of student
achievement in the
United States.
First administered in 1969,

NAEP is the largest continuing
and nationally representative
assessment of what our nation’s
students know and can do
in various subjects such as
mathematics, reading, science,
and writing, as well as civics,
geography, U.S. history, and
technology and engineering
literacy.

National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

NAEP will be administered on laptops to a sample of
eighth-grade students in your school between January
29 and March 9, 2018. Students will be assessed in
technology and engineering literacy. This assessment
measures students’ capacity to use, understand, and
evaluate technology, as well as understand technological
principles and strategies.
National results will be reported for grade 8. The results of NAEP
are used by teachers, principals, parents, policymakers, and
researchers to assess students’ progress in various subject areas
and develop ways to improve education in the United States.
What is involved?

The schools and students
participating in NAEP represent
schools and students across the
country.

Students will spend approximately 120 minutes completing the
assessment, including transition time, directions, and completion
of a survey questionnaire. The questionnaire aims to get a better
understanding of students’ educational experiences and
opportunities to learn both inside and outside of the classroom.

NAEP is considered the gold
standard of assessments because
of its high technical quality.
From developing frameworks
and questions to the reporting
of results, NAEP represents the
best thinking of assessment
and content specialists, state
education staff, and teachers from
around the nation.

The school principal will also complete a questionnaire. These
questionnaires are designed to help provide contextual
information for the assessment results, as well as information
about factors that may be related to students’ learning.
Additional information will be collected about how students with
disabilities and English language learners will participate in the
assessment and the accommodations they will receive.

NAEP monitors academic
progress over time and reports on
student achievement nationally.
The results are released as The
Nation’s Report Card.

How many students will be assessed?
Nationally, approximately 16,000 eighth-grade students will be
assessed in technology and engineering literacy.

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

34

It’s important to know...
Who will be responsible for coordinating and administering NAEP?
Your NAEP State Coordinator, NAEP representatives, and school staff will work together to coordinate and administer the
assessment. A member of your school’s staff will need to be assigned to serve as the school coordinator and be the primary
contact for the assessment. This person should be:
familiar with how students participate in statewide assessments; and
comfortable using a computer to collect and enter student information online.
The NAEP State Coordinator works at your state department of education and will be responsible for:
working with schools to confirm the assessment date;
communicating with principals about the importance of NAEP and student participation;
providing schools with instructions for preparing a list of eighth-grade students and information about notifying parents of
participating students;
providing guidance for including students with disabilities and English language learners; and
responding to questions from the school community throughout the assessment period.
NAEP representatives employed by a U.S. Department of Education contractor to work directly with schools will be
responsible for:
selecting a random sample of students from the school list of eighth-graders;
verifying information that the school coordinator has provided via the MyNAEP website, which will serve as the primary resource
and action center throughout the NAEP assessment process;
working with the school coordinator to finalize assessment logistics;
bringing all assessment materials to the school on the scheduled day; and
conducting the assessment.
Each principal will be responsible for:
assigning a school staff member to serve as school coordinator;
including the NAEP assessment date on the school calendar;
empowering the designated school coordinator to work with the NAEP representative and NAEP State Coordinator to prepare for
the assessment; and
informing school staff and students about NAEP and why student participation is critically important.
The school coordinator will be responsible for:
confirming the scheduled assessment date with the NAEP State Coordinator;
registering for the MyNAEP website and providing information about the school;
overseeing the submission of an electronic list of eighth-grade students;
using the MyNAEP website to prepare for the assessment;
informing parents of the assessment (more information will be provided on how to complete this task);
communicating with the NAEP representative to finalize assessment preparations;
organizing the availability of school space for the assessment, including room(s), desks or tables, and an adequate number of
electrical outlets in the assessment location (the school will not need to provide internet access); and
collaborating with school staff to ensure a high rate of student participation.
Detailed information about the school coordinator’s responsibilities will be sent at the beginning of the school year.
The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle
A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than
employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has
taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic
submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity
Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
35

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

NAEP 2018

In Your School
Civics

Geography

What is NAEP?
The National Assessment
of Educational Progress
(NAEP) is an essential
measurement of student
achievement in the
United States.
First administered in 1969,

NAEP is the largest continuing
and nationally representative
assessment of what our nation’s
students know and can do
in various subjects such as
mathematics, reading, science,
and writing, as well as civics,
geography, U.S. history, and
technology and engineering
literacy.

The schools and students
participating in NAEP represent
schools and students across the
country.
NAEP is considered the gold
standard of assessments because
of its high technical quality.
From developing frameworks
and questions to the reporting
of results, NAEP represents the
best thinking of assessment
and content specialists, state
education staff, and teachers from
around the nation.
NAEP monitors academic
progress over time and reports on
student achievement nationally.
The results are released as The
Nation’s Report Card.

U.S. History

National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

NAEP will be administered on tablets to a sample of
eighth-grade students in your school between January
29 and March 9, 2018. Students will be assessed in civics,
geography, and U.S. history. A small number of students
may take paper-and-pencil assessments in these
subjects. Administering these assessments via both
tablet and paper and pencil will help NAEP evaluate any
differences in student performance.
National results will be reported. The results of NAEP are used by teachers,
principals, parents, policymakers, and researchers to assess students’
progress in various subject areas and develop ways to improve education in
the United States.

What is involved?
Each student will be assessed in one format and one subject only. It takes
approximately 120 minutes for students to complete digital assessments
and up to 90 minutes for students to complete paper-and-pencil
assessments, including transition time, directions, and completion of a
survey questionnaire. The questionnaire aims to get a better understanding
of students’ educational experiences and opportunities to learn both inside
and outside of the classroom.
The school principal and grade 8 teachers of the subjects being assessed will
also complete a questionnaire. These questionnaires are designed to help
provide contextual information for the assessment results, as well as
information about factors that may be related to students’ learning.
Additional information will be collected about how students with disabilities
and English language learners will participate in the assessment and the
accommodations they will receive.

How many students will be assessed?
Nationally, across tablet and paper-and-pencil formats, approximately 52,000
eighth-grade students will be assessed in civics, geography, and U.S. history.

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

36

It’s important to know...
Who will be responsible for coordinating and administering NAEP?
Your NAEP State Coordinator, NAEP representatives, and school staff will work together to coordinate and administer the
assessment. A member of your school’s staff will need to be assigned to serve as the school coordinator and be the primary
contact for the assessment. This person should be:
familiar with how students participate in statewide assessments; and
comfortable using a computer to collect and enter student information online.
The NAEP State Coordinator works at your state department of education and will be responsible for:
working with schools to confirm the assessment date;
communicating with principals about the importance of NAEP and student participation;
providing schools with instructions for preparing a list of eighth-grade students and information about notifying parents of
participating students;
providing guidance for including students with disabilities and English language learners; and
responding to questions from the school community throughout the assessment period.
NAEP representatives employed by a U.S. Department of Education contractor to work directly with schools will be
responsible for:
selecting a random sample of students from the school list of eighth-graders;
verifying information that the school coordinator has provided via the MyNAEP website, which will serve as the primary resource
and action center throughout the NAEP assessment process;
working with the school coordinator to finalize assessment logistics;
bringing all assessment materials to the school on the scheduled day; and
conducting the assessment.
Each principal will be responsible for:
assigning a school staff member to serve as school coordinator;
including the NAEP assessment date on the school calendar;
empowering the designated school coordinator to work with the NAEP representative and NAEP State Coordinator to prepare for
the assessment; and
informing school staff and students about NAEP and why student participation is critically important.
The school coordinator will be responsible for:
confirming the scheduled assessment date with the NAEP State Coordinator;
registering for the MyNAEP website and providing information about the school;
overseeing the submission of an electronic list of eighth-grade students;
using the MyNAEP website to prepare for the assessment;
informing parents of the assessment (more information will be provided on how to complete this task);
communicating with the NAEP representative to finalize assessment preparations;
organizing the availability of school space for the assessment, including room(s), desks or tables, and an adequate number of
electrical outlets in the assessment location (the school will not need to provide internet access); and
collaborating with school staff to ensure a high rate of student participation.
Detailed information about the school coordinator’s responsibilities will be sent at the beginning of the school year.
The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle
A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than
employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has
taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic
submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity
Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
37

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

NAEP 2018

In Your School
Grade 12

Mathematics

What is NAEP?
The National Assessment
of Educational Progress
(NAEP) is an essential
measurement of student
achievement in the
United States.
First administered in 1969,

NAEP is the largest continuing
and nationally representative
assessment of what our nation’s
students know and can do
in various subjects such as
mathematics, reading, science,
and writing, as well as civics,
geography, U.S. history, and
technology and engineering
literacy.

The schools and students
participating in NAEP represent
schools and students across the
country.
NAEP is considered the gold
standard of assessments because
of its high technical quality.
From developing frameworks
and questions to the reporting
of results, NAEP represents the
best thinking of assessment
and content specialists, state
education staff, and teachers from
around the nation.
NAEP monitors academic
progress over time and reports on
student achievement nationally.
The results are released as The
Nation’s Report Card.

Reading

Science

National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

NAEP will administer mathematics, reading, and science
pilot assessments on tablets to a sample of twelfthgrade students in your school between January 29 and
March 9, 2018. Science pilot assessments will include
hands-on tasks where students use materials and
laboratory equipment to perform actual science
experiments.
Results from these pilot assessments will not be released but
will be used to inform NAEP assessments.
What is involved?
Each student will be assessed in only one subject. Students will
spend approximately 120 minutes completing the assessment,
including transition time, directions, and completion of a survey
questionnaire. The questionnaire aims to get a better
understanding of students’ educational experiences and
opportunities to learn both inside and outside of the classroom.
The school principal will also complete a questionnaire. These
questionnaires are designed to help provide contextual
information for the assessment results, as well as information
about factors that may be related to students’ learning.
Additional information will be collected about how students with
disabilities and English language learners will participate in the
assessment and the accommodations they will receive.
How many students will be assessed?
Nationally, approximately 34,700 twelfth-grade students will
participate in mathematics, reading, and science pilot
assessments in 2018.

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

38

It’s important to know...
Who will be responsible for coordinating and administering NAEP?
Your NAEP State Coordinator, NAEP representatives, and school staff will work together to coordinate and administer the
assessment. A member of your school’s staff will need to be assigned to serve as the school coordinator and be the primary
contact for the assessment. This person should be:
familiar with how students participate in statewide assessments; and
comfortable using a computer to collect and enter student information online.
The NAEP State Coordinator works at your state department of education and will be responsible for:
working with schools to confirm the assessment date;
communicating with principals about the importance of NAEP and student participation;
providing schools with instructions for preparing a list of twelfth-grade students and information about notifying parents of
participating students;
providing guidance for including students with disabilities and English language learners; and
responding to questions from the school community throughout the assessment period.
NAEP representatives employed by a U.S. Department of Education contractor to work directly with schools will be
responsible for:
selecting a random sample of students from the school list of twelfth-graders;
verifying information that the school coordinator has provided via the MyNAEP website, which will serve as the primary resource
and action center throughout the NAEP assessment process;
working with the school coordinator to finalize assessment logistics;
bringing all assessment materials, including science materials and laboratory equipment, to the school on the scheduled day; and
conducting the assessment.
Each principal will be responsible for:
assigning a school staff member to serve as school coordinator;
including the NAEP assessment date on the school calendar;
empowering the designated school coordinator to work with the NAEP representative and NAEP State Coordinator to prepare for
the assessment; and
informing school staff and students about NAEP and why student participation is critically important.
The school coordinator will be responsible for:
confirming the scheduled assessment date with the NAEP State Coordinator;
registering for the MyNAEP website and providing information about the school;
overseeing the submission of an electronic list of twelfth-grade students;
using the MyNAEP website to prepare for the assessment;
informing parents of the assessment (more information will be provided on how to complete this task);
communicating with the NAEP representative to finalize assessment preparations;
organizing the availability of school space for the assessment, including room(s), desks or tables, and an adequate number of
electrical outlets in the assessment location (the school will not need to provide internet access); and
collaborating with school staff to ensure a high rate of student participation.
Detailed information about the school coordinator’s responsibilities will be sent at the beginning of the school year.
The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V,
Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone
other than employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about
students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance
with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
39

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

NAEP 2018

In Your School
Grade 8

Reading

What is NAEP?
The National Assessment
of Educational Progress
(NAEP) is an essential
measurement of student
achievement in the
United States.
First administered in 1969,

NAEP is the largest continuing
and nationally representative
assessment of what our nation’s
students know and can do
in various subjects such as
mathematics, reading, science,
and writing, as well as civics,
geography, U.S. history, and
technology and engineering
literacy.

The schools and students
participating in NAEP represent
schools and students across the
country.
NAEP is considered the gold
standard of assessments because
of its high technical quality.
From developing frameworks
and questions to the reporting
of results, NAEP represents the
best thinking of assessment
and content specialists, state
education staff, and teachers from
around the nation.
NAEP monitors academic
progress over time and reports on
student achievement nationally.
The results are released as The
Nation’s Report Card.

Science

National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

NAEP will administer reading special studies and science
pilot assessments on tablets to a sample of eighth-grade
students in your school between January 29 and March
9, 2018. Science pilot assessments will include hands-on
tasks where students use materials and laboratory
equipment to perform actual science experiments.
Results from these pilot assessments and special studies will not
be released but will be used to inform NAEP assessments.
What is involved?
Each student will be assessed in only one subject. Students will
spend approximately 120 minutes completing the assessment,
including transition time, directions, and completion of a survey
questionnaire. The questionnaire aims to get a better
understanding of students’ educational experiences and
opportunities to learn both inside and outside of the classroom.
The school principal and grade 8 teachers of the subjects being
assessed will also complete a questionnaire. These
questionnaires are designed to help provide contextual
information for the assessment results, as well as information
about factors that may be related to students’ learning.
Additional information will be collected about how students with
disabilities and English language learners will participate in the
assessment and the accommodations they will receive.
How many students will be assessed?
Nationally, approximately 18,100 eighth-grade students will
participate in reading and science pilot assessments in 2018.

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

40

It’s important to know...
Who will be responsible for coordinating and administering NAEP?
Your NAEP State Coordinator, NAEP representatives, and school staff will work together to coordinate and administer the
assessment. A member of your school’s staff will need to be assigned to serve as the school coordinator and be the primary
contact for the assessment. This person should be:
familiar with how students participate in statewide assessments; and
comfortable using a computer to collect and enter student information online.
The NAEP State Coordinator works at your state department of education and will be responsible for:
working with schools to confirm the assessment date;
communicating with principals about the importance of NAEP and student participation;
providing schools with instructions for preparing a list of eighth-grade students and information about notifying parents of
participating students;
providing guidance for including students with disabilities and English language learners; and
responding to questions from the school community throughout the assessment period.
NAEP representatives employed by a U.S. Department of Education contractor to work directly with schools will be
responsible for:
selecting a random sample of students from the school list of eighth-graders;
verifying information that the school coordinator has provided via the MyNAEP website, which will serve as the primary resource
and action center throughout the NAEP assessment process;
working with the school coordinator to finalize assessment logistics;
bringing all assessment materials, including science materials and laboratory equipment, to the school on the scheduled day; and
conducting the assessment.
Each principal will be responsible for:
assigning a school staff member to serve as school coordinator;
including the NAEP assessment date on the school calendar;
empowering the designated school coordinator to work with the NAEP representative and NAEP State Coordinator to prepare for
the assessment; and
informing school staff and students about NAEP and why student participation is critically important.
The school coordinator will be responsible for:
confirming the scheduled assessment date with the NAEP State Coordinator;
registering for the MyNAEP website and providing information about the school;
overseeing the submission of an electronic list of eighth-grade students;
using the MyNAEP website to prepare for the assessment;
informing parents of the assessment (more information will be provided on how to complete this task);
communicating with the NAEP representative to finalize assessment preparations;
organizing the availability of school space for the assessment, including room(s), desks or tables, and an adequate number of
electrical outlets in the assessment location (the school will not need to provide internet access); and
collaborating with school staff to ensure a high rate of student participation.
Detailed information about the school coordinator’s responsibilities will be sent at the beginning of the school year.
The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A,
Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees
or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and
is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic submission of student
information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The
collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
41

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

NAEP 2018

In Your School
Grade 4

Reading

What is NAEP?
The National Assessment
of Educational Progress
(NAEP) is an essential
measurement of student
achievement in the
United States.
First administered in 1969,

NAEP is the largest continuing
and nationally representative
assessment of what our nation’s
students know and can do
in various subjects such as
mathematics, reading, science,
and writing, as well as civics,
geography, U.S. history, and
technology and engineering
literacy.

The schools and students
participating in NAEP represent
schools and students across the
country.
NAEP is considered the gold
standard of assessments because
of its high technical quality.
From developing frameworks
and questions to the reporting
of results, NAEP represents the
best thinking of assessment
and content specialists, state
education staff, and teachers from
around the nation.
NAEP monitors academic
progress over time and reports on
student achievement nationally.
The results are released as The
Nation’s Report Card.

Science

National Assessment of
Educ ationa l Prog ress

NAEP will administer reading special studies and science
pilot assessments on tablets to a sample of fourth-grade
students in your school between January 29 and March
9, 2018. Science pilot assessments will include hands-on
tasks where students use materials and laboratory
equipment to perform actual science experiments.
Results from these pilot assessments and special studies will be
used to inform NAEP assessments.
What is involved?
Each student will be assessed in only one subject. Students will
spend approximately 120 minutes completing the assessment,
including transition time, directions, and completion of a survey
questionnaire. The questionnaire aims to get a better
understanding of students’ educational experiences and
opportunities to learn both inside and outside of the classroom.
The school principal and grade 4 teachers of the subjects being
assessed will also complete a questionnaire. These
questionnaires are designed to help provide contextual
information for the assessment results, as well as information
about factors that may be related to students’ learning.
Additional information will be collected about how students with
disabilities and English language learners will participate in the
assessment and the accommodations they will receive.
How many students will be assessed?
Nationally, approximately 20,300 fourth-grade students will
participate in reading and science pilot assessments in 2018.

For more information about NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

42

It’s important to know...
Who will be responsible for coordinating and administering NAEP?
Your NAEP State Coordinator, NAEP representatives, and school staff will work together to coordinate and administer the
assessment. A member of your school’s staff will need to be assigned to serve as the school coordinator and be the primary
contact for the assessment. This person should be:
familiar with how students participate in statewide assessments; and
comfortable using a computer to collect and enter student information online.
The NAEP State Coordinator works at your state department of education and will be responsible for:
working with schools to confirm the assessment date;
communicating with principals about the importance of NAEP and student participation;
providing schools with instructions for preparing a list of fourth-grade students and information about notifying parents of
participating students;
providing guidance for including students with disabilities and English language learners; and
responding to questions from the school community throughout the assessment period.
NAEP representatives employed by a U.S. Department of Education contractor to work directly with schools will be
responsible for:
selecting a random sample of students from the school list of fourth-graders;
verifying information that the school coordinator has provided via the MyNAEP website, which will serve as the primary resource
and action center throughout the NAEP assessment process;
working with the school coordinator to finalize assessment logistics;
bringing all assessment materials, including science materials and laboratory equipment, to the school on the scheduled day; and
conducting the assessment.
Each principal will be responsible for:
assigning a school staff member to serve as school coordinator;
including the NAEP assessment date on the school calendar;
empowering the designated school coordinator to work with the NAEP representative and NAEP State Coordinator to prepare for
the assessment; and
informing school staff and students about NAEP and why student participation is critically important.
The school coordinator will be responsible for:
confirming the scheduled assessment date with the NAEP State Coordinator;
registering for the MyNAEP website and providing information about the school;
overseeing the submission of an electronic list of fourth-grade students;
using the MyNAEP website to prepare for the assessment;
informing parents of the assessment (more information will be provided on how to complete this task);
communicating with the NAEP representative to finalize assessment preparations;
organizing the availability of school space for the assessment, including room(s), desks or tables, and an adequate number of
electrical outlets in the assessment location (the school will not need to provide internet access); and
collaborating with school staff to ensure a high rate of student participation.
Detailed information about the school coordinator’s responsibilities will be sent at the beginning of the school year.
The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V,
Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone
other than employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about
students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance
with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:
43

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

Appendix J1-8: NAEP in Your Private School
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

44

NAEP in Your Private School

Technology and Engineering Literacy Assessment

2018
Why assess private schools?
What is NAEP?
The National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)
is an essential measurement
of student achievement in
the United States.
●●

●●

●●

●●

First administered in
1969, NAEP is the largest
continuing and nationally
representative assessment
of what our nation’s
public and private school
students know and can do
in various subjects.
NAEP is considered
the gold standard of
assessments because
of its high technical
quality. From developing
frameworks and questions
to the reporting of results,
NAEP represents the best
thinking of assessment
and content specialists
and teachers from around
the nation.
The schools and students
participating in NAEP make
an important contribution
by representing other
schools and students
across the country.
NAEP monitors academic
progress over time
and reports on student
achievement nationally.
The results are released as
The Nation’s Report Card.

Private school data are essential for examining the picture of education in the
United States. Private schools represent about 26 percent of schools in the nation
and educate approximately 9 percent of the nation’s students. NAEP has consistently
demonstrated how the performance of students in private schools compares
positively to the performance of students in public schools.
Why participate in NAEP?
Your school has been selected to represent other private schools across the nation.
Your participation is needed to ensure a complete picture of the academic progress
of the nation’s students, and it is vital that all selected students participate. Schools,
students, and teachers who participate in NAEP perform a valuable community
service and enable The Nation’s Report Card to provide a more inclusive picture of
what our nation’s students know and can do in key subject areas.
NAEP has the support of numerous private school organizations, including the
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the National Catholic Educational
Association (NCEA), and the Council for American Private Education (CAPE).
The NAEP 2018 program in your school
From January 29 to March 9, 2018, NAEP will be administered in public and private
schools across the country. Selected students at grade 8 will participate in a
technology and engineering literacy (TEL) assessment administered on a laptop.
First administered in 2014, the TEL assessment measures students’ capacity to use,
understand, and evaluate technology as well as understand technological principles
and strategies. NAEP representatives will bring all materials and equipment,
including laptops, to the school on assessment day. The school’s internet, networks,
or computers will not be needed. Students will spend approximately 120 minutes
completing the assessment, which includes transition time and directions and
completion of a student questionnaire. The questionnaire provides valuable
information about students’ educational experiences and opportunities to learn about
technology and engineering both inside and outside of the classroom.
The school principal will also be asked to complete a questionnaire that will ask
about school characteristics and policies, particularly those relevant to technology
and engineering.
The results of the technology and engineering literacy assessments will be released as
The Nation’s Report Card.

Continued on next page

45

NAEP in Your Private School Technology and Engineering Literacy Assessment

What are the responsibilities of NAEP representatives?
NAEP representatives work directly with schools and are responsible for

“Private schools have
participated in NAEP
for decades, and the
Council for American
Private Education
(CAPE) supports NAEP
and encourages your
participation.”
Joe McTighe
Executive Director, CAPE

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

Confirming the assessment date and time with the school
Providing schools with instructions for preparing a list of eligible students from
which a random sample will be selected for participation in the assessment
Providing schools with information about notifying parents of selected students
Providing resources, guidelines, and support to assist the school coordinator in
completing activities and finalizing assessment arrangements
Bringing all assessment materials and equipment, including laptops, to the school
on assessment day

●●

Conducting the assessments

●●

Responding to questions from the school throughout the assessment period

What are the responsibilities of the principal and school coordinator?
The principal is responsible for

For more information
about NAEP visit:
●●

●●

●●

Program overview
http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard
Private school participation
http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard/about/
nonpublicschools.asp
TEL assessment
http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard/tel

●●

●●

Including the NAEP assessment date on the school calendar
Designating a school coordinator to work with NAEP representatives and to
prepare for the assessment

●●

Informing school staff about NAEP and why participation is critically important

●●

Completing the school questionnaire

The school coordinator is responsible for
●●

Confirming that the suggested assessment date works with the school calendar

●●

Securing space for the assessment to take place

●●

●●

●●

●●

Providing a list of eligible students from which a random sample will be selected for
participation in the assessment (student names will always be kept confidential) *
Informing parents about the assessment
Completing preassessment activities with guidance and support from
NAEP representatives
Ensuring that students attend the session on the assessment date

*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential
Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student
responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or
agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as
contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000,
or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic submission of student
information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in
accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across
respondents to produce statistical reports.

Find us on:

49013.0517

Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app!

46

NAEP in Your Private School
Civics, Geography, U.S. History

2018
Why assess private schools?
What is NAEP?
The National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)
is an essential measurement
of student achievement in
the United States.
●●

●●

●●

●●

First administered in
1969, NAEP is the largest
continuing and nationally
representative assessment
of what our nation’s
public and private school
students know and can do
in various subjects.
NAEP is considered
the gold standard of
assessments because
of its high technical
quality. From developing
frameworks and questions
to the reporting of results,
NAEP represents the best
thinking of assessment
and content specialists
and teachers from around
the nation.
The schools and students
participating in NAEP make
an important contribution
by representing other
schools and students
across the country.
NAEP monitors academic
progress over time
and reports on student
achievement nationally.
The results are released as
The Nation’s Report Card.

Private school data are essential for examining the picture of education in the
United States. Private schools represent about 26 percent of schools in the nation
and educate approximately 9 percent of the nation’s students. NAEP has consistently
demonstrated how the performance of students in private schools compares
positively to the performance of students in public schools.
Why participate in NAEP?
Your school has been selected to represent other private schools across the nation.
Your participation is needed to ensure a complete picture of the academic progress
of the nation’s students, and it is vital that all selected students participate. Schools,
students, and teachers who participate in NAEP perform a valuable community
service and enable The Nation’s Report Card to provide a more inclusive picture of
what our nation’s students know and can do in key subject areas.
NAEP has the support of numerous private school organizations, including the
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the National Catholic Educational
Association (NCEA), and the Council for American Private Education (CAPE).
The NAEP 2018 program in your school
From January 29 to March 9, 2018, NAEP will be administered in public and private
schools across the country. Selected students at grade 8 will participate in digitally
based assessments in civics, geography, and U.S. history conducted on tablets. A small
number of students may take paper and pencil assessments. NAEP is administering
these assessments via both tablets and paper booklets to evaluate any differences
in student performance between the two types of administration. Each student will
be assessed in only one subject and in one type of assessment administration. NAEP
representatives will bring all materials and equipment, including tablets, to the school
on assessment day. The school’s internet, networks, or computers will not be needed.
Students will spend approximately 120 minutes completing the assessment, which
includes transition time and directions and completion of a student questionnaire.
The questionnaire provides valuable information about students’ educational
experiences and opportunities to learn both inside and outside of the classroom.
The school principal and the grade 8 teachers of the subjects being assessed will also
be asked to complete a questionnaire. NAEP collects information from schools and
teachers to provide a more complete understanding of the results. Topics such as
classroom experience, teacher training, and school policies can be valuable information
for education stakeholders who need to gain a better picture of student performance.
The results of the civics, geography, and U.S. history assessments will be released as
The Nation’s Report Card.
Continued on next page

47

NAEP in Your Private School Civics, Geography, U.S. History

What are the responsibilities of NAEP representatives?
NAEP representatives work directly with schools and are responsible for

“Private schools have
participated in NAEP
for decades, and the
Council for American
Private Education
(CAPE) supports NAEP
and encourages your
participation.”
Joe McTighe
Executive Director, CAPE

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

Confirming the assessment date and time with the school
Providing schools with instructions for preparing a list of eligible students from
which a random sample will be selected for participation in the assessment
Providing schools with information about notifying parents of selected students
Providing resources, guidelines, and support to assist the school coordinator in
completing activities and finalizing assessment arrangements
Bringing all assessment materials and equipment, including tablets, to the school
on assessment day

●●

Conducting the assessments

●●

Responding to questions from the school throughout the assessment period

What are the responsibilities of the principal and school coordinator?
The principal is responsible for

For more information
about NAEP visit:
●●

●●

Program overview
http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard
Private school participation
http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard/about/
nonpublicschools.asp

●●

●●

Including the NAEP assessment date on the school calendar
Designating a school coordinator to work with NAEP representatives and to
prepare for the assessment

●●

Informing school staff about NAEP and why participation is critically important

●●

Completing the school questionnaire

The school coordinator is responsible for
●●

Confirming that the suggested assessment date works with the school calendar

●●

Securing space for the assessment to take place

●●

Supporting teachers’ access to the teacher questionnaires

●●

●●

●●

●●

Providing a list of eligible students from which a random sample will be selected for
participation in the assessment (student names will always be kept confidential)*
Informing parents about the assessment
Completing preassessment activities with guidance and support from
NAEP representatives
Ensuring that students attend the session on the assessment date

*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the
Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable
Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to
anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is
subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY
identifiable information about students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for
viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the
Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to
produce statistical reports.

Find us on:

49013.0517

Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app!

48

Appendix J1-9: NAEP Assessment Details Letter from
NAEP State Coordinator to Principal
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

49

Early Fall NAEP 2018 Assessment Details Letter
NAEP STATE COORDINATOR TO PRINCIPALS
Red text should be customized before mail merge, highlighted text represents mail merge fields.
Dear principal name:
At the end of the school year, I notified school name of its selection to participate in the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). I am following up with you to provide additional
information about the upcoming assessment.
To prepare for the assessment, please:


Place the NAEP assessment date, assessment date, on your school calendar.



Review the enclosed School Coordinator Responsibilities: A Guide to MyNAEP and designate a
school coordinator to serve as the liaison for all NAEP activities in your school. Give the enclosed
NAEP folder to your designated school coordinator. The school coordinator should
 know how to collect student information, such as birth dates, demographic information,
and if any students have withdrawn;
 be comfortable using a computer, since all assessment preparation activities will be
completed online; and
 be familiar with how students participate in statewide assessments.

A NAEP representative responsible for administering the assessment will contact your school coordinator
in early December. During the assessment, we would appreciate the presence of a school staff person as
an observer in each session. A staff member’s presence can have a positive impact on students’
motivation and performance.
This paragraph should only be included for NTPS-NAEP pilot study schools. In addition to NAEP, your
school has also been selected to participate in the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS)-NAEP
pilot study. NTPS is a system of related questionnaires that provide descriptive data on the context of
elementary and secondary education. The study is designed to explore the feasibility of administering
both NAEP and NTPS questionnaires to a common set of teachers and schools and ultimately enhance the
utility of both NAEP and NTPS. The study involves school, principal, and teacher questionnaires; no
student or instructional time is required. More information is available in the attached fact sheet.
Again, I would like to express my appreciation for your assistance with this very important assessment of
our nation’s students. Our chief state school officer, name, supports NAEP and encourages your students’
participation.
I look forward to collaborating with you and your school coordinator to ensure the successful
administration of NAEP 2018. If you would like to access the MyNAEP site (www.mynaep.com), please
register with this ID number: MyNAEP Registration ID. MyNAEP is a protected site, so you will create
your own password. Should you have questions, please contact me at telephone number or email address.
Sincerely,
NAEP State Coordinator

50

Enclosures:

NAEP folder for your school coordinator, including the following:
Letter to your school coordinator
School Coordinator Responsibilities: A Guide to MyNAEP
MyNAEP Registration Instructions
Student List Submission Instructions
Parent/Guardian Notification Letter
National Teacher and Principal Survey Fact Sheet

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from
education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information each
student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information
Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws,
student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than
employees or agents. By law, every NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she
willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students.. Electronic submission of student information will be
monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the
Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce
statistical reports.

51

Appendix J1-10: NAEP Assessment Details Letter from
NAEP State Coordinator to School Coordinator
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

52

Early Fall NAEP 2018 Assessment Details Letter
NAEP STATE COORDINATOR TO SCHOOL COORDINATOR
Red text should be customized before mail merge, highlighted text represents mail merge fields.
Dear School Coordinator:
Welcome to the 2018 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). I look forward to working
with you to coordinate NAEP in your school. A sample of your grade grade students will be taking
assessment subjects assessments on assessment date.
As the school coordinator, you will have a number of responsibilities critical to making NAEP a success.
The MyNAEP website is designed to assist you with these responsibilities. The timeline below indicates
when you will need to complete specific MyNAEP sections.


August-September – Register at www.mynaep.com with the following registration ID: MyNAEP
Registration ID. Answer the questions in the Provide School Information section by date. For
instructions, see the enclosed School Coordinator Responsibilities: A Guide to MyNAEP.



October-November – Prepare and submit a list of all grade grade students electronically in the
Submit Student List section by date. Please see the enclosed Student List Submission Instructions.



December-January – An assigned NAEP representative who is responsible for administering the
assessment will contact you in early December. At that time, you will log onto the MyNAEP site with
the representative and discuss how to complete the Prepare for Assessment section. Major tasks are
highlighted below.
o

Provide information about students with disabilities and English language learners (SD/ELL)
so that assessment administrators can plan appropriate testing accommodations. You can
request MyNAEP access for your school’s SD/ELL specialists on the Complete SD/ELL
Student Information page so that they can assist with this task.

o

Notify parents/guardians that their children have been selected for the assessment. A sample
parent/guardian notification letter is enclosed and will be available on the MyNAEP website
for you to customize and print on your school letterhead.

o

Schedule assessment sessions and reserve space at your school. The NAEP team will be
transporting heavy cases of tablets; please select assessment locations that are on the first
floor or accessible by elevator.

o

Update the student list to add any new students who have enrolled since the fall. NAEP will
draw a random sample from this group to ensure that all students have an opportunity to be
selected for NAEP.



One week before the assessment – Visit the Support Assessment Activities section to print student
appointment cards and notify teachers in advance so they know when to release students.



May 1 – Confirm that all confidential hardcopy NAEP materials have been shredded.

During the assessment, we would appreciate the presence of a school staff person as an observer in each
session. A staff member’s presence can have a positive impact on students’ motivation and performance.

53

More information about your responsibilities is provided in the enclosed Guide to MyNAEP. Additional
information about NAEP can be found at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and effort in helping to coordinate this important assessment.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at telephone number or email address.
Sincerely,
NAEP State Coordinator
Enclosures:

NAEP folder, including the following:
School Coordinator Responsibilities: A Guide to MyNAEP
Student List Submission Instructions
Parent/Guardian Notification Letter

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from
education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information each
student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information
Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student
responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or
agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such
as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of
$250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic submission
of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and
contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be
combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

54

Appendix J1-11: School Coordinator Responsibilities: A Guide to MyNAEP
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

55

School Coordinator Responsibilities
A Guide to MyNAEP

2018
The MyNAEP website
provides participating
schools with a
convenient way to
prepare for the
upcoming National
Assessment of
Educational Progress
(NAEP).
■■

■■

■■

■■

MyNAEP will serve
as your primary
resource and action
center throughout
the assessment
process.
MyNAEP offers
school coordinators
an electronic way
to prepare for the
assessment at their
own pace.
The MyNAEP menu
is a virtual checklist
of all activities that
school coordinators
need to complete
throughout the
school year. It is
important to check
in regularly to make
sure your school
is on track with
preparations.

Each school participating in NAEP 2018 has a designated staff member to serve as
the NAEP school coordinator. You have been selected to serve as coordinator and
liaison for all NAEP assessment activities in your school. Thank you in advance for
helping to prepare for this important assessment!
MyNAEP Activity Timeline
Register for
MyNAEP

Provide
School
Information

Submit
Student List

1

2

Now

August –
September

Prepare for
Assessment

Support
Assessment
Activities

Wrap Up

3

4

5

6

October –
November

December –
January

One week
before the
assessment

May 1

(if requested)

In the fall, you will need to complete the following activities:
Register for the MyNAEP website.
MyNAEP provides you with all of the information your school needs to participate in NAEP,
including information about what to expect at each stage. Multiple school staff members may
register to access the site, but only school coordinators and principals will have full access.
Register at www.mynaep.com by entering your school’s assigned registration ID. For detailed
instructions on how to register, see page 3.

Complete and submit school information.
Go to the Provide School Information section to enter and submit your school’s contact and
characteristic information, including your school’s name, address, and the number of students
enrolled in the selected grade. Providing up-to-date information about your school ensures that
materials can be accurately prepared for the assessment.
Continued on page 2

Visit the MyNAEP
website to get started:
www.mynaep.com.

For more information about NAEP, visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

Find us on:

56

Prepare and submit a list of your
school’s students in the selected
grade level (if requested).
NAEP requires a complete list of students in the
selected grade. NAEP uses the list to draw a random
sample of students who will participate in the
assessment and to collect demographic information.
The Submit Student List section will appear for
schools that need to prepare and upload this list
in the fall. Student names will always be kept
confidential,* and individual student responses and
scores on NAEP are never reported.
In December, the NAEP representative responsible
for administering NAEP in your school will
contact you and discuss how to complete the
following tasks listed under the Prepare for
Assessment menu:

Review student information and
prepare for the assessment of
students with disabilities and English
language learners (SD/ELL).
Visit the Review and Verify List of Students
Selected for NAEP section to review the student
sample and identify any students who cannot take the
assessment. You will also need to review demographic
information and provide updates in case any
information is missing or inaccurate. To ensure that
NAEP reflects the educational progress of all students,
you will need to submit information in the Complete
SD/ELL Student Information section about how
SD/ELL students will participate in the assessment
and the accommodations they will receive.

Inform parents/guardians of student
participation.
By law, parents/guardians of students selected to
participate in NAEP must be notified in writing of
their child’s selection prior to the administration of
the assessment. An electronic copy of the Parent/
Guardian Notification Letter is available in the Notify
Parents section to download, print, and distribute.

Manage the completion of
questionnaires by school staff.

Plan assessment day logistics.
Assessment day details, including the location(s) and
start time of the assessment, and how students and
teachers will be notified, need to be entered via the
Plan for Assessment Day section.

Promote the importance of NAEP
with school staff and students.
Teachers are essential for motivating students to do
their best on NAEP. Students selected to take NAEP
represent thousands of students across the country,
so it is vital that they participate and do their best.
Online resources, short videos, and strategies for
promoting NAEP are all available in the Encourage
Participation section.

Update the student list to reflect
January 2018 enrollment.
All eligible students must have an opportunity to be
selected. In January, visit the Update Student List
section and upload an Excel file of students currently
enrolled in the selected grade or add new students
to the original list submitted in the fall. NAEP may
draw a random sample of newly identified students to
select students who were not on the original list.
On the assessment date, you will meet your NAEP
representative and assessment team and be
responsible for the following:

Ensure that students attend
the session.
Prior to the assessment start time, you need to
be available to ensure that students attend the
sessions. Appointment cards can be created and
printed from the Support Assessment Activities
section. You and the teachers of selected students
are encouraged to remain in the room during the
assessment. If attendance of sampled students
is less than 90 percent, a makeup session will
be necessary, and the NAEP representative will
schedule another date to administer the assessment
to the students who were absent. After the
assessment, please safeguard all NAEP materials
until May 1 and confirm that all materials have
been shredded.

You are responsible for managing the completion
of online survey questionnaires designed to provide
contextual information for the assessment results.
You can assign, email, and monitor questionnaires
for completion through the Manage Questionnaires
section of MyNAEP.

2

57

How to Register and Access MyNAEP

3

1

Go to www.mynaep.com. On the right side of the screen, select Please register.

2

Enter the MyNAEP registration ID included in the letter or email sent by your NAEP
representative and select Continue. If you cannot locate your registration ID, contact your
NAEP representative or the NAEP help desk at 800-283-6237 or naephelp@westat.com.
Multiple school staff can use the registration ID to register for the website. For detailed
instructions, select Registration Help.

3

Complete the registration form and create a password to access MyNAEP. MyNAEP is a secure
website that contains confidential* information, so all users will be prompted to accept a
confidentiality agreement. A username will be automatically generated and emailed to you.
Links are available on the login page in case you forget your username or password.

58

MyNAEP Resources
The diagram below identifies key features that will
help you update information easily throughout the
school year.
1 The Help and Contact Us links put you in touch
with video tutorials, live help, contact information
for NAEP staff, and more.
2 Your school’s selected grade(s) and

scheduled assessment date are shown in the
blue banner.


3 Use the Provide School Information section
to confirm your school’s address, contact
information, and other characteristics.
4 Check marks indicate sections that are already

complete, and the color changes from white to green
when NAEP staff confirm the information in January.

The Prepare for Assessment menu has seven key
tasks for the weeks leading up to the assessment. These
tasks will become available starting in December.

1

2

3
4
5

Online Resources

4

Information for selected schools

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/schools.aspx

Introducing NAEP to Teachers video

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/videos/teachervideo

Introducing NAEP to Students video

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/videos/naepstudent.aspx

What Every Parent Should Know
About NAEP video

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/videos/parentvideo

Sample Questions booklets

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/booklets.aspx

NAEP Questions Tool

http://nces.ed.gov/NationsReportCard/nqt

Information for parents

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/parents

Assessment frameworks

http://nagb.org/publications/frameworks.html

*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection
provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be
disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as
well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of
$250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic submission of student information will be
monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of
2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
59
49070.0317

Appendix J1-12: Templates for State-Specific SD Inclusion Policy
(New version submitted for approval)

60

New Moldavia NAEP 2018 Inclusion Policy
Grade 12 Pilot—Math and Grades 4, 8 & 12 Pilots—Reading & Science
Students with Disabilities (SD)
The New Moldavia Department of Education expects that most students with disabilities will be
included on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Only students who meet
(or met) participation criteria for the may be excluded from any NAEP assessment. All other students
with disabilities should participate in NAEP with or without NAEP-allowed accommodations. If you
have questions about the NAEP accommodations, please contact , NAEP State
Coordinator at or .
Several accommodations provided on the New Moldavia assessments are not necessary for the
NAEP digitally based assessments because they are available for all students through universal
design elements. The chart below is divided into three sections: (1) universal design elements that
will be available to all students, (2) accommodations provided by the test delivery system, and
(3) accommodations provided outside the test delivery system. NAEP accommodations are only
allowed for a student on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan.
Please keep in mind that NAEP does not produce results for individual students or schools, unlike
the New Moldavia state assessments. In other words, the NAEP assessments do not impose
consequences for the student or the school and are instead intended purely to provide a picture of
educational performance and progress.
Please note all assessments are not the same and are developed to measure specific constructs.
Therefore, NAEP may not allow all accessibility features and accommodations the New Moldavia
state assessments allow. The following are the expectations for inclusion on NAEP:
1) Students who have the read aloud accommodation for the reading comprehension section
on the New Moldavia state assessment should be included in the NAEP reading assessment
without the accommodation.
2) Only students who require a calculator for testing in their IEP or Section 504 Plans are
eligible for the NAEP calculator version of the test.
3) Students who receive multiple-day testing on the New Moldavia state assessments should
take the NAEP assessments in 1 day with breaks as needed. NAEP is much shorter than the
state assessments, so multiple-day testing is not offered. Students take up to 60 minutes of
subject matter content and answer survey questions about their educational experiences.

61

NAEP Universal Design Elements for Students With Disabilities (SD)
Grade 12 Pilot—Math and Grades 4, 8 & 12 Pilots—Reading and Science
Digitally Based Assessments on Tablet
Universal Design
Element

Subject

Description

Zooming

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Enlarges content onscreen up to two times the default
text/image size on the screen while preserving clarity,
contrast, and color.
NOTE: Does not include the toolbar, item tabs, scrollbars,
calculator, and equation editor.

One-on-One Testing
Experience

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

All students have earbuds to reduce distractions and interact
on a one-on-one basis with tablet.
NOTE: Students will be tested in the regular session with up
to 25 other students. If students need to be assessed in a
smaller group, please select the accommodation—Separate
Session.

Directions Only Read
Aloud/Text-toSpeech (English)

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

General directions are read aloud to all students. Directions
within the assessment can be selected and read aloud by the
system using text-to-speech.

Directions
Explained/Clarified

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students can raise their hand at any time and ask the test
administrator to clarify or explain directions.

Read Aloud/Text-toSpeech (English)
Occasional or Most
or All

Math-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students select some or all text to be read aloud by the
system using text-to-speech. Read Aloud/Text-to-Speech
is not allowed for reading passages or reading items.

Use a
Computer/Tablet
to Respond

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

All students respond on NAEP-provided tablets.

Color Theming

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Option 1: black text on white background (default)
Option 2: white text on black background
Option 3: black text on beige background
NOTE: This tool is not available for the tutorial and some
items.

Scratch
work/Highlighter
Capability

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Allows freehand drawing and highlighting on the screen for
most content.

Elimination
Capability

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students can gray out answer choices for multiple-choice
items.
NOTE: This tool is not available for constructed-response
items.

Volume Adjustment

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students can raise or lower voice-over volume using the
tablet’s volume buttons.

Closed Captioning

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

All voice-over narration is closed captioned.

Scratch Paper

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Administrators inform students that scratch paper (and
pencil) is available upon request.

62

NAEP Accommodations for Students With Disabilities (SD)
Grade 12 Pilot—Math and Grades 4, 8 & 12 Pilots—Reading and Science
Digitally Based Assessments on Tablet
Accommodation
Provided by Test
Delivery System

Subject

Description

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Extra time is given to complete the assessment.
NOTE: If state test is untimed, students may or may not
require extended time on NAEP. NAEP is a timed but not a
“speeded” test (it is not designed to evaluate how many
questions a student can answer in a limited amount of time).
Generally, most students are able to complete the NAEP
cognitive sections in the time allowed.

Calculator Version of
the Test

Math-Tablet

Provides a test form that permits the use of a calculator. The
calculator is an onscreen calculator provided as part of the
assessment system.
NOTE: Calculator Version of the Test only available for
mathematics.

Accommodation
Provided Outside
Test Delivery
System

Subject

Description

Breaks During
Testing

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students allowed to take breaks as requested or at
predetermined intervals during the assessment.
Students can take the assessment in more than one sitting
during a single day.

Separate Session

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students are tested in a separate testing area away from
other students.
NOTE: This could be a small group or one-on-one.

Familiar Person
Present in Testing
Room

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

The aide that regularly works with the student must be
present in the testing room during time of assessment.
NOTE: Only trained NAEP staff may conduct the assessment
session.

Uses Template

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Provided by the school.

Masking, color overlays, line reader, and place marker

Special Equipment

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Provided by the school.

FM system, amplification equipment, auditory
amplification device

Noise buffers, study carrel, blinder, special lighting,
adaptive furniture

Stress ball or sensory fidget item

Preferential Seating

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Provided by the school.

Location with minimal distractions, reduce distractions,
quiet location or setting

Front of the class, close to the test administrator

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

School staff member provides.

Monitor for understanding, monitor placement of
responses

Redirect to stay on task, reminders to stay on task,
prompts to stay on task

Verbal encouragement, reinforcement, refocus

Track test items

Extended Time

Cueing to Stay on
Task

63

Accommodation
Provided Outside
Test Delivery
System

Subject

Description

Directions Only
Presented in Sign
Language

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

A qualified sign language interpreter at the school signs the
instructions included in the session script.

Other (Specify)

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Any accommodation not listed above. Please check with your
NAEP State Coordinator to see if other accommodations are
allowed on NAEP.

64

New Moldavia NAEP 2018 Inclusion Policy
Grade 8 Social Studies
Students with Disabilities (SD)

The New Moldavia Department of Education expects that most students with disabilities will be
included on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Only students who meet
(or met) participation criteria for the may be excluded from any NAEP assessment. All other students
with disabilities should participate in NAEP with or without NAEP-allowed accommodations. If you
have questions about the NAEP accommodations, please contact , NAEP State
Coordinator at or .
Several accommodations provided on the New Moldavia assessments are not necessary for the
NAEP digitally based assessments because they are available for all students through universal
design elements. The chart below is divided into three sections: (1) universal design elements that
will be available to all students, (2) accommodations provided by the test delivery system, and
(3) accommodations provided outside the test delivery system. NAEP accommodations are only
allowed for a student on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan.
Please keep in mind that NAEP does not produce results for individual students or schools, unlike
the New Moldavia state assessments. In other words, the NAEP assessments do not impose
consequences for the student or the school and are instead intended purely to provide a picture of
educational performance and progress.
Please note all assessments are not the same and are developed to measure specific constructs.
Therefore, NAEP may not allow all accessibility features and accommodations the New Moldavia
state assessments allow. The following are the expectations for inclusion on NAEP:
1) Students who receive multiple-day testing on the New Moldavia state assessments should
take the NAEP assessments in 1 day with breaks as needed. NAEP is much shorter than the
state assessments, so multiple-day testing is not offered. Students take up to 60 minutes
of subject matter content and answer survey questions about their educational experiences.

65

NAEP Universal Design Elements for Students with Disabilities (SD)
Grade 8 Social Studies
Digitally Based Assessment on Tablet
Universal Design
Element

Subject

Description

Social StudiesTablet

Enlarges content onscreen up to two times the default
text/image size on the screen while preserving clarity, contrast,
and color.
NOTE: Does not include the toolbar, item tabs, scrollbars,
calculator, and equation editor.

One-on-One Testing
Experience

Social StudiesTablet

All students have earbuds to reduce distractions and interact on
a one-on-one basis with tablet.
NOTE: Students will be tested in the regular session with up to
25 other students. If students need to be assessed in a smaller
group, please select the accommodation—Separate Session.

Directions Only Read
Aloud/Text-toSpeech (English)

Social StudiesTablet

General directions are read aloud to all students. Directions
within the assessment can be selected and read aloud by the
system using text-to-speech.

Directions
Explained/Clarified

Social StudiesTablet

Students can raise their hand at any time and ask the test
administrator to clarify or explain directions.

Read Aloud/Text-toSpeech (English) –
Occasional or Most
or All

Social StudiesTablet

Students select some or all text to be read aloud by the system
using text-to-speech.

Use a
Computer/Tablet
to Respond

Social StudiesTablet

All students respond on NAEP-provided tablets.

Color Theming

Social StudiesTablet

Option 1: black text on white background (default)
Option 2: white text on black background
Option 3: black text on beige background
NOTE: This tool is not available for the tutorial and some items.
If students need all content in high contrast, please select the
accommodation—High Contrast for Visually Impaired Students.

Scratch
work/Highlighter
Capability

Social StudiesTablet

Allows freehand drawing and highlighting on the screen for most
content.

Elimination
Capability

Social StudiesTablet

Students can gray out answer choices for multiple-choice items.
NOTE: This tool is not available for constructed-response items.

Volume Adjustment

Social StudiesTablet

Students can raise or lower voice-over volume using the tablet’s
volume buttons.

Closed Captioning

Social StudiesTablet

All voice-over narration is closed captioned.

Scratch Paper

Social StudiesTablet

Administrators inform students that scratch paper (and pencil)
is available upon request.

Zooming

66

NAEP Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (SD)
Grade 8 Social Studies
Digitally Based Assessment on Tablet
Accommodation
Provided by Test
Delivery System

Subject

Description

Social StudiesTablet

Extra time is given to complete the assessment.
NOTE: If state test is untimed, students may or may not require
extended time on NAEP. NAEP is a timed but not a “speeded”
test (it is not designed to evaluate how many questions a
student can answer in a limited amount of time). Generally,
most students are able to complete the NAEP cognitive sections
in the time allowed.

Magnification

Social StudiesTablet

Magnification of all assessment content, including tools, menus,
calculator, and equation editor. Students use screen
magnification software to scroll over a portion of the screen to
magnify the content on the screen.
NOTE: See Zooming under universal design elements to
determine if students need additional magnification.

Low Mobility Version
of the Test

Social StudiesTablet

Provides a test form with items that are keyboard navigable and
do not require the use of the mouse or touch pad.

High Contrast for
Visually Impaired
Students

Social StudiesTablet

Provides a test form with all content that is compatible with high
contrast.

Accommodation
Provided Outside
Test Delivery
System

Subject

Description

Breaks During
Testing

Social StudiesTablet

Students allowed to take breaks as requested or at
predetermined intervals during the assessment. Students can
take the assessment in more than one sitting during a single
day.

Separate Session

Social StudiesTablet

Students are tested in a separate testing area away from other
students.
NOTE: This could be a small group or one-on-one.

Familiar person
Present in Testing
Room

Social StudiesTablet

The aide that regularly works with the student must be
present in the testing room during time of assessment.
NOTE: Only trained NAEP staff may conduct the assessment
session.

Uses Template

Social StudiesTablet

Provided by the school.

Masking, color overlays, line reader, and place marker

Special Equipment

Social StudiesTablet

Provided by the school.

FM system, amplification equipment, auditory amplification
device

Noise buffers, study carrel, blinder, special lighting, adaptive
furniture

Stress ball or sensory fidget item

Preferential Seating

Social StudiesTablet

Provided by the school.

Location with minimal distractions, reduce distractions, quiet
location or setting

Front of the class, close to the test administrator

Extended Time

67

Accommodation
Provided Outside
Test Delivery
System

Subject

Description

Cueing to Stay on
Task

Social StudiesTablet

School staff member provides.

Monitor for understanding, monitor placement of responses

Redirect to stay on task, reminders to stay on task, prompts
to stay on task

Verbal encouragement, reinforcement, refocus

Track test items

Scribe

Social StudiesTablet

Student responds orally or by pointing to his/her answers to a
scribe who records the student’s response on the tablet. Scribe
provided by the school.

Directions Only
Presented in Sign
Language

Social StudiesTablet

A qualified sign language interpreter at the school signs the
instructions included in the session script.

Presentation in Sign
Language

Social StudiesTablet

A qualified sign language interpreter at the school signs the
instructions included in the session script and some or all of the
test questions or answer choices for the student.

Response in Sign
Language

Social StudiesTablet

Student signs his/her responses to a scribe provided by the
school who records the responses on the tablet.

Braille Version of the
Test

Social StudiesTablet

Provides a paper-and-pencil Braille test form.
NOTE: If a student needs to respond in Braille, select “Other
(specify)” and note the needed accommodation. The student
records his/her answers using a Braille output device, a slate
and stylus, or an electronic Braille note taker provided by the
school, or uses a scribe to record the answers (see Scribe
accommodation).

Other (specify)

Social StudiesTablet

Any accommodation not listed above. Please check with your
NAEP State Coordinator to see if other accommodations are
allowed on NAEP.

68

NAEP Universal Design Elements for Students with Disabilities (SD)
Grade 8 Social Studies
Paper-and-Pencil Assessments
Universal Design
Element

Subject

Description

Marks/Writes
Directly in Test
Book

Social StudiesPaper

All students write directly in the test book. NAEP does not
have scantron or bubble sheets.

Directions
Explained/Clarified

Social StudiesPaper

Students can raise their hand at any time and ask the test
administrator to clarify or explain directions.

Scratch Paper

Social StudiesPaper

Administrators inform students that scratch paper (and pencil)
is available upon request.

NAEP Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (SD)
Grade 8 Social Studies
Paper-and-Pencil Assessments
Accommodation

Subject

Description

Social StudiesPaper

Extra time is given to complete the assessment.
NOTE: If state test is untimed, students may or may not
require extended time on NAEP. NAEP is a timed but not a
“speeded” test (it is not designed to evaluate how many
questions a student can answer in a limited amount of time).
Generally, most students are able to complete the NAEP
cognitive sections in the time allowed.

Small Group

Social StudiesPaper

Group includes no more than five students.
NOTE: A student can be assigned to a small group session
because he/she requires one or because one or more of the
accommodations he/she typically requires must be
administered in a separate session to minimize distractions to
other students in the regular session.

One-on-One

Social StudiesPaper

Student is assessed individually in an area free of distractions.

Read Aloud in
English-Directions
Only

Social StudiesPaper

General directions (the same for all students) and/or subjectspecific directions are read aloud, repeated, or reworded in any
way in English so that the student understands what to do.
NOTE: Some students’ IEPs or 504 Plans stipulate this as an
accommodation. For those students, this will be coded as an
accommodation. Students who do not have this as an IEP or
504 requirement but who need the general directions (the same
for all students) and/or the subject-specific directions read
aloud, repeated, or reworded in any way in English can request
this by raising his or her hand during the session, and it will not
be recorded as an accommodation.

Read Aloud in
English-Occasional

Social StudiesPaper

Student may request to have words, phrases, or sentences
read aloud in English.

Extended Time

69

Accommodation

Subject

Description

Read Aloud in
English-Most or All

Social StudiesPaper

Student may request to have most or all of the assessment
read aloud in English.

Breaks During Test

Social StudiesPaper

Students are allowed to take breaks as requested or at
predetermined intervals during the assessment.
Students may also be allowed to take the assessment in more
than one sitting during a single day.

Use Computer or
Typewriter to
Respond

Social StudiesPaper

Student records answers using a computer or typewriter
provided by the school.

Familiar Person
Present or
Administer the Test

Social StudiesPaper

School staff member familiar to the student must be present
or administer the test during the assessment.

Scribe

Social StudiesPaper

Student responds orally or by pointing to his/her answers to a
scribe who records the student’s response in the test booklet.
Scribe provided by the school.

Large Print Version
of the Test

Social StudiesPaper

NAEP provides large-print booklets to visually impaired
students.
NOTE: Assessment booklets enlarged by 129 percent.

Magnification
Equipment

Social StudiesPaper

Lens or system provided by the school that enhances visual
function.
NOTE: Magnification devices include eyeglass-mounted
magnifiers, freestanding or handheld magnifiers, enlarged
computer monitors, or computers with screen-enlargement
programs. Some students use closed-circuit television to
enlarge print and display printed material with various image
enhancements on a screen.

Uses Template

Social StudiesPaper

Provided by the school.
Masking, color overlays, line reader, and place marker.

Special Equipment

Social StudiesPaper

Provided by the school.

FM system, amplification equipment, auditory amplification
device

Noise buffers, study carrel, blinder, special lighting,
adaptive furniture

Stress ball or sensory fidget item

Preferential Seating

Social StudiesPaper

Provided by the school.

Location with minimal distractions, reduce distractions,
quiet location or setting

Front of the class, close to the test administrator

Social StudiesPaper

School staff member provides.

Monitor for understanding, monitor placement of responses

Redirect to stay on task, reminders to stay on task,
prompts to stay on task

Verbal encouragement, reinforcement, refocus

Track test items

Cueing to Stay on
Task

70

Accommodation

Subject

Description

Presentation in
Braille

Social StudiesPaper

This is a Braille version of the booklet.

Response in Braille

Social StudiesPaper

Student records answers using a Braille output device, a slate
and stylus, or an electronic Braille note taker provided by the
school, or uses a scribe to record the answers.

Directions Only
Presented in Sign
Language

Social StudiesPaper

Requires that a qualified sign language interpreter at the
school sign the instructions included in the session script.

Presentation in Sign
Language

Social StudiesPaper

Requires that a qualified sign language interpreter at the
school signs the instructions included in the session script and
some or all of the test questions or answer choices for the
student.

Response in Sign
Language

Social StudiesPaper

Student signs his/her responses to a scribe provided by the
school who records the responses in the student’s booklet.

Other (specify)

Social StudiesPaper

Any accommodation not listed above. Please check with your
NAEP State Coordinator to see if other accommodations are
allowed on NAEP.

71

New Moldavia NAEP 2018 Inclusion Policy
Grade 8 TEL—Technology and Engineering Literacy
Students with Disabilities (SD)
The New Moldavia Department of Education expects that most students with disabilities will be
included on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Only students who meet
(or met) participation criteria for the may be excluded from any NAEP assessment. All other students
with disabilities should participate in NAEP with or without NAEP-allowed accommodations. If you
have questions about the NAEP accommodations, please contact , NAEP State
Coordinator at or .
Several accommodations provided on the New Moldavia assessments are not necessary for the
NAEP digitally based assessments because they are available for all students through universal
design elements. The chart below is divided into two sections: (1) universal design elements that
will be available to all students, and (2) accommodations only allowed for a student on an
Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan.
Please keep in mind that NAEP does not produce results for individual students or schools, unlike
the New Moldavia state assessments. In other words, the NAEP assessments do not impose
consequences for the student or the school and are instead intended purely to provide a picture of
educational performance and progress.
Please note all assessments are not the same and are developed to measure specific constructs.
Therefore, NAEP may not allow all accessibility features and accommodations the New Moldavia
state assessments allow. The following are the expectations for inclusion on NAEP:
1) Students who receive multiple-day testing on the New Moldavia state assessments should
take the NAEP assessments in 1 day with breaks as needed. NAEP is much shorter than the
state assessments, so multiple-day testing is not offered. Students take up to 60 minutes
of subject matter content and answer survey questions about their educational experiences.

72

NAEP Universal Design Elements for Students With Disabilities (SD)
Grade 8 TEL—Technology and Engineering Literacy
Digitally Based Assessment on Laptop
Universal Design
Element

Subject

Description

TELLaptop

Text size options are provided for short stand-alone items (e.g.,
multiple choice and short constructed-response items), but not
for the scenario-based tasks, which will be the standard 14-point
font. For the short stand-alone items, students can change
between three sizes ranging from approximately 14-point font to
approximately 48-point font. Forty-eight point font is
approximately ¾ -inch tall.
NOTE: This only enlarges the short stand-alone items , NOT the
scenario-based tasks, tool icons, menus, etc.

TELLaptop

Unnecessary due to the mode of test administration. All students
are interacting on a one-on-one basis with the computer and will
have earbuds to reduce distractions. Read aloud and other
accommodations will be provided through the computer and will
not distract other students in the room.

One-on-One

TELLaptop

Unnecessary due to the mode of test administration. All students
are interacting on a one-on-one basis with the computer and will
have earbuds to reduce distractions. Read aloud and other
accommodations will be provided through the computer and will
not distract other students in the room.

Directions only Read Aloud
in English (text-to-speech)

TELLaptop

General directions are read aloud to all students. Directions within
the assessment can be read aloud using the text-to-speech
function. See Test Items Read Aloud in English for more
information.

TELLaptop

Students select some or all text to be read aloud. Tutorial
explains how to do this and has full audio. Text selection is
provided for short stand-alone items (e.g., multiple-choice and
short constructed-response items). For scenario-based tasks, all
text is read aloud; individual words or phrases cannot be selected.

Test Items Read Aloud in
English – Most or All (textto-speech)

TELLaptop

Students select some or all text to be read aloud. Tutorial
explains how to do this and has full audio. Text selection is
provided for short stand-alone items (e.g., multiple-choice and
short constructed-response items). For scenario-based tasks, all
text is read aloud; individual words or phrases cannot be
selected.

Use a Computer to
Respond

TELLaptop

All students respond on NAEP-provided laptops.

Adjust or Provide High
Contrast

TELLaptop

Students have a choice of three color options, or skins, including
one high-contrast option.

Highlighter Tool

TELLaptop

A yellow highlighter tool is available for short stand-alone items
(e.g., multiple-choice and short constructed-response items).
NOTE: This tool is not available for the student questionnaire or
the scenario-based tasks.

Adjusting Font Size

Small Group

Test Items Read Aloud in
English – Occasional (textto-speech)

73

Universal Design
Element

Eliminating Answer Choice
Tool

Subject

Description

TELLaptop

A tool for eliminating answer choices for short stand-alone items
(e.g., multiple-choice and discrete items) in the cognitive section
of the assessment (as appropriate).
NOTE: This tool is not available for the student questionnaire or
the scenario-based tasks.

NAEP Accommodations for Students With Disabilities (SD)
Grade 8 TEL—Technology and Engineering Literacy
Digitally Based Assessment on Laptop
Accommodation

Subject

Description

Extended Time

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that students be given extra time
to complete the assessment.

Breaks During Testing

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that the student be allowed to take
breaks as requested or at predetermined intervals during the
assessment. This also could mean that the student is allowed to
take the assessment in more than one sitting during a single day.

Magnification

TELLaptop

For students requiring magnification of all text, including tools,
menus, and scenario-based tasks. Screen magnification software
allows students to scroll over a portion of the screen to magnify
the image on the screen.
NOTE: See Adjusting Font Size under universal design elements
to determine if students need additional magnification.

Must Be Tested in Separate
Session

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that the student be tested away
from other students in a separate testing area.

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that the aide the student regularly
works with be present in the testing room while the assessment
is being conducted.
NOTE: Only trained NAEP staff may conduct the computer-based
testing session.

Must Have an Aide Present
in the Testing Room

Template: This is a cutout or overlay provided by the school
that is used to focus a student’s attention on one part of a screen
by obscuring the other parts of the screen.

Uses Template/Special
Equipment/Preferential
Seating

TELLaptop

Special Equipment: This is a study carrel or portable screen
provided by the school used to limit distractions for a student.
Requires that a student sit in a designated area for the
assessment, such as away from other students to limit
distractions, a location where there is access to special
equipment or close to the front of the room so that a student can
see or hear more easily. It may also include special light and
furniture used by the student.
Preferential Seating: This accommodation requires that a
student sit in a designated area for the assessment, such as
away from other students to limit distractions, a location where
there is access to special equipment, or close to the front of the
room so that a student can see or hear more easily.

74

Accommodation

Subject

Description

Cueing to Stay on Task

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that a school staff member
provide students with a verbal or nonverbal cue to begin a task
or to refocus on a task.

Responds Orally to a
Scribe

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires the student respond orally to a
scribe provided by the school or respond by pointing to his/her
answers. The scribe then records the student’s responses on the
laptop.

Presentation in Sign
Language

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that a qualified sign language
interpreter at the school sign the instructions included in the
session script and some or all of the test questions or answer
choices for the student.

Response in Sign Language

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires a hearing impaired student signs
his/her responses to a scribe provided by the school who
records the responses on the laptop.

Hearing Impaired Version
of the Test

TELLaptop

This is a version of the test that provides closed captioning for all
auditory content.

Low Mobility Version of the
Test

TELLaptop

This accommodation provides a test form with items that are
keyboard navigable and do not require the use of the mouse or
touch pad.

Other (specify)

TELLaptop

Any accommodations not listed above. Please check with your
NAEP State Coordinator to see if other accommodations are
allowed on NAEP.

75

New Moldavia NAEP 2018 Inclusion Policy
Grade 4 ORF — Oral Reading Fluency Study
Students with Disabilities (SD)
The New Moldavia Department of Education expects that most students with disabilities will be
included on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Only students who meet
(or met) participation criteria for the may be excluded from any NAEP assessment. All other students
with disabilities should participate in NAEP with or without NAEP-allowed accommodations. If you
have questions about the NAEP accommodations, please contact , NAEP State
Coordinator at or .
Several accommodations provided on the New Moldavia assessments are not necessary for the
NAEP digitally based assessments because they are available for all students through universal
design elements. The chart below is divided into three sections: (1) universal design elements that
will be available to all students, (2) accommodations provided by the test delivery system, and
(3) accommodations provided outside the test delivery system. NAEP accommodations are only
allowed for a student on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan.
The Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) Study consists of three components:
1. Two reading subject matter blocks up to 60 minutes where students read passages and
answer questions about the passages;
2. An oral reading fluency module up to 15 minutes where students read aloud word lists and
passages; and answer questions orally;
3. A student questionnaire up to 15 minutes where students answer questions about
themselves and their educational experience.
Some universal design elements and accommodations are not allowed for the 15 minute oral
reading fluency module because of the constructs being measured and the mode of
administration. The universal design elements and accommodations that are not allowed for the 15
minute oral reading fluency module are noted in the charts below.
Please keep in mind that NAEP does not produce results for individual students or schools, unlike
the New Moldavia state assessments. In other words, the NAEP assessments do not impose
consequences for the student or the school and are instead intended purely to provide a picture of
educational performance and progress.
Please note all assessments are not the same and are developed to measure specific constructs.
Therefore, NAEP may not allow all accessibility features and accommodations the New Moldavia
state assessments allow. The following are the expectations for inclusion on NAEP:
1) Students who have the read aloud accommodation for the reading comprehension section
on the New Moldavia state assessment should be included in the NAEP reading assessment
without the accommodation.
2) Students who receive multiple-day testing on the New Moldavia state assessments should
take the NAEP assessments in 1 day with breaks as needed. NAEP is much shorter than the
state assessments, so multiple-day testing is not offered. Students take up to 60 minutes of
subject matter content and answer survey questions about their educational experiences.

76

NAEP Universal Design Elements for Students With Disabilities (SD)
Grade 4 ORF — Oral Reading Fluency Study
Digitally Based Assessments on Tablet
Universal Design
Element

Subject

Description

Zooming

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Enlarges content onscreen up to two times the default
text/image size on the screen while preserving clarity,
contrast, and color.
NOTE: Does not include the toolbar, item tabs, scrollbars,
calculator, and equation editor.

One-on-One Testing
Experience

ORF-Tablet

All students have earbuds to reduce distractions and interact
on a one-on-one basis with tablet.
NOTE: Students will be tested in the regular session with up
to 25 other students. If students need to be assessed in a
smaller group, please select the accommodation—Separate
Session.

Directions Only Read
Aloud/Text-toSpeech (English)

ORF-Tablet

General directions read aloud to all students.
Directions within the assessment can be read aloud using
text-to-speech.

Directions
Explained/Clarified

ORF-Tablet

Students can raise their hand at any time and ask the test
administrator to clarify or explain directions.

Use a
Computer/Tablet
to Respond

ORF-Tablet

All students respond on NAEP-provided tablets.

Color Theming

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Option 1: black text on white background (default)
Option 2: white text on black background
Option 3: black text on beige background
NOTE: This tool is not available for the tutorial and some
items.

Scratch
work/Highlighter
Capability

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Allows freehand drawing and highlighting on the screen for
most content.

Elimination
Capability

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Students can gray out answer choices for multiple-choice
items.
NOTE: This tool is not available for constructed-response
items.

Volume Adjustment

ORF-Tablet

Students can raise or lower voice-over volume using the
tablet’s volume buttons.

Closed Captioning

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

All voice-over narration is closed captioned.

Scratch Paper

ORF-Tablet

Administrators inform students that scratch paper (and
pencil) is available upon request.

77

NAEP Accommodations for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 4 ORF — Oral Reading Fluency Study
Digitally Based Assessments on Tablet
Accommodation
Provided by Test
Delivery System

Subject

Description

Extended Time

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Extra time is given to complete the assessment.
NOTE: If state test is untimed, students may or may not
require extended time on NAEP. NAEP is a timed but not a
“speeded” test (it is not designed to evaluate how many
questions a student can answer in a limited amount of time).
Generally, most students are able to complete the NAEP
cognitive sections in the time allowed.

Accommodation
Provided Outside
Test Delivery
System

Subject

Description

Breaks During
Testing

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Students allowed to take breaks as requested or at
predetermined intervals during the assessment.
Students can take the assessment in more than one sitting
during a single day.

Separate Session

ORF-Tablet

Students are tested in a separate testing area away from
other students.
NOTE: This could be a small group or one-on-one.

Familiar Person
Present in Testing
Room

OFR-Tablet

The aide that regularly works with the student must be
present in the testing room during time of assessment.
NOTE: Only trained NAEP staff may conduct the assessment
session.

Uses Template

ORF-Tablet

Provided by the school.
Masking, color overlays, line reader, and place marker

ORF-Tablet

Provided by the school.

FM system, amplification equipment, auditory
amplification device

Noise buffers, study carrel, blinder, special lighting,
adaptive furniture

Stress ball or sensory fidget item

ORF-Tablet

Provided by the school.

Location with minimal distractions, reduce distractions,
quiet location or setting

Front of the class, close to the test administrator

Cueing to Stay on
Task

ORF-Tablet

School staff member provides.

Monitor for understanding, monitor placement of
responses

Redirect to stay on task, reminders to stay on task,
prompts to stay on task

Verbal encouragement, reinforcement, refocus

Track test items

Other (Specify)

ORF-Tablet

Any accommodation not listed above. Please check with your
NAEP State Coordinator to see if other accommodations are
allowed on NAEP.

Special Equipment

Preferential Seating

78

Appendix J1-13: Templates for State-Specific ELL Inclusion Policy
(New version submitted for approval)

79

New Moldavia NAEP 2018 Inclusion Policy
Grade 12 Pilot—Math and Grades 4, 8 & 12 Pilots—Reading & Science
English Language Learners (ELL)
The New Moldavia Department of Education expects that most English language learners will be
included on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Only English language
learners who have been enrolled in U.S. schools for less than 1 full academic year before
the NAEP assessment and cannot access NAEP may be excluded from any NAEP
assessment. All other English language learners should participate in NAEP with or without NAEPallowed accommodations. If you have questions about the NAEP accommodations, please contact
NSC name, NAEP State Coordinator at email address or phone number.
Several accommodations provided on the New Moldavia assessments are not necessary for the
NAEP assessments because they are available for all students through universal design elements.
The chart below is divided into three sections: (1) universal design elements that will be available
to all students, (2) accommodations provided by the test delivery system, and (3)
accommodations provided outside the test delivery system. NAEP accommodations are only
allowed for English language learners.
Please keep in mind that NAEP does not produce results for individual students or schools, unlike
the New Moldavia state assessments. In other words, the NAEP assessments do not impose
consequences for the student or the school and are instead intended purely to provide a picture of
educational performance and progress.
Please note all assessments are not the same and are developed to measure specific constructs.
Therefore, NAEP may not allow all accessibility features and accommodations the New Moldavia
state assessments allow. The following are the expectations for inclusion on NAEP:
1) Students who have the read aloud accommodation for the reading comprehension section
on the New Moldavia state assessment should be included in the NAEP reading assessment
without the accommodation.
2) Students who receive multiple-day testing on the New Moldavia state assessments should
take the NAEP assessments in 1 day with breaks as needed. NAEP is much shorter than the
state assessments, so multiple-day testing is not offered. Students take up to 60 minutes
of subject matter content and answer survey questions about their educational experiences.

80

NAEP Universal Design Elements for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 12 Pilot—Math and Grades 4, 8 & 12 Pilots—Reading and Science
Digitally Based Assessments on Tablet
Universal Design
Element

Subject

Description

Zooming

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Enlarges content onscreen up to two times the default
text/image size on the screen while preserving clarity,
contrast, and color.
NOTE: Does not include the toolbar, item tabs, scrollbars,
calculator, and equation editor.

One-on-One Testing
Experience

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

All students have earbuds to reduce distractions and interact
on a one-on-one basis with tablet.
NOTE: Students will be tested in the regular session with up
to 25 other students. If students need to be assessed in a
smaller group, please select the accommodation—Separate
Session.

Directions Only Read
Aloud/Text-toSpeech (English)

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

General directions read aloud to all students.
Directions within the assessment can be read aloud using
text-to-speech.

Directions
Explained/Clarified

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students can raise their hand at any time and ask the test
administrator to clarify or explain directions.

Read Aloud/Text-toSpeech (English)
Occasional or Most
or All

Math-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students select any text to be read aloud using text-tospeech.
Read Aloud/Text-to-Speech is not allowed for reading
passages or reading items.

Use a
Computer/Tablet
to Respond

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

All students respond on NAEP-provided tablets.

Color Theming

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Option 1: black text on white background (default)
Option 2: white text on black background
Option 3: black text on beige background
NOTE: This tool is not available for the tutorial and some
items.

Scratch
work/Highlighter
Capability

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Allows freehand drawing and highlighting on the screen for
most content.

Elimination
Capability

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students can gray out answer choices for multiple-choice
items.
NOTE: This tool is not available for constructed-response
items.

Volume Adjustment

Closed Captioning

Scratch Paper

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet
Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet
Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students can raise or lower voice-over volume using the
tablet’s volume buttons.
All voice-over narration is closed captioned.

Administrators inform students that scratch paper (and
pencil) is available upon request.

81

NAEP Accommodations for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 12 Pilot—Math and Grades 4, 8 & 12 Pilots—Reading and Science
Digitally Based Assessments on Tablet
Accommodation
Provided by Test
Delivery System

Subject

Description

Extended Time

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Extra time is given to complete the assessment.
NOTE: If state test is untimed, students may or may not
require extended time on NAEP. NAEP is a timed but not a
“speeded” test (it is not designed to evaluate how many
questions a student can answer in a limited amount of time).
Generally, most students are able to complete the NAEP
cognitive sections in the time allowed.

Accommodation
Provided Outside
Test Delivery
System

Subject

Description

Breaks During
Testing

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students allowed to take breaks as requested or at
predetermined intervals during the assessment.
Students can take the assessment in more than one sitting
during a single day.

Separate Session

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Students are tested in a separate testing area away from
other students.
NOTE: This could be a small group or one-on-one.

Familiar Person
Present in Testing
Room

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

The aide that regularly works with the student must be
present in the testing room during time of assessment.
NOTE: Only trained NAEP staff may conduct the assessment
session.

Uses Template

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Provided by the school.
Masking, color overlays, line reader, and place marker

Special Equipment

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Provided by the school.

FM system, amplification equipment, auditory
amplification device

Noise buffers, study carrel, blinder, special lighting,
adaptive furniture

Stress ball or sensory fidget item

Preferential Seating

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Provided by the school.

Location with minimal distractions, reduce distractions,
quiet location or setting

Front of the class, close to the test administrator

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

School staff member provides.

Monitor for understanding, monitor placement of
responses

Redirect to stay on task, reminders to stay on task,
prompts to stay on task

Verbal encouragement, reinforcement, refocus

Track test items

Bilingual Dictionary
(in any language)

Math-Tablet
Science-Tablet

A handheld electronic or hardcopy bilingual dictionary
provided by the school in any language that contains
English translations of words but does not contain definitions.
It is sometimes referred to as a “word-for-word” dictionary,
“word-to-word translation dictionary,” or a “bilingual word
list.” Bilingual Dictionary is not allowed for reading.

Other (Specify)

Math-Tablet
Reading-Tablet
Science-Tablet

Any accommodation not listed above. Please check with your
NAEP State Coordinator to see if other accommodations are
allowed on NAEP.

Cueing to Stay on
Task

82

New Moldavia NAEP 2018 Inclusion Policy
Grade 8 Social Studies
English Language Learners (ELL)

The New Moldavia Department of Education expects that most English language learners will be
included on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Only English language
learners who have been enrolled in U.S. schools for less than 1 full academic year before
the NAEP assessment and cannot access NAEP may be excluded from any NAEP
assessment. All other English language learners should participate in NAEP with or without NAEPallowed accommodations. If you have questions about the NAEP accommodations, please contact
NSC name, NAEP State Coordinator at email address or phone number.
Several accommodations provided on the New Moldavia assessments are not necessary for the
NAEP assessments because they are available for all students through universal design elements.
The chart below is divided into three sections: (1) universal design elements that will be available
to all students, (2) accommodations provided by the test delivery system, and (3)
accommodations provided outside the test delivery system. NAEP accommodations are only
allowed for English language learners.
Please keep in mind that NAEP does not produce results for individual students or schools, unlike
the New Moldavia state assessments. In other words, the NAEP assessments do not impose
consequences for the student or the school and are instead intended purely to provide a picture of
educational performance and progress.
Please note all assessments are not the same and are developed to measure specific constructs.
Therefore, NAEP may not allow all accessibility features and accommodations the New Moldavia
state assessments allow. The following are the expectations for inclusion on NAEP:
1) Students who receive multiple-day testing on the New Moldavia state assessments should
take the NAEP assessments in 1 day with breaks as needed. NAEP is much shorter than the
state assessments, so multiple-day testing is not offered. Students take up to 60 minutes
of subject matter content and answer survey questions about their educational experiences.

83

NAEP Universal Design Elements for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 8 Social Studies
Digitally Based Assessment on Tablet
Universal Design
Element

Subject

Description

Social StudiesTablet

Enlarges content onscreen up to two times the default
text/image size on the screen while preserving clarity, contrast,
and color.
NOTE: Does not include the toolbar, item tabs, scrollbars,
calculator, and equation editor.

One-on-One Testing
Experience

Social StudiesTablet

All students have earbuds to reduce distractions and interact on
a one-on-one basis with tablet.
NOTE: Students will be tested in the regular session with up to
25 other students. If students need to be assessed in a smaller
group, please select the accommodation—Separate Session.

Directions Only Read
Aloud/Text-toSpeech (English)

Social StudiesTablet

General directions are read aloud to all students. Directions
within the assessment can be selected and read aloud by the
system using text-to-speech.

Directions
Explained/Clarified

Social StudiesTablet

Students can raise their hand at any time and ask the test
administrator to clarify or explain directions.

Read Aloud/Text-toSpeech (English) –
Occasional or Most
or All

Social StudiesTablet

Students select some or all text to be read aloud by the system
using text-to-speech.

Use a
Computer/Tablet
to Respond

Social StudiesTablet

All students respond on NAEP-provided tablets.

Color Theming

Social StudiesTablet

Option 1: black text on white background (default)
Option 2: white text on black background
Option 3: black text on beige background
NOTE: This tool is not available for the tutorial and some items.
If students need all content in high contrast, please select the
accommodation—High Contrast for Visually Impaired Students.

Scratch
work/Highlighter
Capability

Social StudiesTablet

Allows freehand drawing and highlighting on the screen for most
content.

Elimination
Capability

Social StudiesTablet

Students can gray out answer choices for multiple-choice items.
NOTE: This tool is not available for constructed-response items.

Volume Adjustment

Social StudiesTablet

Students can raise or lower voice-over volume using the tablet’s
volume buttons.

Closed Captioning

Social StudiesTablet

All voice-over narration is closed captioned.

Scratch Paper

Social StudiesTablet

Administrators inform students that scratch paper (and pencil)
is available upon request.

Zooming

84

NAEP Accommodations for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 8 Social Studies
Digitally Based Assessment on Tablet
Accommodation
Provided by Test
Delivery System

Subject

Description

Extended Time

Social StudiesTablet

Extra time is given to complete the assessment.
NOTE: If state test is untimed, students may or may not require
extended time on NAEP. NAEP is a timed but not a “speeded”
test (it is not designed to evaluate how many questions a
student can answer in a limited amount of time). Generally,
most students are able to complete the NAEP cognitive sections
in the time allowed.

Directions Translated
to Spanish

Social StudiesTablet

All directions are provided in Spanish and English including the
tutorial. A toggle button is available on the screens to go back
and forth between Spanish and English.

Directions Only Read
Aloud/ Text-toSpeech (Spanish)

Social StudiesTablet

Must be paired with Directions Translated to Spanish. All
Spanish translated content is text-to-speech enabled. The
tutorial is also available in Spanish.

Spanish/English
Version of the Test

Social StudiesTablet

All content is provided in Spanish and English. A toggle button is
available on the screens to go back and forth between Spanish
and English.

Read Aloud/Text-toSpeech (Spanish)Occasional or Most
or All

Social StudiesTablet

Must be paired with the Spanish/English Version of the Test. All
Spanish translated content is text-to-speech enabled.

Accommodation
Provided Outside
Test Delivery
System

Subject

Description

Breaks During
Testing

Social StudiesTablet

Students allowed to take breaks as requested or at
predetermined intervals during the assessment. Students can
take the assessment in more than one sitting during a single
day.

Separate Session

Social StudiesTablet

Students are tested in a separate testing area away from other
students.
NOTE: This could be a small group or one-on-one.

Familiar person
Present in Testing
Room

Social StudiesTablet

The aide that regularly works with the student must be
present in the testing room during time of assessment.
NOTE: Only trained NAEP staff may conduct the assessment
session.

Uses Template

Social StudiesTablet

Provided by the school.

Masking, color overlays, line reader, and place marker

Social StudiesTablet

Provided by the school.

FM system, amplification equipment, auditory amplification
device

Noise buffers, study carrel, blinder, special lighting, adaptive
furniture

Stress ball or sensory fidget item

Special Equipment

85

Accommodation
Provided Outside
Test Delivery
System

Subject

Description

Preferential Seating

Social StudiesTablet

Provided by the school.

Location with minimal distractions, reduce distractions, quiet
location or setting

Front of the class, close to the test administrator

Social StudiesTablet

School staff member provides.

Monitor for understanding, monitor placement of responses

Redirect to stay on task, reminders to stay on task, prompts
to stay on task

Verbal encouragement, reinforcement, refocus

Track test items

Bilingual Dictionary
(In any language)

Social StudiesTablet

A handheld electronic or hardcopy bilingual dictionary provided
by the school in any language that contains English
translations of words but does not contain definitions. It is
sometimes referred to as a “word-for-word” dictionary, “wordto-word translation dictionary,” or a “bilingual word list.”

Other (specify)

Social StudiesTablet

Any accommodation not listed above. Please check with your
NAEP State Coordinator to see if other accommodations are
allowed on NAEP.

Cueing to Stay on
Task

86

NAEP Universal Design Elements for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 8 Social Studies
Paper-and-Pencil Assessments
Universal Design
Element

Subject

Description

Marks/Writes
Directly in Test
Book

Social StudiesPaper

All students write directly in the test book. NAEP does not
have scantron or bubble sheets.

Directions
Explained/Clarified

Social StudiesPaper

Students can raise their hand at any time and ask the test
administrator to clarify or explain directions.

Scratch Paper

Social StudiesPaper

Administrators inform students that scratch paper (and pencil)
is available upon request.

NAEP Accommodations for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 8 Social Studies
Paper-and-Pencil Assessments
Accommodation

Subject

Description

Social StudiesPaper

Students are given extra time to complete the assessment.
NOTE: If state test is untimed, students may or may not
require extended time on NAEP. NAEP is a timed, but not a
“speeded” test (it is not designed to evaluate how many
questions a student can answer in a limited amount of time).
Generally, most students are able to complete the NAEP
cognitive sections in the time allowed (25 minutes per
section).

Small Group

Social StudiesPaper

Group includes no more than five students.
NOTE: A student can be assigned to a small group session
because they require one, or because one or more of the
accommodations they have must be administered in a
separate session to minimize distractions.

One-on-One

Social StudiesPaper

Student is assessed individually in an area free of distractions.

Read Aloud in
English-Directions
Only

Social StudiesPaper

General directions (the same for all students) and/or subjectspecific directions are read aloud, repeated, or reworded in any
way in English so that the student understands what to do.
NOTE: Some students’ IEPs or 504 Plans stipulate this as an
accommodation. For those students, this will be coded as an
accommodation. Students who do not have this as an IEP or
504 requirement but who need the general directions (the same
for all students) and/or the subject-specific directions read
aloud, repeated, or reworded in any way in English can request
this by raising his or her hand during the session, and it will not
be recorded as an accommodation.

Read Aloud in
English-Occasional

Social StudiesPaper

Students may request to have words, phrases, or sentences
read aloud in English.

Read Aloud in
English-Most or All

Social StudiesPaper

Students may request to most or all of the assessment read
aloud to them in English.

Extended Time

87

Accommodation

Subject

Description

Breaks During Test

Social StudiesPaper

Students are allowed to take breaks as requested or at
predetermined intervals during the assessment.
Students may also be allowed to take the assessment in more
than one sitting during a single day.

Use Computer or
Typewriter to
Respond

Social StudiesPaper

Student records answers using a computer or typewriter
provided by the school.

Familiar Person
Present or
Administer the Test

Social StudiesPaper

School staff member familiar with the student must
administer or be present during the assessment.

Uses Template

Social StudiesPaper

Provided by the school.

Masking, color overlays, line reader, and place marker.

Special Equipment

Social StudiesPaper

Provided by the school.

FM system, amplification equipment, auditory amplification
device

Noise buffers, study carrel, blinder, special lighting,
adaptive furniture

Stress ball or sensory fidget item

Preferential Seating

Social StudiesPaper

Provided by the school.

Location with minimal distractions, reduce distractions,
quiet location or setting

Front of the class, close to the test administrator

Social StudiesPaper

School staff member provides.

Monitor for understanding, monitor placement of responses

Redirect to stay on task, reminders to stay on task,
prompts to stay on task

Verbal encouragement, reinforcement, refocus

Track test items

Bilingual Dictionary
(in any language)

Social StudiesPaper

A handheld electronic or hardcopy bilingual dictionary provided
by the school in any language that contains English
translations of words but does not contain definitions. It is
sometimes referred to as a “word-for-word” dictionary, “wordto-word translation dictionary,” or a “bilingual word list.”

General Directions
Only Read Aloud in
Spanish

Social StudiesPaper

The general session script instructions are read aloud in
Spanish. Session script is the same for all students.

Spanish/English
Version of the Test

Social StudiesPaper

Spanish/English version of the booklet. One page has the
directions and questions in Spanish, and the facing page has
the same directions and questions in English. Students may
mark their answers on either page and in either language.

Test Items Read
Aloud in Spanish

Social StudiesPaper

Students may request to have words, phrases, or sentences
read aloud in Spanish.
NOTE: This requires the student to use a bilingual
Spanish/English assessment booklet (see Spanish/English
Version of the Test).

Other (specify)

Social StudiesPaper

Any accommodation not listed above. Please check with your
NAEP State Coordinator to see if other accommodations are
allowed on NAEP.

Cueing to Stay on
Task

88

New Moldavia NAEP 2018 Inclusion Policy
Grade 8 TEL—Technology and Engineering Literacy
English Language Learners (ELL)
The New Moldavia Department of Education expects that most English language learners will be
included on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Only English language
learners who have been enrolled in U.S. schools for less than 1 full academic year before
the NAEP assessment and cannot access NAEP may be excluded from any NAEP
assessment. All other English language learners should participate in NAEP with or without NAEPallowed accommodations. If you have questions about the NAEP accommodations, please contact
NSC name, NAEP State Coordinator at email address or phone number.
Several accommodations provided on the New Moldavia assessments are not necessary for the
NAEP assessments because they are available for all students through universal design elements.
The chart below is divided into two sections: (1) universal design elements that will be available to
all students, and (2) accommodations only allowed for English language learners.
Please keep in mind that NAEP does not produce results for individual students or schools, unlike
the New Moldavia state assessments. In other words, the NAEP assessments do not impose
consequences for the student or the school and are instead intended purely to provide a picture of
educational performance and progress.
Please note all assessments are not the same and are developed to measure specific constructs.
Therefore, NAEP may not allow all accessibility features and accommodations the New Moldavia
state assessments allow. The following are the expectations for inclusion on NAEP:
1) Students who receive multiple-day testing on the New Moldavia state assessments should
take the NAEP assessments in 1 day with breaks as needed. NAEP is much shorter than the
state assessments, so multiple-day testing is not offered. Students take up to 60 minutes
of subject matter content and answer survey questions about their educational experiences.

89

NAEP Universal Design Elements for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 8 TEL—Technology and Engineering Literacy
Digitally Based Assessment on Laptop
Universal Design
Element

Subject

Description

TELLaptop

Text size options are provided for short stand-alone items (e.g.,
multiple choice and short constructed-response items), but not
for the scenario-based tasks, which will be the standard 14-point
font. For the short stand-alone items, students can change
between three sizes ranging from approximately 14-point font to
approximately 48-point font. Forty-eight point font is
approximately ¾ -inch tall.
NOTE: This only enlarges the short stand-alone items, NOT the
scenario-based tasks, tool icons, menus, etc.

TELLaptop

Unnecessary due to the mode of test administration. All students
are interacting on a one-on-one basis with the computer and will
have earbuds to reduce distractions. Read aloud and other
accommodations will be provided through the computer and will
not distract other students in the room.

One-on-One

TELLaptop

Unnecessary due to the mode of test administration. All students
are interacting on a one-on-one basis with the computer and will
have earbuds to reduce distractions. Read aloud and other
accommodations will be provided through the computer and will
not distract other students in the room.

Directions only Read Aloud
in English (text-to-speech)

TELLaptop

General directions are read aloud to all students. Directions within
the assessment can be read aloud using the text to speech
function. See Test Items Read Aloud in English for more
information.

TELLaptop

Students select some or all text to be read aloud. Tutorial
explains how to do this and has full audio. Text selection is
provided for short standalone items (e.g., multiple choice and
short constructed response items). For scenario-based tasks, all
text is read aloud; individual words or phrases cannot be selected.

Test Items Read Aloud in
English – Most or All (textto-speech)

TELLaptop

Students select some or all text to be read aloud. Tutorial
explains how to do this and has full audio. Text selection is
provided for short standalone items (e.g., multiple choice and
short constructed response items). For scenario-based tasks, all
text is read aloud; individual words or phrases cannot be
selected.

Use a Computer to
Respond

TELLaptop

All students respond on NAEP-provided laptops.

Adjust or Provide High
Contrast

TELLaptop

Students have a choice of three color options, or skins, including
one high-contrast option.

Highlighter Tool

TELLaptop

A yellow highlighter tool is available for short stand-alone items
(e.g., multiple-choice and short constructed-response items).
NOTE: This tool is not available for the student questionnaire or
the scenario-based tasks.

TELLaptop

A tool for eliminating answer choices for short stand-alone items
(e.g., multiple-choice and discrete items) in the cognitive section
of the assessment (as appropriate).
NOTE: This tool is not available for the student questionnaire or
the scenario-based tasks.

Adjusting Font Size

Small Group

Test Items Read Aloud in
English - Occasional (textto-speech)

Eliminating Answer Choice
Tool

90

NAEP Accommodations for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 8 TEL—Technology and Engineering Literacy
Digitally Based Assessment on Laptop
Accommodation

Subject

Description

Extended Time

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that students be given extra time
to complete the assessment.

Breaks During Testing

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that the student be allowed to take
breaks as requested or at predetermined intervals during the
assessment. This also could mean that the student is allowed to
take the assessment in more than one sitting during a single day.

Must Be Tested in Separate
Session

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that the student be tested away
from other students in a separate testing area.

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that the aide the student
regularly works with be present in the testing room while the
assessment is being conducted.
NOTE: Only trained NAEP staff may conduct the computer-based
testing session.

Must Have an Aide Present
in the Testing Room

Template: This is a cutout or overlay provided by the school
that is used to focus a student’s attention on one part of a screen
by obscuring the other parts of the screen.

Uses Template/Special
Equipment/Preferential
Seating

TELLaptop

Special Equipment: This is a study carrel or portable screen
provided by the school used to limit distractions for a student.
Requires that a student sit in a designated area for the
assessment, such as away from other students to limit
distractions, a location where there is access to special
equipment or close to the front of the room so that a student can
see or hear more easily. It may also include special light and
furniture used by the student.
Preferential Seating: This accommodation requires that a
student sit in a designated area for the assessment, such as
away from other students to limit distractions, a location where
there is access to special equipment, or close to the front of the
room so that a student can see or hear more easily.

TELLaptop

This accommodation requires that a school staff member
provide students with a verbal or nonverbal cue to begin a task
or to refocus on a task.

Bilingual Dictionary (in any
language)

TELLaptop

This is a handheld electronic or hard copy bilingual dictionary
provided by the school in any language that contains English
translations of words but does not contain definitions. It is
sometimes referred to as a “word-for-word” dictionary, “word-toword translation dictionary,” or a “bilingual word list.”

Other

TELLaptop

Any accommodations not listed above. Please check with your
NAEP State Coordinator to see if other accommodations are
allowed on NAEP.

Cueing to Stay on Task

91

New Moldavia NAEP 2018 Inclusion Policy
Grade 4 ORF — Oral Reading Fluency Study
English Language Learners (ELL)
The New Moldavia Department of Education expects that most English language learners will be
included on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Only English language
learners who have been enrolled in U.S. schools for less than 1 full academic year before
the NAEP assessment and cannot access NAEP may be excluded from any NAEP
assessment. All other English language learners should participate in NAEP with or without NAEPallowed accommodations. If you have questions about the NAEP accommodations, please contact
NSC name, NAEP State Coordinator at email address or phone number.
Several accommodations provided on the New Moldavia assessments are not necessary for the
NAEP assessments because they are available for all students through universal design elements.
The chart below is divided into three sections: (1) universal design elements that will be available
to all students, (2) accommodations provided by the test delivery system, and (3)
accommodations provided outside the test delivery system. NAEP accommodations are only
allowed for English language learners.
The Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) Study consists of three components:
1. Two reading subject matter blocks up to 60 minutes where students read passages and
answer questions about the passages;
2. An oral reading fluency module up to 15 minutes where students read aloud word lists and
passages; and answer questions orally;
3. A student questionnaire up to 15 minutes where students answer questions about
themselves and their educational experience.
Some universal design elements and accommodations are not allowed for the 15 minute oral
reading fluency module because of the constructs being measured and the mode of
administration. The universal design elements and accommodations that are not allowed for the 15
minute oral reading fluency module are noted in the charts below.
Please keep in mind that NAEP does not produce results for individual students or schools, unlike
the New Moldavia state assessments. In other words, the NAEP assessments do not impose
consequences for the student or the school and are instead intended purely to provide a picture of
educational performance and progress.
Please note all assessments are not the same and are developed to measure specific constructs.
Therefore, NAEP may not allow all accessibility features and accommodations the New Moldavia
state assessments allow. The following are the expectations for inclusion on NAEP:
1) Students who have the read aloud accommodation for the reading comprehension section
on the New Moldavia state assessment should be included in the NAEP reading assessment
without the accommodation.
2) Students who receive multiple-day testing on the New Moldavia state assessments should
take the NAEP assessments in 1 day with breaks as needed. NAEP is much shorter than the
state assessments, so multiple-day testing is not offered. Students take up to 60 minutes
of subject matter content and answer survey questions about their educational experiences.

92

NAEP Universal Design Elements for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 4 ORF — Oral Reading Fluency Study
Digitally Based Assessments on Tablet
Universal Design
Element

Subject

Description

Zooming

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Enlarges content onscreen up to two times the default
text/image size on the screen while preserving clarity,
contrast, and color.
NOTE: Does not include the toolbar, item tabs, scrollbars,
calculator, and equation editor.

One-on-One Testing
Experience

ORF-Tablet

All students have earbuds to reduce distractions and interact
on a one-on-one basis with tablet.
NOTE: Students will be tested in the regular session with up
to 25 other students. If students need to be assessed in a
smaller group, please select the accommodation—Separate
Session.

Directions Only Read
Aloud/Text-toSpeech (English)

ORF-Tablet

General directions read aloud to all students.
Directions within the assessment can be read aloud using
text-to-speech.

Directions
Explained/Clarified

ORF-Tablet

Students can raise their hand at any time and ask the test
administrator to clarify or explain directions.

Use a
Computer/Tablet
to Respond

ORF-Tablet

All students respond on NAEP-provided tablets.

Color Theming

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Option 1: black text on white background (default)
Option 2: white text on black background
Option 3: black text on beige background
NOTE: This tool is not available for the tutorial and some
items.

Scratch
work/Highlighter
Capability

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Allows freehand drawing and highlighting on the screen for
most content.

Elimination
Capability

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Students can gray out answer choices for multiple-choice
items.
NOTE: This tool is not available for constructed-response
items.

Volume Adjustment

ORF-Tablet

Students can raise or lower voice-over volume using the
tablet’s volume buttons.

Closed Captioning

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

All voice-over narration is closed captioned.

Scratch Paper

ORF-Tablet

Administrators inform students that scratch paper (and
pencil) is available upon request.

93

NAEP Accommodations for English Language Learners (ELL)
Grade 4 ORF — Oral Reading Fluency Study
Digitally Based Assessments on Tablet
Accommodation
Provided by Test
Delivery System

Subject

Description

Extended Time

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Extra time is given to complete the assessment.
NOTE: If state test is untimed, students may or may not
require extended time on NAEP. NAEP is a timed but not a
“speeded” test (it is not designed to evaluate how many
questions a student can answer in a limited amount of time).
Generally, most students are able to complete the NAEP
cognitive sections in the time allowed.

Accommodation
Provided Outside
Test Delivery
System

Subject

Description

Breaks During
Testing

ORF-Tablet
Not allowed for
ORF module

Students allowed to take breaks as requested or at
predetermined intervals during the assessment.
Students can take the assessment in more than one sitting
during a single day.

Separate Session

ORF-Tablet

Students are tested in a separate testing area away from
other students.
NOTE: This could be a small group or one-on-one.

Familiar Person
Present in Testing
Room

OFR-Tablet

The aide that regularly works with the student must be
present in the testing room during time of assessment.
NOTE: Only trained NAEP staff may conduct the assessment
session.

Uses Template

ORF-Tablet

Provided by the school.
Masking, color overlays, line reader, and place marker

ORF-Tablet

Provided by the school.

FM system, amplification equipment, auditory
amplification device

Noise buffers, study carrel, blinder, special lighting,
adaptive furniture

Stress ball or sensory fidget item

ORF-Tablet

Provided by the school.

Location with minimal distractions, reduce distractions,
quiet location or setting

Front of the class, close to the test administrator

Cueing to Stay on
Task

ORF-Tablet

School staff member provides.

Monitor for understanding, monitor placement of
responses

Redirect to stay on task, reminders to stay on task,
prompts to stay on task

Verbal encouragement, reinforcement, refocus

Track test items

Other (Specify)

ORF-Tablet

Any accommodation not listed above. Please check with your
NAEP State Coordinator to see if other accommodations are
allowed on NAEP.

Special Equipment

Preferential Seating

94

Appendix J1-14: NAEP Sample Parent Notification Letter
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

95

NAEP 2018 PARENT/GUARDIAN NOTIFICATION LETTER
Technology and engineering literacy assessment
(School Letterhead)
(Insert Date Here)
Dear Parent or Guardian:
(School name) will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on (date).
NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can
do in various subjects. It is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S.
Department of Education. NAEP is different from our state assessment because it provides a common
measure of student achievement across the country. The results are released as The Nation's Report
Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents, policymakers, and
the public.
Your child (will/might) take the technology and engineering literacy assessment, which will be
administered on laptops provided by NAEP. The assessment will measure students’ capacity to use,
understand, and evaluate technology as well as to understand technological principles and strategies
needed to develop solutions and achieve goals. Students will complete problem-solving tasks based on
scenarios reflecting realistic situations, as well as multiple-choice and short-answer questions. In addition
to subject area questions, NAEP survey questionnaires are voluntarily completed by students. The
questionnaires provide valuable information about participating students’ educational experiences and
opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom. More information is available at
https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/parents under the section “What Questions Does NAEP Ask?”
The assessment takes about 120 minutes for most students. The results are completely confidential (in
accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law
107-347).
The information collected is used for statistical purposes only.
 Your child’s grades will not be affected.
 Students may be excused for any reason, are not required to complete the assessment, and may
skip any question.
 While the assessment is voluntary, NAEP depends on student participation to help policymakers
improve education. However, if you do not want your child to participate, please notify me in
writing by (date).
There is no need to study in preparation for NAEP, but please encourage your child to do their best. A
brochure that explains what participation in NAEP means for you and your child is available at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/parents/2012469.pdf. Contact (name) at (telephone number) or at
(email address) if you have any questions.
We are excited that our school is participating in NAEP. We know that (school name)'s students will
show what our nation’s students know and can do.
Sincerely,
School Principal

96

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from
education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information your
child provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information
Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, your
child’s responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than
employees or agents. By law, every NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she
willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about your child. Electronic submission of your child's information
will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance
with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents
to produce statistical reports.

97

NAEP 2018 PARENT/GUARDIAN NOTIFICATION LETTER
Civics, geography, and U.S. history assessments
(School Letterhead)
(Insert Date Here)
Dear Parent or Guardian:
(School name) will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on (date).
NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can
do in various subjects. It is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S.
Department of Education. NAEP is different from our state assessment because it provides a common
measure of student achievement across the country. The results are released as The Nation's Report
Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents, policymakers, and
the public.
Your child (will/might) take an assessment in one of the following subjects: civics, geography, or U.S.
history. In addition to subject area questions, NAEP survey questionnaires are voluntarily completed by
students. The questionnaires provide valuable information about participating students’ educational
experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom. More information is available at
https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/parents under the section “What Questions Does NAEP Ask?”
The assessment takes about 90 to 120 minutes for most students. The results are completely confidential
(in accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law
107-347).
The information collected is used for statistical purposes only.
 Your child’s grades will not be affected.
 Students may be excused for any reason, are not required to complete the assessment, and may
skip any question.
 While the assessment is voluntary, NAEP depends on student participation to help policymakers
improve education. However, if you do not want your child to participate, please notify me in
writing by (date).
There is no need to study in preparation for NAEP, but please encourage your child to do their best. A
brochure that explains what participation in NAEP means for you and your child is available at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/parents/2012469.pdf. Contact (name) at (telephone number) or at
(email address) if you have any questions.
We are excited that our school is participating in NAEP. We know that (school name)'s students will
show what our nation’s students know and can do.
Sincerely,
School Principal
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from
education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information your

98

child provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information
Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, your
child’s responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than
employees or agents. By law, every NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she
willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about your child. Electronic submission of your child's information
will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance
with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents
to produce statistical reports.

99

NAEP 2018 PARENT/GUARDIAN NOTIFICATION LETTER
Mathematics, reading, and science assessments
(School Letterhead)
(Insert Date Here)
Dear Parent or Guardian:
(School name) will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on (date).
NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can
do in various subjects. It is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S.
Department of Education. NAEP is different from our state assessment because it provides a common
measure of student achievement across the country. The results are released as The Nation's Report
Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents, policymakers, and
the public.
Your child (will/might) take an assessment in one of the following subjects: mathematics, reading, or
science. In addition to subject area questions, NAEP survey questionnaires are voluntarily completed by
students. The questionnaires provide valuable information about participating students’ educational
experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom. More information is available at
https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/parents under the section “What Questions Does NAEP Ask?”
The assessment takes about 120 minutes for most students. The results are completely confidential (in
accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law
107-347).
The information collected is used for statistical purposes only.
 Your child’s grades will not be affected.
 Students may be excused for any reason, are not required to complete the assessment, and may
skip any question.
 While the assessment is voluntary, NAEP depends on student participation to help policymakers
improve education. However, if you do not want your child to participate, please notify me in
writing by (date).
There is no need to study in preparation for NAEP, but please encourage your child to do their best. A
brochure that explains what participation in NAEP means for you and your child is available at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/parents/2012469.pdf. Contact (name) at (telephone number) or at
(email address) if you have any questions.
We are excited that our school is participating in NAEP. We know that (school name)'s students will
show what our nation’s students know and can do.
Sincerely,
School Principal
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from
education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information your
child provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information

100

Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, your
child’s responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than
employees or agents. By law, every NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she
willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about your child. Electronic submission of your child's information
will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance
with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents
to produce statistical reports.

101

Appendix J1-15: NAEP Facts for Teacher Brochure
(New version submitted for approval)

102

NAEP 2018
Facts for Teachers
NAEP is an integral part
of education in the
United States.
• NAEP is a congressionally mandated
project conducted by the National
Center for Education Statistics, within
the U.S. Department of Education and
the Institute of Education Sciences.
• Elected officials, policymakers, and
educators all use NAEP results to
develop ways to improve education.
• NAEP serves a different role than
state assessments. While states have
their own unique assessments with
different content standards, the same
NAEP assessment is administered in
every state, providing a common
measure of student achievement.
• Depending on the type of NAEP
assessment that is administered, the
data can be used to compare and
understand the performance of
demographic groups within your
state, the nation, other states, and
large urban districts that participate
in the Trial Urban District Assessment.
NAEP is not designed to collect or
report results for individual students,
classrooms, or schools.
• To provide a better understanding of
educational experiences and factors
that may be related to students’
learning, students, teachers, and
principals who participate in NAEP
are asked to complete survey
questionnaires.

“As an educator, I find the contextual information that
NAEP provides to be particularly valuable. It helps me
take a closer look at the factors related to student
achievement across the country.”
— Ann M. Finch, Dover Middle School, Dover, AR
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest
nationally representative and continuing assessment of what our nation’s students
know and can do in various subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and
writing, as well as civics, geography, U.S. history, and technology and engineering
literacy. The results of NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card. For more
information about NAEP, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/.

The NAEP 2018 Program―January 29 to
March 9, 2018
The table below shows which subjects will be assessed in 2018. Each student
will be assessed in only one subject. National results will be released for the civics,
geography, U.S. history, and technology and engineering literacy assessments.
Information collected from pilots and special studies is used to prepare for future NAEP
assessments.

Grade

Grade 4

Grade 8

Grade 12

Subject

Format
Tablet

Reading (Special Studies)

√

Science (Pilot)

√

Civics, Geography, and U.S. History

√

Laptop

Paper/Pencil

√
√

Technology and Engineering Literacy
Reading (Special Study)

√

Science (Pilot)

√

Mathematics (Pilot)

√

Reading (Pilot/Special Study)

√

Science (Pilot)

√

For more information about NAEP, visit
https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.

103

The NAEP civics, geography, and U.S. history assessments
In 2018, the NAEP civics, geography, and U.S. history assessments will be administered to eighth-grade students on
NAEP-provided tablets. A small number of eighth-grade students, in a session separate from those taking the
assessments on tablets, may take paper-and-pencil assessments in civics, geography, and U.S. history. Administering
these assessments via both tablet and paper and pencil will help NAEP evaluate any differences in student performance
between the two types of administration.

The NAEP technology and engineering literacy (TEL) assessment
The TEL assessment measures students’ capacity to use, understand, and evaluate technology as well as understand
technological principles and strategies. In 2018, eighth-grade students who take this interactive assessment will be
asked to complete computer simulations of technology and engineering scenario-based tasks set in a variety of
real-world contexts. View sample scenario-based tasks and explore the results of the 2014 assessment at
https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/tel_2014. To learn more about this assessment and view a tutorial, visit
https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/tel/.

The NAEP pilot assessments and special studies
In 2018, NAEP will administer reading special studies and science pilot assessments on tablets at grades 4 and 8.
Students in grade 12 will take mathematics, reading, and science pilot assessments as well as a reading special study.
Results from these pilot assessments and special studies will be used to inform NAEP assessments. Science pilot
assessments will include hands-on tasks in which students use materials and laboratory equipment to perform
actual science experiments. To explore hands-on tasks online, visit https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/
science_2009/ict_tasks.aspx?tab_id=tab2&subtab_id=Tab_1#tabsContainer.
Learn more about the NAEP digitally based assessments at https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/dba. To view NAEP
tutorials, visit https://enaep-public.naepims.org/2017/EN/welcome.html.

The NAEP-NTPS Linking Study
In 2018, a small number of schools will participate in a pilot linking study to explore the feasibility of administering
both NAEP and the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) to a common set of teachers and schools as part
of the NAEP administration.
The NAEP and NTPS questionnaires gather specific data that contribute to a better understanding of educational
progress, as well as teacher and school staff experiences across the nation. The linking study will include selected schools,
teachers, and principals that participate in NAEP pilot administrations. To learn more about this linking study and why
participation is important, view the NAEP-NTPS Linking Study Facts for Schools PDF at https://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard/about/schools.aspx.

NAEP and Teachers
As teachers, you are essential partners in NAEP. You make an important contribution by encouraging your
students to participate and do their best. When students take part in NAEP and give their best effort, we get the most
accurate measure possible of student achievement across the country. To learn more about NAEP and view FAQs for
teachers, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/educators.
Teachers can use NAEP questions as a helpful educational resource in the classroom. With the NAEP
Questions Tool, you can view released NAEP items, create customized assessments for your classroom, and
compare your students’ performance with national results. Teachers, students, and parents can access information
and also compare results for various demographic groups. Most released items include a scoring guide, sample
student responses, and performance data. Visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nqt/ to learn more.
NAEP survey questionnaires are voluntarily completed by students, teachers, and principals who
participate in a NAEP assessment. Students may answer as many questions as they like and may skip any question by
leaving a response blank. NAEP survey questionnaires provide valuable information about participating students’
educational experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom. This information helps put student
achievement results into context and allows for meaningful comparison between student groups. It also provides
important data and insight for educators, policymakers, and researchers to better understand the educational
experiences and needs of students in the United States.
Teachers will be asked to complete the civics, geography, and U.S. history survey questionnaire. (There is no TEL
survey questionnaire for teachers.) NAEP teacher survey questionnaires gather information on teacher training and
104

instructional practices. These survey questionnaires will be delivered via an online format, but teachers can request
a paper-and-pencil version.
To learn more about NAEP survey questionnaires and view student, teacher, and school questionnaires from previous years,
visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/bgquest.aspx.

NAEP Results
Since 1969, NAEP has produced many reports chronicling the performance of fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-grade
students. Information is reported by race/ethnicity, gender, type of school, and by both achievement level and scale
scores. You can access data from previous assessments at https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata and
explore the most recent results at https://www.nationsreportcard.gov.

Recent Results
2015 Science Assessment
• Average NAEP science scores for the nation increased 4 points between 2009 and 2015 for fourth- and
eighth-grade students.
• Compared to 2009, scores were higher for fourth- and eighth-grade students in all three science content areas
(physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences).
Explore the 2015 NAEP science assessment results and watch an informative overview video at
https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/science_2015.

2015 Mathematics and Reading Assessments
• The White–Black score gap in mathematics for fourth-grade students narrowed by 1 point since 2013 and by
8 points since 1990.
• In 2015, reading scores for fourth-grade students increased in 13 states/jurisdictions compared to 2013.
View the 2015 mathematics and reading assessment results and learn more about the results in an overview video
at https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_2015.

2016 Arts Assessment
• The score gap between White and Hispanic eighth-grade students narrowed in 2016 compared to 2008 by
9 points in the music assessment and 7 points in the visual arts assessment.
Dig deeper into the results of the 2016 arts assessment at https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/arts_2016/#/.
Coming in 2018! Look for results of the 2017 mathematics and reading digitally based assessments in early 2018
at https://www.nationsreportcard.gov.

It’s important to know...
NAEP is considered the gold standard of assessments because of its high technical quality. From the
development of assessment frameworks and questions to the reporting of results, NAEP represents the best thinking of
assessment and content specialists, state education staff, and teachers from around the nation. NAEP is a trusted resource
that measures student progress and helps inform policy decisions that improve education in the United States.
NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling process. This process ensures that the schools and students selected are
representative of schools and students across the United States. To ensure that the sample represents all students in the
nation’s schools, NAEP allows a broad range of accommodations for students with disabilities and English language learners.
NAEP reports on results for different demographic groups rather than for individual students or schools.
Within a school, just some of the student population participates, and student responses are combined with those from
other participating students to produce the results. Student responses on NAEP are confidential,* and the privacy of each
participating school and student is essential. Names of participating students never leave the school and are not associated
with the digital or paper test booklet after the student takes the assessment.
*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions
of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in
identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES
agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she
willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and
other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be
combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

105

Special studies are also conducted periodically. They are administered as part of NAEP and often involve special
data collection procedures in the field, in-depth analyses of NAEP results, and evaluations of various technical
procedures. For more information about NAEP special studies, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies.
NAEP is designed to cause minimal disruption of classroom instruction. Including transition time, directions,
and completion of a survey questionnaire, it takes approximately 120 minutes for students to complete digital assessments
and up to 90 minutes for students to complete paper-and-pencil assessments. Each student will be assessed in one format
and one subject only. Teachers do not need to prepare their students to take the assessment, but should encourage them to
do their best. NAEP representatives provide significant support by working with your school’s designated coordinator to
organize assessment activities. NAEP representatives will bring all necessary materials and equipment to schools on
assessment day. Schools will only need to provide space for students to take the assessment, desks or tables, and an
adequate number of electrical outlets in the assessment location—schools will not need to provide internet access.

Photo Credits: © monkeybusinessimages/iStockphoto #92284195

“The NAEP team that arrived at our school made the assessment process
painless. Everyone on the team previously worked as an educator and
interacted well with all of our students. The technology-based assessment our
students took kept them actively engaged throughout the session.”
— Kimberly Wilborn, Assessment Coach, Sandburg Middle School, Alexandria, VA

More About NAEP
• Get the latest NAEP news in Measure Up: NAEP News for the School Community, available online at
https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/schools.aspx.
• To hear teachers share their thoughts about why NAEP results are important, view the video Introducing NAEP
to Teachers at https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/videos/teachervideo.
• To learn what NAEP means for schools selected to participate, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/
schools.asp.
• To learn about upcoming NAEP assessments, download NAEP reports, and access sample questions, visit
https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.
• For additional assistance, call the NAEP help desk at 800-283-6237.
• To find your NAEP state coordinator, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states, select your state on the
map, and scroll down to Contact Information.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app!
Download it today on Google Play

Find us on:

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

106

Appendix J1-16: Best Practices: Guide, Initial Mailing and Emails for Supporting
Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.7)

107

Best Practices

Guide for Supporting
Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

2015
Best Practices

1

108
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

“



The NAEP Best Practices Guide provided high-quality, user-friendly information.
The guide is intuitively assembled, informative, and most helpful. Thanks to the
Best Practices Guide, Oakwood High School’s NAEP testing process went very smoothly.
— J oseph R. Boyle, Jr., Principal, Oakland High School, Dayton OH

Best Practices

2

”

109
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

NAEP 2015 Best Practices Guide
Introduction

Best Practices

Guide for Supporting
Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

Since 2006, the Best Practices Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP
Participation has been shared with educators across the country. The guide
is updated each year to reflect lessons learned to promote the importance
of NAEP with teachers, students, and parents and increase student
participation. Principals and teachers have found these strategies to be
effective tools for encouraging student motivation and participation.
The Best Practices Guide provides resources and strategies to increase
twelfth-grade student motivation and participation. There are icons
throughout the guide to represent the type of document or media that
are available. The following is a list of icons you’ll see:

2015

Microsoft Word
PDF
Video
Microsoft PowerPoint

This guide includes sections on the Twelfth-Grade Challenge and details on how to
Effectively Prepare and Schedule for NAEP, Encourage Teachers to Support NAEP, and
Motivate Students to Participate and Do Their Best on NAEP. Additionally, this guide
contains information on NAEP in your state and how to inform parents.

Best Practices

3

110
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Contents
3

Introduction
Twelfth-Grade Challenge

6

History of Grade 12 Participation

7

Strategies That Work

11

High School Senior Motivation
Focus Group

12

NAEP 2013 Grade 12 Mathematics
and Reading Results

13

Effectively Prepare for
and Schedule NAEP

43

Motivate Students to Participate
and Do Their Best on NAEP

44

PowerPoint Presentation –
Introducing NAEP to Students

51

Video – Introducing NAEP to Students

52

Sample Assembly Announcement

53

Sample School Newsletter

54

Sample School Newspaper Article

55

Certificate of Community Service

56

Talking Points

57

More on the Twelfth-Grade Challenge

58

Grade 12 Participation

60

Types of Strategies Used by High Schools

14

Social Media Announcements

16

Sample Student Notification Letter

17

Sample Morning Announcement

18

Facts for Principals

20

Facts for Districts

61

Use of Strategies by High Schools

22

NAEP in Your School

62

Video – NAEP in the News

24

Encourage Teachers to Support NAEP

63

Secondary Principals Working Group

25

PowerPoint Presentation –
Introducing NAEP to Teachers

65

NAEP in Your State

33

Video – Introducing NAEP to Teachers

34

Talking Points

35

Measure Up

Best Practices

4

Information for Parents
67

Talking Points

68

Parent Brochure and Video

111
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Your School Is Very Important
to The Nation’s Report Card!

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest
continuing and nationally representative measure of student achievement.
In 2015, NAEP will begin to transition the mathematics, reading, and science
assessments from paper and pencil to technology-based assessments. Your
school has been selected to participate in a pilot technology based assessment
on tablets. Results from the pilot will not be released but will be used to
prepare for the full transition to technology-based assessments by the end of
the decade.
NAEP results provide valuable feedback to educators, elected officials, and
policymakers who work to maintain and improve the quality of our educational
system. Since NAEP is designed to assess a representative sample of our nation’s
students, the accuracy of NAEP relies on the full participation of you, your
students, and teachers.
Over the past several years, as principals across the country have implemented
these and other strategies, the high school student participation rate on NAEP
has increased dramatically.

“

The Best Practices Guide was very useful for getting our
school’s students prepared to take NAEP. It contained
all the information that I needed to know so that I could
disseminate it to students and staff. The videos and
PowerPoints were…well produced, and they made my
presentation to the students easy to do, saving me valuable
time and energy.
— Donald A. Sylvan, President, Jewish Education Service
of North America

Best Practices

5

”

112
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge
History of Grade 12 Participation

Historically, twelfth-grade student participation in
NAEP has been a challenge. However, twelfth-grade
participation in NAEP has increased dramatically
in recent years due to schools implementing
proven strategies to support student participation
and engagement. These strategies are described
in the Best Practices Guide, provided to high
schools participating in NAEP each year. Student
participation increased 18 percentage points from a
low of 66 percent in 2005 to 84 percent in 2013. The
graph below shows the NAEP twelfth-grade school
and student participation rates from 2000 to 2013.
When NAEP results are released, there is
considerable discussion about the results in
the media and among policymakers. Both low
participation and low motivation can undermine
the validity and credibility of NAEP results for high
school students. The National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES), which administers NAEP, and
the National Assessment Governing Board, which
sets policy for NAEP, have been concerned about
participation and motivation of high school seniors
to do their best on NAEP.

To address participation rates, NCES convened
a Secondary School Principals Working Group in
2005. After discussing participation rates, student
motivation, and high school student results, the
Principals Working Group concluded that the results
did not reflect the true level of achievement of
their students. The Principals Working Group also
concluded that high school principals and other
school leaders could help improve participation rates
by obtaining teacher buy-in and motivating students
to show up and do their best, and that best practices
for achieving high participation should be shared
with principals. Their recommendations set the stage
for the initial Best Practices Guide prepared for the
2007 assessment.
In this section you will find information about the
strategies that work to increase student participation
rates. Additional information, including NAEP in
the news, highlighting the importance of NAEP,
and recommendations from the Principals Working
Group, is in the section “More on the Twelfth-Grade
Challenge.”

NAEP School and Student Participation Rates for Public Schools: Grade 12
School Rates
100
90

Percent

80
70

92
79
76

85
76

96
85

77

72

75

2002

2004

Student Rates

79

80

2007

2009

88

93

87

85

84

2011

2012

2013

66

60
50
40
30
0

2000

Best Practices

2005

6

113
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge
Strategies That Work

Even though student p
­ articipation has ­increased greatly in recent years, efforts to ­support s­ tudent
­participation and ­engagement need to be renewed each year. Based on ­recommendations from
the Secondary School P
­ rincipals ­Working Group, NCES ­implemented a broad set of ­strategies
aimed at i­ncreasing ­student ­participation and ­engagement for the NAEP assessments.

Strategy highlights

Notify schools early that they have been selected
to participate in NAEP to allow administrators to
include the a­ ssessment on school calendars for the
­following year.
Provide flexible scheduling on assessment day

to ensure that seniors are in school and available at
the time of the assessment. This includes conducting
multiple assessment sessions throughout the day.

Develop a Best ­Practices Guide with tips for

a­ dministrators and teachers to improve student
­participation.

Implement communication and outreach

efforts by NAEP State Coordinators and NAEP
­representatives to share best practices ideas and
tools and to ­discuss and confirm strategies that
the school selected to use.

How did these strategies support grade 12 public school student participation rates in recent years?

84%
The results
­indicate a broad
­improvement
in ­student
­participation.

1 Small


The overall ­
student ­participation
rate improved to 
84 percent in 2013,
an increase of
18 ­percentage points
from the low of
66 percent in 2005.

Participation rates
improved in all
­geographic regions.

I mprovements were
seen across all racial/
ethnic groups, for both
­genders, and among
students e­ ligible for
free/reduced-price
lunch as well as
­students who were
not e­ ligible for free/
reduced-price lunch.

Increases
in ­student
­participation
were observed
in small, medium,
and large schools1
and in schools
located in rural,
suburban, and
urban ­locations.2

schools have fewer than 300 seniors. Medium schools have between 300 and 600 seniors. Large schools have more than 600 seniors.

2 Location


codes were developed to describe a school’s ­location ­ranging from large city to rural. The codes are based on a ­geographic database
­maintained by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Best Practices

7

114
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

What is the impact of grade 12
strategies on student participation?


Six strategies emerged that were associated

with  a statistically significant difference in
­average student participation rates between
schools that used the strategy and those that
did not:

The most recent administration of
grade 12 mathematics and reading was
2013. Data were collected on which
strategies were implemented in each
school. While NAEP did not conduct
an experiment to investigate causality,
a comparison of average student
participation rates for schools that
used each strategy versus those that
did not gives an indication of impact.
This section describes strategies
schools used based on data from
NAEP assessments in 2005, 2009,
and 2013. While some strategies were
implemented in almost all schools,
others were selected by smaller
numbers of high school principals and
other school leaders.

1

announce NAEP prior to assessment day to p
­ arents,
­s tudents, and faculty;

2

recognize students that participated at a school awards

3

assembly or other announcement;

hold a meeting with seniors to explain the i­mportance


of NAEP using the resources in the Best Practices Guide;

4

explain the importance of NAEP to teachers using the
 owerPoint presentation and video in the Best ­Practices Guide;
­P

5

invite teachers to attend assessment sessions; and

6

give students an item, such as tickets to a school event,


yearbook, etc., for participating in NAEP.

Grade 12 Student Participation Rates for Public Schools by Size of School and Type of Location

100
90
80

85

88
79

75

70

87

82
75

89

76

80

84

83
77

65

62

60
Percent

83

61
2005

51

50

2009
2013

40
30
20
10
0

Small

Medium
Size of School

Best Practices

8

Large

Rural

Suburb

City

Type of Location

115
The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Number of Strategies Used by Schools and Their Student Participation Rates
Number of Strategies

Student Participation Rate

None of these strategies

82%

One strategy

85%

Two strategies

85%

Three strategies

87%

Four strategies

89%

Five strategies

90%

Six strategies

94%

Average student participation rates tended to
increase with the number of strategies used,
especially among medium-sized schools.
In general, the relationship between use of these
strategies and average student participation rates
held for small, medium, and large schools.

The majority of schools used more than one
strategy, and average participation rates tended
to increase with the number of strategies that
were used, especially among medium schools.
For example, the student participation rate for
medium schools was 87 percent when those
schools implemented five of the six strategies.
This is 11 percentage points higher than the
rate for medium schools that used none of these
six strategies.

NAEP 2013 Student Participation Rates: Five Strategies vs. None, by Size of School

100
90

90
86

Percent

80

87
83

81

76

Used five strategies

70

Used none of these strategies

60
50
0

Best Practices

Small

Medium

9

Large

116
The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

What did we learn?

Students take their cues
from YOU.
School leadership has the most influence on
students and their participation, and perhaps
even their motivation to try their best.
In schools where leadership implemented
strategies that demonstrated their
commitment to NAEP, student participation
was higher.

Best Practices

Guide for Supporting
Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

2015

NAEP State Coordinators reported that
schools recognized that NCES was serious
about the problem of student participation
and that they put extraordinary effort into
improving the situation, including early
sample notifications, a professional Best
Practices Guide, customized materials for
schools, and personal communications
with schools. It appears that leadership at
all levels had an impact on participation,
from NAEP to states, states to districts and
schools, and school leadership to teachers
and students.

In summary

Use of universal strategies

that are provided to all schools, such as early
sample notification and the Best Practices
Guide, are important to increasing buy-in.

Increase communications
with faculty and students about
the importance of NAEP.

Combine multiple strategies
for an approach that works best.

Best Practices

10

117
The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

High School Senior Motivation Focus Group
Research Summary

Background

■■

During February and March 2008, focus groups
were held around the country with high school
seniors to explore what motivates and influences
them, especially as it relates to participation and
engagement in NAEP.
Respondents were recruited to ensure a mix of
various criteria, including gender, ethnicity, plans
after high school, and academic ranking. Students
were recruited from schools in urban, suburban, and
rural areas.

■■

■■

■■

Findings
■■

■■

■■

■■

Students generally responded positively to the
idea of NAEP and understood the need for strong
participation and engagement.
Students are aware that states are compared to
each other and that the United States is compared
to other countries on educational progress.

Students indicated that flexibility in scheduling the
time of the assessment would be beneficial. Many
students were concerned about making up missed
work from classes.
Recognition of students who participated is a
motivator for some students. Examples include
a statement at graduation, a certificate, or
community service hours.
Students in all groups indicated that providing
food at the test site would encourage them to
show up.
Students indicated that their motivation, in
general, comes from within. Teachers and parents
can provide positive feedback and recognition of a
job well done.

Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress High School
Senior Motivation Focus Group Research. Topline Report. Maria Ivancin,
lead researcher.

Students thought that a better understanding of
the test and knowledge about it before assessment
day would improve participation and engagement.
This information should include the subject areas
to be assessed and the types of questions to
be asked.
Most students indicated that if they chose to
participate, they would do their best.

Best Practices

11

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

NAEP 2013 Grade 12
Mathematics and Reading Results

The National Assessment of Educational Progress results are released as the Nation’s Report Card. The
NAEP 2013 Grade 12 Mathematics and Reading Results were released last spring. Find out if the nation’s
12th-graders are making progress in mathematics and reading. To dig deeper into the results visit
www.nationsreportcard.gov.

U.S. Department of Education
NCES 2014–087

Are the nation’s 12th-graders making progress in

Mathematics and Reading?
National average scores from the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) did not change from 2009. Among the 11 volunteer
pilot states that participated in both the 2009 and 2013 assessments, 4 made gains from 2009 in mathematics and 2 made gains in reading.

IN THE NATION
2013 AVERAGE SCORE IN

2013 AVERAGE SCORE IN

Mathematics
increased
FROM THE FIRST
ASSESSMENT IN

2005

Reading

unchanged
FROM THE LAST
ASSESSMENT IN

2009

decreased
FROM THE FIRST
ASSESSMENT IN

1992

unchanged
FROM THE LAST
ASSESSMENT IN

2009

Percentage of students at or above the Proficient level in 2013

Best Practices

12

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Effectively Prepare for and Schedule NAEP
Planning for NAEP activities in advance can help
ensure a successful administration. The actual
day of the assessment runs most smoothly when
your school staff is prepared to accommodate
the assessment. Your NAEP State Coordinator is
available to answer any questions you have as you
prepare for and schedule the assessment.
The following suggestions are small but helpful steps
you can take to best prepare for the administration
of NAEP in your school.

Encourage your NAEP school coordinator to
■■

■■

■■

Include NAEP on the annual school calendar.
This allows for

■■
■■

■■

NAEP to be recognized as a part of your school’s
schedule of activities; and
teachers to save the date to avoid
scheduling conflicts.

Empower your NAEP school coordinator to
effectively prepare for the assessment by

■■

■■

■■

giving the school coordinator authority to work
with school staff;
notifying school staff of the school coordinator’s
roles and responsibilities; and
providing the school coordinator with adequate
time to complete NAEP activities.

Best Practices

13

provide and share a plan with sampled students
and their teachers so students know in advance
what to do and where to go;
use the MyNAEP website at www.mynaep.com
to track assessment activities, prepare for the
assessment, and communicate with your NAEP
State Coordinator and NAEP representative; and
access the electronic resources in the Best Practices
Guide from the flash drive or the MyNAEP website
to download and customize.

Announce NAEP prior to the assessment day

to parents, students, and faculty. Use the sample
social media posts to announce that NAEP is coming
to your school in 2015. Also post a message on your
school’s website about NAEP.

Notify students of their selection to participate
in the assessment using the sample student
notification letter.
Make an announcement on the day of the

assessment using the sample announcement.
■■

By empowering your NAEP school
coordinator to plan for the assessment,
you will help ensure a smooth
administration.

work with NAEP staff to provide a flexible schedule
of sessions so as many students as possible can
be assessed;

■■

Remind teachers and students of the assessment in
the morning announcement.
Remind teachers to release sampled students prior
to the assessment.

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Social Media

Sample Announcements

If your school uses Twitter and/or Facebook to communicate with parents, students, and teachers, you can use
this useful channel to communicate the importance of the assessment to teachers and to encourage student
participation. The following tweets and Facebook posts are available for you to customize before posting to your
school’s social media channels. When customizing, Facebook posts containing 200 characters of text or less and
tweets containing less than 110 characters of text work best.

FAC E B O O K

TWITTER

Schedule Information
Our school will have the chance to make a difference
in education on [DATE]! Learn why our participation in
NAEP is important at http://1.usa.gov/1kVxTKI.

We’re excited to announce our school will participate
in #NAEP on [DATE]! Learn about this national
assessment at http://1.usa.gov/1kVxTKI.

A group of our twelfth-graders will represent thousands
of others across the country on [DATE]! Known as The
Nation’s Report Card, NAEP is the largest nationally
representative and continuing assessment of what
students in the United States know and can do. Learn
more at http://1.usa.gov/1jVs1Wt.

#NAEP will be administered to select seniors at our
school on [DATE]. To learn more about the program,
visit http://1.usa.gov/Ugb2Ct.
Something big is happening on [DATE]. A group of our
seniors will participate in #NAEP that day! Learn more
at http://1.usa.gov/1jFG4zn.

Information for Teachers
Teachers, how much do you know about NAEP? What
does NAEP mean for you and your students? Hear
what other teachers are saying at http://youtu.be/
zR1_pUdSlFg.

#Teachers, do you know why our #student
participation in #NAEP is important? Find out:
http://1.usa.gov/WiTIxT.

NAEP results help us better understand how our
students are performing academically across the
United States. Learn more about why participation is
important at http://1.usa.gov/WiTIxT.

Some of our seniors have been selected to participate
in #NAEP! Discover what other #teachers are saying
at http://youtu.be/zR1_pUdSlFg.
#Teachers, find out the types of questions your
#students will see on #NAEP with the NAEP
Questions Tool: http://1.usa.gov/1rx7VSt.

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

FAC E B O O K

TWITTER

Information for Students
Seniors, don’t forget! If you have been selected to take
NAEP, your participation is essential for understanding
what students across the country have learned in
school. Warm up your mental gears by checking out the
NAEP Test Yourself tool at http://1.usa.gov/1mXg5mT.

The “AEP” in #NAEP does not stand for “Atomic
Endangered Penguins!” Hear what other students have
to say at http://youtu.be/8drjkhe0iQU.

What is NAEP? Learn the answer to this question and
more at http://youtu.be/8drjkhe0iQU.

You don’t have to study for #NAEP, but your
participation is still important. Find out why:
http://1.usa.gov/1z36NcI.
Curious about the types of questions you can expect to
see on #NAEP? Check out the NAEP Test Yourself tool
at http://1.usa.gov/1mXg5mT.

Information for Parents
Parents, if your twelfth-grader has been selected
to take NAEP, he or she will represent thousands of
other students across the United States. Discover
other reasons why participation is so important at
http://1.usa.gov/WiTIxT.

Mark your calendars, parents! Our school will
participate in #NAEP on [DATE]. Learn more about the
assessment at http://1.usa.gov/1zRr5HH.

Do you have any burning questions about NAEP and
your child’s involvement? The wait is over! Learn
the answers to your questions and more by visiting
http://1.usa.gov/1rnbygh.

If your child has been selected to participate in #NAEP,
find more information about the assessment at
http://1.usa.gov/1rnbygh.
Why is your child’s participation in #NAEP important?
Find out by visiting http://1.usa.gov/WiTIxT.

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122
Social Media Sample Announcements

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Student Notification Letter
Sample

It’s important for students to know the importance of NAEP and that they have been selected to represent
their peers across the country. Customize and use this student letter to inform students about the NAEP
2015 assessment.

Dear Student:
You have been selected to participate in the 2015 National Assessment of Educational
Progress, also known as NAEP. It is the largest continuing and nationally representative
assessment of what students across the country know and can do in a variety of subject
areas. It is different from our state assessments, the SAT, and ACT because it represents
high school students across the country, not just those here in [state] or those who plan to
go on to college. The results of NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card.
Not every student is selected to take it, but you have been chosen to represent thousands
of high school students across our nation. Your participation will provide a snapshot of
what students across the country have learned in school. This snapshot will help inform
major decisions about how to improve the education system in the United States, so it’s
important that you take part and give your best effort.
You will take NAEP [time, date, location] with other selected students. NAEP takes 120
minutes, and you don’t need to study for it. You will take a pilot technology-based
assessment in mathematics, reading, or science on a tablet. Upon completion of the pilot
assessment, you will receive a Certificate of Community Service. Your scores will be
anonymous and will not affect your grades or academic record in any way. Instead, they
will be used to prepare for future technology-based assessments.
If you have any questions or would like to review sample questions, please ask [insert
name of school contact person]. He/she will be happy to help. You can also visit
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/students for more information.
We are fortunate that our school has been selected to participate in NAEP. We know that
you will do your best and help us accurately represent the achievement of our students.
Sincerely,
(School Principal)

Best Practices

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Morning Announcement
Sample

Make sure everyone at your school knows NAEP is important and seniors are participating in the assessment.
Use this announcement the morning of the NAEP assessment.

Good morning, students and teachers. I would like to remind
everyone that, today, some of our students will be participating
in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Teachers,
please be sure to release those students 5 minutes before the
assessment is scheduled to begin. For those students who are
participating, please report to your designated locations on time.
Every student selected to participate plays an important role in
measuring what students across the entire country have learned
in school. You have a chance to have an impact on future
education policy to improve education across the nation. It is
important to participate and do your best. Thank you.

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Facts for Principals
Learn what NAEP 2015 means for principals by reading Facts for Principals.

2015
Pilot Technology-Based Assessments

Facts for Principals
NAEP is an integral part
of education in the
United States.
Elected officials, policymakers,
and educators all use NAEP
results to develop ways to
improve education.

NAEP is a congressionally
mandated project conducted by
the National Center for
Education Statistics, within the
U.S. Department of Education
and the Institute of Education
Sciences.
NAEP serves a different role
than state assessments.
States have their own unique
assessments with different
content standards. The
same NAEP assessment is
administered in every state,
providing a common measure
of student achievement.
Depending on the type of
NAEP assessment that is
administered, the data can
be used to compare and
understand the performance
of demographic groups within
your state, the nation, other
states, and districts that
participate in the Trial Urban
District Assessment (TUDA).
Students, teachers, and
principals who participate in
NAEP are asked to complete
contextual questionnaires that
provide a better understanding
of educational experiences and
factors that may be related to
students’ learning.

“The NAEP representatives do everything they can
to ensure the assessment isn’t burdensome to our
school, and they provide helpful resources for
principals, teachers, and students. By participating,
we contribute valuable information about what our
country’s students know and can do.”
– Matthew G. Gonzales, Assistant Principal, Smoky Hill High School, Cherry Creek
Schools

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest
nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can
do in subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing. The results of
NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card.
As principals, you are essential partners in NAEP. You make an important
contribution by selecting and empowering a NAEP school coordinator, meeting
with teachers and students who will participate in the assessment, and
encouraging your students to participate and do their best. When students take
part in NAEP and give their best effort, we get the most accurate measure
possible of student achievement across the country.
In 2015, NAEP will begin to transition the mathematics, reading, and science
assessments from paper and pencil to technology-based assessments. This
year, your school has been selected to participate in a pilot technology-based
assessment on tablets. Students will be assessed in only one subject. Results
from the pilot will not be released but will be used to prepare for the full
transition to technology-based assessments by the end of the decade. NAEP
representatives will bring all necessary materials and equipment to schools.
Schools will only need to provide space for the assessment, desks or tables, and
an adequate number of electrical outlets in the assessment location; schools will
not need to provide Internet access.
The NAEP 2015 Program
Subjects: mathematics, reading, and science
Grades: 4, 8, and 12

For more information about NAEP, visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

Best Practices

18

Find us on:

125
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

It’s important to know that…
NAEP was first administered in 1969 to measure
student achievement nationally. In 1990, NAEP was
administered at the state level for the first time.
Students in grades 4 and 8 are currently assessed at
the national and state levels in mathematics and
reading every 2 years and in other subjects in
alternating years. Grade 12 students are assessed in
a variety of subjects, and results are typically
released at the national level. In 2002, NAEP began
the TUDA program, which measures what students
know and can do in some of the nation’s large urban
districts. In 2015, 21 districts will participate and
receive district-level NAEP results in mathematics,
reading, and science at grades 4 and 8. NAEP does
not report results for individual students, classrooms,
or schools.
NAEP is considered the gold standard of
assessments because of its high technical quality.
From the development of frameworks and questions
to the reporting of results, NAEP represents the best
thinking of assessment and content specialists, state
education staff, and teachers from around the nation.
NAEP is a trusted resource that measures student
progress and helps inform policy decisions that
improve education in the United States.

across the United States. To ensure that the sample
represents all students in the nation’s schools, NAEP
allows a broad range of accommodations for
students with disabilities and English language
learners.
Released NAEP items can be used as a helpful
educational resource in the classroom. Teachers can
use the NAEP Questions Tool at http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard/itmrlsx/landing.aspx to see how
students’ performance compares nationally on
specific items. Released NAEP items generally come
with a scoring guide, sample student responses, and
performance data.
School staff can also:
view results for the nation over time,
compare results for various demographic
groups, and
access information designed for teachers,
students, and parents.
Visit the NAEP website at http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard to access this information and
more.

NAEP is designed to cause minimal disruption of
classroom instruction. It takes approximately 90 to
120 minutes for students to complete NAEP
assessment activities, including transition time and
directions. They are also asked to complete the
student questionnaire, which provides contextual
information such as the amount of reading students
do and what types of classes they take. A small
number of students who take NAEP may also be
selected to answer additional contextual questions
for special studies. Teachers do not need to prepare
their students to take the assessment but should
encourage them to do their best. NAEP
representatives provide significant support to your
district’s schools by working with the designated
coordinator in each school to organize assessment
activities.
NAEP reports on results for different demographic
groups rather than for individual students or
schools. NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling
process to ensure that the schools and students
selected are representative of schools and students

Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app!
This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

Best Practices

19

126
Facts for Principals

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Facts for Districts
Learn what NAEP 2015 means for district by reading Facts for Districts.

2015
Facts for Districts
NAEP is an integral part
of education in the
United States.
Elected officials, policymakers,
and educators all use NAEP
results to develop ways to
improve education.

NAEP is a congressionally
mandated project conducted by
the National Center for Education
Statistics, within the U.S.
Department of Education and the
Institute of Education Sciences.
NAEP serves a different role
than state assessments.
States have their own unique
assessments with different
content standards. The
same NAEP assessment is
administered in every state,
providing a common measure
of student achievement.
Depending on the type of
NAEP assessment that is
administered, the data can
be used to compare and
understand the performance
of demographic groups within
your state, the nation, other
states, and districts that
participate in the Trial Urban
District Assessment (TUDA).
Students, teachers, and
principals who participate in
NAEP are asked to complete
contextual questionnaires that
provide a better understanding
of educational experiences and
factors that may be related to
students’ learning.

“The NAEP representatives were informative and
provided specific instructions when administering
the assessment. Their professionalism and
knowledge before the assessment ensured that
the students had a positive experience with NAEP.”
– Amneris Montalvo, Teacher, Citrus Grove Middle School, Miami, FL

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest
nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can
do in subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing. The results of
NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card.
District staff play an essential role in NAEP. Superintendents and district staff can
work closely with principals to explain the importance of the assessment to
teachers and students selected for participation. When students take part in
NAEP and give their best effort, we get the most accurate measure possible of
student achievement across the country.
In 2015, NAEP will begin to transition the mathematics, reading, and science
assessments from paper and pencil to technology-based assessments. Some
schools will take the traditional paper and pencil assessment, while other schools
will be asked to take a pilot technology-based assessment on tablets. Results will
only be released from paper and pencil assessments. Each student will take
NAEP in one format and one subject only, and NAEP representatives will bring all
necessary materials and equipment to schools. Schools will only need to provide
space for the assessment, desks or tables, and an adequate number of electrical
outlets in the location (if necessary); schools will not need to provide Internet
access.
The NAEP 2015 Program
Paper and Pencil Assessments
Subjects: mathematics, reading, and science
Grades: 4, 8, and 12
Results: national, state, and TUDA results for grades 4 and 8; only national
results for grade 12
Pilot Technology-Based Assessments
Subjects: mathematics, reading, and science
Grades: 4, 8, 12
Results: information collected from the pilots will not be released but will
be used to prepare for future assessments

For more information about NAEP, visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

Best Practices

20

Find us on:

127
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

It’s important to know that…
NAEP was first administered in 1969 to measure
student achievement nationally. In 1990, NAEP was
administered at the state level for the first time.
Students in grades 4 and 8 are currently assessed at
the national and state levels in mathematics and
reading every 2 years and in other subjects in
alternating years. Grade 12 students are assessed in
a variety of subjects, and results are typically
released at the national level. In 2002, NAEP began
the TUDA program, which measures what students
know and can do in some of the nation’s large urban
districts. In 2015, 21 districts will participate and
receive district-level NAEP results in mathematics,
reading, and science at grades 4 and 8. NAEP does
not report results for individual students,
classrooms, or schools.
NAEP is considered the gold standard of
assessments because of its high technical quality.
From the development of frameworks and questions
to the reporting of results, NAEP represents the best
thinking of assessment and content specialists, state
education staff, and teachers from around the nation.
NAEP is a trusted resource that measures student
progress and helps inform policy decisions that
improve education in the United States.
NAEP is designed to cause minimal disruption of
classroom instruction. It takes approximately 90 to
120 minutes for students to complete NAEP
assessment activities, including transition time and
directions. Students are assessed in only one subject
area. They are also asked to complete the student
questionnaire, which provides contextual information
such as the amount of reading students do and what
types of classes they take. Teachers do not need to
prepare their students to take the assessment but
should encourage them to do their best. NAEP
representatives provide significant support to your
district’s schools by working with the designated
coordinator in each school to organize assessment
activities.

States and its connection with native culture.
Students will participate in NIES by completing the
NAEP mathematics or reading assessment and a
short questionnaire. Teachers and school
administrators will also be asked to complete a
questionnaire.
A small number of students who take NAEP may also
be selected to answer additional contextual
questions for other special studies.
NAEP reports on results for different demographic
groups, rather than for individual students or
schools. NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling
process to ensure that the schools and students
selected are representative of schools and students
across the United States. To ensure that the sample
represents all students in the nation’s schools, NAEP
allows a broad range of accommodations for
students with disabilities and English language
learners.
Released NAEP items can be used as a helpful
educational resource in the classroom. Teachers and
district staff can use the NAEP Questions Tool at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/itmrlsx/landing.
aspx to see how students’ performance compares
nationally on specific items. Released NAEP items
generally come with a scoring guide, sample student
responses, and performance data.
District and school staff can also:
view results for the nation over time,
compare results for various demographic
groups, and
access information designed for teachers,
students, and parents.
Visit the NAEP website at http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard to access this information and
more.

Special studies are also conducted periodically. In
2015, American Indian and Alaska Native students
participating in the NAEP mathematics and reading
assessments at grades 4 and 8 will also be included
in the National Indian Education Study (NIES). NIES
describes the condition of education for American
Indian and Alaska Native students in the United

Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app!
This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

Best Practices

21

128
Facts for Districts

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

NAEP in Your School
Learn more about the 2015 assessments in NAEP in Your School.

2015

GRADES 4, 8, AND 12
PILOT TECHNOLOGY-BASED ASSESSMENTS

NAEP in Your School
WHAT IS NAEP?
The National
Assessment of
Educational Progress
(NAEP) is an essential
measurement of student
achievement in the
United States.
First administered in 1969,
NAEP is the largest continuing
and nationally representative
assessment of what our
nation’s students know and
can do in core subjects such as
mathematics, reading, science,
and writing.
The schools and students
participating in NAEP represent
other schools and students
across the country.
NAEP is considered the gold
standard of assessments
because of its high technical
quality. From developing
frameworks and questions to
the reporting of results, NAEP
represents the best thinking
of assessment and content
specialists, state education staff,
and teachers from around the
nation.
NAEP monitors academic
progress over time and reports
on student achievement
nationally. In some subjects and
grades, results are also available
for states and TUDA districts.

NAEP mathematics, reading, and science pilot technologybased assessments will be administered on tablets to a
sample of fourth-, eighth-, or twelfth-grade students in your
school between January 26 and March 6, 2015.
Results from the pilot will not be released but will be used to
prepare for the full transition to technology-based
assessments by the end of the decade.
What is involved?
Through technology-based assessments, NAEP will aim to collect new types of
data that provide an in-depth understanding of what students know and can do,
including how they engage with technology to approach problem solving. Each
student will participate in one subject and will take only a portion of the entire
assessment. Students will spend about 120 minutes completing the assessment,
including transition time and directions. They will also be asked to complete a
questionnaire that aims to get a better understanding of their educational
experiences, such as the amount of reading they do and the types of classes
they take.
The school principal and grades 4 and 8 teachers of the subjects being assessed
will also complete a questionnaire. These questionnaires are designed to help
provide contextual information for the results, as well as information about
factors that may be related to students’ learning. Additional information will be
collected about how selected students with disabilities and English language
learners would participate in the assessment.

How many students will be assessed?
Nationally, approximately 41,000 students will be assessed in fourth grade,
46,000 in eighth grade, and 45,000 in twelfth grade.

For more information about NAEP, visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

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129
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

Who will be responsible for coordinating and
administering NAEP?
Your NAEP State Coordinator, NAEP representatives,
and school staff will work together to coordinate and
administer the assessment.
A staff person in your school will need to be assigned
to serve as the school coordinator and be the
primary contact for the assessment. This person
should be familiar with how students participate in
statewide assessments and also be comfortable
collecting and entering student information online
using a computer.

The NAEP State Coordinator works at your
state Department of Education and will be
responsible for:

Each principal will be responsible for:
Assigning a school staff member to serve as
school coordinator;
Including the NAEP assessment date on the
school calendar;
Empowering the designated school coordinator
to work with the NAEP representative and the
NAEP State Coordinator to prepare for the
assessment; and
Informing school staff and students about
NAEP and why student participation is critically
important.

The school coordinator will be responsible
for:

Working with schools to confirm the assessment
date;

Confirming the scheduled assessment date with
the NAEP State Coordinator;

Communicating with principals about the
importance of NAEP and student participation;

Registering for the MyNAEP website and
providing information about the school;

Providing schools with instructions for preparing
a list of fourth-, eighth-, or twelfth-grade
students and information about notifying parents
of participating students;

Submitting an electronic list of fourth-, eighth-, or
twelfth-grade students;

Providing guidance for including students with
disabilities and English language learners; and
Responding to questions from the school
community throughout the assessment period.

NAEP representatives are employed by a U.S.
Department of Education contractor to work
directly with schools and will be responsible
for:
Selecting a random sample of students from the
school list of fourth-, eighth-, or twelfth-graders;
Verifying information that the school coordinator
has provided via the MyNAEP website, which will
serve as the primary resource and action center
throughout the NAEP assessment process;
Working with the school coordinator to finalize
assessment logistics;

Using the MyNAEP website to prepare for the
assessment;
Informing parents of the assessment (the
NAEP State Coordinator will provide additional
information about how this should be
accomplished);
Communicating with the NAEP representative to
finalize assessment preparations;
Providing school space for the assessment,
desks or tables, and an adequate number of
electrical outlets in the assessment location (the
school will not need to provide Internet access);
and
Working with school staff to ensure a high rate of
student participation in the assessment.

Detailed information about the school
coordinator’s responsibilities will be sent at the
beginning of the school year.

Bringing all assessment materials to the school
on the scheduled day, including tablets and a
laptop server; and
Conducting the assessment.
Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app!
This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-IES-13-C-0025 to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

Best Practices

23

NAEP in Your130
School

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Encourage Teachers
to Support NAEP

Teachers are essential to motivating students to do
their best on NAEP. It is important that teachers
understand that NAEP is a valuable tool to show
the nation what high school students know and can
do. Teachers may be reluctant to lose instructional
time to an assessment, but without having students
participate in and do their best on NAEP, the general
public and policymakers will not have an accurate
picture of the achievement of our nation’s high
school students.

Provide the electronic version of the Measure Up

Here are some suggestions on how to gain
teacher support:

Use the Talking Points to answer teachers’

Show the 5-minute NAEP video, Introducing NAEP
to Teachers, and the Introducing NAEP to Teachers
PowerPoint presentation at a faculty meeting. The
PowerPoint presentation is customized specifically
for your school and shares essential information
about NAEP and emphasizes the importance of
student participation. Invite teachers to discuss how
to encourage students to do their best on NAEP.

newsletter available on the MyNAEP website. Issues
include information about
upcoming NAEP activities,
results from recently released NAEP assessments
and how they are being used, and
how NAEP’s online tools can be used as a resource
for the classroom.

questions about NAEP.

Encourage teachers to find us on:
Download the NAEP Results mobile app.
Get NAEP on the go with the
NAEP Results mobile app!

Schools that explained the importance of NAEP to teachers using the resources in
the Best Practices Guide, such as the video and PowerPoint presentation, had higher student
participation than schools that did not.

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The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Introducing NAEP to Teachers
PowerPoint Presentation

9/10/2014

9/10/2014
It is important for teachers to understand the importance of NAEP and encourage student participation.
Share this PowerPoint presentation, customized specifically for your school, with your teachers.

Schools that shared
this presentation to
teachers in 2013 had
a positive impact on
student participation.

NAEP 2015
Coming soon to Acme High School!

NAEP 2015

Coming
soon
Acme
High
N AT I O N A L A S
S E S S M Eto
NT O
F E D U C AT
I O N A L School!
PROGRESS
N AT I O N A L A S S E S S M E N T O F E D U C AT I O N A L P R O G R E S S

What is NAEP?
What
is NAEP?
 NAEP stands
for the






National Assessment of
Educational
NAEP standsProgress.
for the
It is also Assessment
known as The
National
of
Nation’s
Report
Card.
Educational
Progress.
Assesses
studentas The
It is also known
achievement
in major
Nation’s Report
Card.
subject
areas
across
the
Assesses student
nation
at
grades
4,
8,
achievement in major
and
12. areas across the
subject
Our
school
has been
nation
at grades
4, 8,selected to represent
schools
and 12. across the country.

 Our school has been selected to represent
schools across the country.

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132
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

1

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9/10/2014

What is on the test?
 Seniorsiswill
take
a mathematics,
reading,
What
on
the
test?

or science assessment on a tablet.
Seniors
will include
take a mathematics,
reading,
 The
tablets
a keyboard, stylus,
and
or
science
assessment
on
a
tablet.
earbuds. Students may bring their own

 earbuds
The tablets
include
a keyboard, stylus, and
if they
prefer.
earbuds. Students may bring their own
earbuds if they prefer.

3

3

What is on the test?
 Questions
are multiple-choice,
What
is on
the test? short
answer, or essay.

 Questions
are multiple-choice,
shortFor
Some questions
will be interactive.
examples,
this website:
answer, or visit
essay.

http://nationsreportcard.gov/science_2009/
 Some
questions will be interactive. For
examples,
visit this
website:
 Questions about
how
teachers teach,
http://nationsreportcard.gov/science_2009/
students’
educational experiences, and
 other
Questions
about how teachers teach,
information.
students’ educational experiences, and
other information.

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4

2
2
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Introducing NAEP to Teachers PowerPoint Presentation

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9/10/2014

Sample Mathematics Question
Samplex-1
Mathematics Question
If f(x)=
x , what is f(5)?
x-1
IfA f(x)
0= x , what is f(5)?
4

B
A

0
5

C
B

1
4

D
C

5
6
1
5

E
D

24
6
5
5

E

24
5

84% of students answered correctly
during the 2013 assessment.
84% of students answered correctly
during the 2013 assessment.

5

5

Sample Reading Excerpt
Sample
Reading
Excerpt
“I don't mean
to put a damper
on things. I just

mean we ought to treat fun reverently. It is a
mystery. It cannot be caught like a virus. It
“I don't
to put
damper
on things.
I just
cannot
be mean
trapped
likea an
animal.
The god
of mirth
mean
we us
ought
tofor
treat
fun reverently.
It is a fun
is
paying
back
all those
years of thinking
mystery.
It cannot
be caught
like to
a virus.
It I
was
everywhere
by refusing
to come
our party.
cannot
be to
trapped
like fun
an animal.
god fun
of mirth
don't want
blaspheme
anymore.The
When
is paying
fordancing
all thosefeet,
yearsyou
of thinking
fun
comes
inus
onback
little
probably
was
everywhere
by refusing
to come
party.
I
won't
be expecting
it. In fact,
I betto
it our
comes
when
don't want
toyour
blaspheme
fun job,
anymore.
When
you're
doing
duty, your
or your
work.fun
It may
comes
in on
dancing feet, you probably
even come
onlittle
a Tuesday.”
won't be expecting it. In fact, I bet it comes when
you're doing your duty,
your
job, or your
work. It may
FUN
by Suzanne
Britt Jordan
even come on a Tuesday.”
From The New York Times, used with
permission.
FUN by Suzanne Britt Jordan
From The New York Times, used with
permission.

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Introducing NAEP to Teachers PowerPoint Presentation

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Sample Reading Question
Sample
Reading
Explain what
the author Question
means when she
says, "Fun is a rare jewel."

Explain what the author means when she
says, "Fun is a rare jewel."

78% of students wrote an acceptable
response to this question during the 2013
assessment.
78% of students wrote an acceptable
response to this question during the 2013
assessment.

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7

Sample Science Question
Use the information on the left

Sample Scienceand
Question
your knowledge of

25% of students had an
acceptable response to this
question during the 2009
assessment.
25% of students had an
acceptable response to this
question during the 2009
assessment.

processes that occur in stars to
predict
stages you
expect
Use thewhat
information
on the
left
each
star knowledge
to go through
and your
of as it
ages.
processes that occur in stars to
predictfuture
what stages
stages will
youthe
expect
What
Sun
each star
to go through
asall
it
likely
go through?
Select
ages.apply.
that
What future stages will the Sun
likely go through? Select all
A Giant
that apply.
B Supergiant

A
C

Giant
White dwarf

B Planetary
Supergiantnebula
D
C
E

White dwarf
Supernova

D Planetary nebula
E

8

Supernova
8

4
4
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135
Introducing NAEP to Teachers PowerPoint Presentation

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How do I prepare my students
for NAEP?
How do I prepare my students
 There’s no need for students to study or
for
NAEP?
prepare.
 Students
be encouraged
to try or
There’s noshould
need for
students to study






their
best to answer each question. NAEP
prepare.
just
wants
to know
much seniors
Students should
be how
encouraged
to try
know
about
the
subject
area.
their best to answer each question. NAEP
Scores
will to
beknow
anonymous,
andseniors
will not
just wants
how much
affect
grades
or
academic
records
in any
know about the subject area.
way.
Scores will be anonymous, and will not
Scores
will beor
combined
with
otherin any
affect grades
academic
records
students’
scores
to
show
what
seniors
way.
know
about
the
subject
area
across
Scores will be combined with other the
nation.
students’ scores to show what seniors
know about the subject area across the
nation.

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9

What should students expect?
What
students
 Testingshould
takes place
on Januaryexpect?
26,





2015, and will take about 120 minutes.
We
will call
students
out
of class26,
that day.
Testing
takes
place on
January
2015, and
will
take about
Students
will
receive
a hall120
passminutes.
telling
them
where
to
report.
We will call students out of class that day.
Students will receive a hall pass telling
them where to report.

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136
Introducing NAEP to Teachers PowerPoint Presentation

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9/10/2014

Student participation is
important
Student participation is
 Selected students represent other seniors
important
across the nation.
 Important
decisions
about education
are
Selected students
represent
other seniors
made
the results of these tests.
acrossusing
the nation.

 NAEP
results
are used
by the
media and
Important
decisions
about
education
are

policymakers
to results
judge the
quality
of our
made using the
of these
tests.
nation’s
high
schools.
 NAEP results are used by the media and
 Students
can to
contribute
to quality
improving
the
policymakers
judge the
of our
quality
of
education
for
every
student
in
nation’s high schools.
the
United
States.
 Students can contribute to improving the
quality of education for every student in
the United States.
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Principals play an important
role too
Principals play an important
 Principals
role
too will be given a survey to
complete about our school’s…
– Demographic characteristics
 Principals
will be given a survey to
– Course requirements
complete
about our school’s…



– Teachers
– Demographic characteristics
– Teacher training on new content and teaching
– Course requirements
approaches
– Teachers
This
information, along with the student
– Teacher training on new content and teaching
assessment,
approaches gives a broad picture of how

are taught
across
 students
This information,
along
withthe
thenation.
student

assessment, gives a broad picture of how
students are taught across the nation.
12

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Introducing NAEP to Teachers PowerPoint Presentation

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NAEP is important
 Thanksis
to important
you, our students received a
NAEP






great education here at Acme High
School.
Thanks to you, our students received a
Encourage
our students
to do their
great education
here at Acme
High best
because
they
represent
seniors
all across
School.
the
United
States.
Encourage our students to do their best
It’s
a great
way
to do something
and
because
they
represent
seniors allgood
across
contribute
to
the
future
of
education.
the United States.
It’s a great way to do something good and
contribute to the future of education.

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Find out more
Find out more
 Visit NAEP:

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/students

 Visit NAEP:

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/students
 Follow
NAEP:

 Follow NAEP:

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Introducing NAEP to Teachers PowerPoint Presentation

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Here’s a quick video made just
for teachers...

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Introducing NAEP to Teachers PowerPoint Presentation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Introducing NAEP to Teachers
Video

Teachers play an integral role in the lives of students, and their encouragement makes a big difference. Share
this short video with faculty and staff to hear what real educators are saying about the National Assessment of
Educational Progress. Learn more about the impact of NAEP, the online resources that are available for teachers,
and the strategies teachers can use to motivate students to try their best on the assessment.

Schools that showed this video to teachers in 2013
had a positive impact on student participation.

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140
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Principals to Teachers
Talking Points

■■

In 2013, the talking points for teachers had
a positive impact on student participation.
■■

What is NAEP?
The National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP) is the largest continuing and nationally
representative assessment that shows what students
across the country know and can do in various
subjects. It is different from our state assessments
and even the SAT and ACT because it represents
high school students across the country, not just
those here in our state or those who plan to go on
to college.

NAEP data can be used to compare and understand
the performance of demographic groups within
your state, the nation, and select urban districts.
Teachers can use sample NAEP questions and
scoring guides as a resource for understanding
student performance.

What do I have to do?
Your students will need to be out of class for about
120 minutes for the assessment. You do not have to
do anything to prepare for the assessment; you just
need to release students from class and encourage
them to do their best. Each student represents
thousands of other high school students across
the nation.

Why should I encourage my students to
participate?
NAEP is an important and integral part of education
in the United States. The results of NAEP are
released as The Nation’s Report Card. Encouraging
your students to participate and do their best gives
them the opportunity to show how well our nation’s
students perform.
■■

■■

Elected officials, policymakers, and educators
all use NAEP results to develop ways to improve
education.
NAEP provides a common measure of student
achievement across the country.

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Measure Up
Stay up-to-speed with NAEP news by reading Measure Up: NAEP News for the School Community. In this issue,
read about the NAEP 2013 Grade 12 Mathematics and Reading release.

INSIDE THIS EDITION

Measure Up

THANK YOU!
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF NAEP
NAEP 2015 TUDA PROGRAM

NAEP NEWS FOR THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

2015 NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION STUDY
TRANSITION TO TECHNOLOGY-BASED ASSESSMENTS
THE ENHANCED NAEP QUESTIONS TOOL
NAEP 2013 GRADE 12 MATHEMATICS AND READING RELEASE
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT ADMINISTRATIONS
NAEP SCORING
NAEP BEHIND THE SCENES

SPRING/SUMMER 2014
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF NAEP?
MAY 2014

• NAEP 2013 Mathematics and
Reading assessment results released
for grade 12.
SPRING/SUMMER 2014

• NAEP 2014 assessments will
be scored.
• Schools selected to participate in
NAEP 2015 will be notified.
WINTER 2015

THANK YOU!
Thanks to all schools that participated in the NAEP 2014 assessments
and helped to make it a success! The NAEP 2014 assessments were
administered between January and March and assessed students
in civics, geography, technology and engineering literacy,
U.S. history, and science pilots.

For more information about NAEP, visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

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• The NAEP 2015 Program
– Subjects: mathematics, reading,
and science
– Grades: 4, 8, and 12
– Some schools will take paper and pencil
assessments, and others will take the
pilot technology-based assessment.
Results will only be released for the
paper-and-pencil assessments.

Find us on:

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE NAEP 2015 TRIAL URBAN DISTRICT
ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

2015 NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION STUDY
In 2015, American Indian and Alaska Native students
participating in the NAEP mathematics and reading
assessments at grades 4 and 8 will also be included in the
National Indian Education Study (NIES). NIES is administered
as part of the NAEP to allow more in-depth reporting on the
achievement and experiences of American Indian/Alaska
Native students in grades 4 and 8. Students will participate
in NIES by completing the NAEP mathematics or reading
assessment and a short questionnaire. Teachers and school
administrators will also be asked to complete a questionnaire.

The NAEP 2015 Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) will
be conducted in reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8
for 21 urban districts. TUDA is intended to focus attention on
urban education and measure educational progress within
participating large urban districts. TUDA results are based
on the same mathematics and reading assessments used
to report national and state results, thus allowing students’
performance in the 21 participating districts to be compared
to the performance of their peers in the nation’s large cities as
well as their home state.

Learn more and see results from previous NIES studies.

TRIAL URBAN DISTRICT ASSESSMENT (TUDA)
PARTICIPANTS: 2002 – 2015
INITIAL YEAR
PARTICIPATING

DISTRICTS IN TUDA

2002

Atlanta, Chicago, District of Columbia,
Houston, Los Angeles, New York City

2003

Boston, Charlotte, Cleveland,
San Diego

2005

Austin Independent School District

2009

Baltimore, Detroit, Fresno,
Jefferson County (Louisville, KY),
Miami-Dade, Milwaukee *, Philadelphia

2011

Albuquerque, Dallas,
Hillsborough (Hillsborough, FL)

2015

Duval County (Jacksonville, FL)

NOTE: Listed districts continue to participate in successive
assessment years unless noted.
* Not participating in the Trial Urban District Assessments
scheduled for 2015.

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TRANSITION TO TECHNOLOGY-BASED
ASSESSMENTS
In the past decade, NAEP has progressed from administering
assessments via paper-and-pencil to include technologybased assessments in writing, technology and engineering
literacy (TEL), and science interactive computer tasks.
In 2015, NAEP will begin to transition the mathematics,
reading, and science assessments from paper and pencil to
technology-based assessments. Some schools will take the
traditional paper and pencil assessment, while other schools
will be asked to take a pilot technology-based assessment
on tablets. Each student will take NAEP in only one format
and one subject. Results will be released from the paper
and pencil assessments only. Information collected from the
pilots will not be released, but will be used to prepare for
future assessments.

EXPLORE THE ENHANCED NAEP
QUESTIONS TOOL
The NAEP Questions Tool (NQT) is a database of more than
3,000 questions, in nine subject areas, from past assessments
that have been released to the public and will not be
used again on NAEP assessments. NCES has developed an
enhanced version of the NQT that expands on its current
features to make the tool more useful. You can now use the
enhanced NQT to:
• sort and select NAEP questions more easily with a new
“drag and drop” viewing option,
• “Test yourself” on any NAEP subject with a more
customizable quiz function,
• create online, self-scoring quizzes that students can login
to take any time, and
• compare results to how students performed across
the nation.
The enhanced NQT contains math and reading items back
to 2005. By June 2014, all questions for all subjects will be
available.
The NQT can be used to supplement classroom instruction,
provide additional insight into the content of the
assessment, and show what students, in your district, state
and nationally, know and can do.
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NAEP 2013 GRADE 12 MATHEMATICS AND
READING RELEASE

NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS IN 2013
Students performing at or above Proficient level on NAEP
assessments demonstrate solid academic performance and
competency over challenging subject matter. Twenty-six and 38
percent of twelfth-graders performed at or above the Proficient
level in mathematics and reading, respectively, in 2013.

More than 92,000 twelfth-graders were assessed in either
reading or mathematics in 2013. The national sample of
schools and students was drawn from across the country. The
results from the assessed students were combined to provide
accurate estimates of the overall performance of students in
the nation and in the 13 states that participated in the twelfthgrade state pilot program: Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida,
Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

The percentages of racial/ethnic groups performing at
or above Proficient in 2013 ranged from 7 to 47 percent
in mathematics, and 16 to 47 percent in reading. Higher
percentages of Asian/Pacific Islander and White students
performed at or above the Proficient level in both mathematics
and reading. A higher percentage of students whose parents
graduated from college performed at or above Proficient
level in both mathematics and reading in 2013 compared to
students whose parents graduated from high school.

Standards established by the National Assessment
Governing Board required that school participation rates for
the original state samples were at least 85 percent for results
to be reported. All 13 states met this requirement with
participation rates of 90 to 100 percent.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education
Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 1992-2013 Mathematics and
Reading Assessments.

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SCORE GAINS FROM 2009 TO 2013

STATE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS

Four of the 11 grade 12 states that participated in both 2009
and 2013 scored gains in mathematics and/or reading. Score
gains in mathematics for Idaho and West Virginia increased
by 3 points while Arkansas and Connecticut saw a 4 point
increase. Arkansas and Connecticut saw a 5 and 6 point score
increase in reading, respectively, and were the only states
to see score gains in 2013 in both subjects. None of the
participating states scored significantly lower in 2013 than
in 2009.

Racial/ethnic score gaps narrowed from 2009 to 2013 in two
of the pilot states and widened in one state. The White –
Black score gap in mathematics narrowed from 2009 to 2013
in Arkansas and widened in Iowa. The White – Black score
gap in reading narrowed from 2009 to 2013 in Connecticut.
There were no significant changes in the White – Hispanic
score gaps in any of the pilot states.
See a map of changes in score gaps for racial/ethnic groups
in the pilot states for the in 2009 and 2013.
See how average scores and score gaps for racial/ethnic
groups in the pilot states compare to the results for public
school students in the nation.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education
Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009 and 2013 Mathematics and
Reading Assessments.

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NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
ASSESSMENT ADMINISTRATIONS

The coordination of the assessments will allow for
comparisons between international assessments and NAEP.

The NAEP assessments for mathematics, reading, and science
are coordinated with three National Center for Education
Studies (NCES) international assessments: Progress in
International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), Program for
International Student Assessment (PISA), and Trends in
International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).

The table below illustrates the national, international
assessments, and longitudinal studies NCES will recruit for,
administer and release results for during the 2014-2015
school year: Early Childhood Longitudinal Program (ECLS),
High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS), and Middle Grades
Longitudinal Study of 2016-2017 (MGLS).

NAEP SCORING

Scoring all NAEP items in an objective, consistent, and
valid fashion is a key program goal. There are a number of
steps in the NAEP scoring process that occur during three
general phases: scoring guide development and pilot, first
operational scoring, and subsequent operational scoring.
In all phases of scoring, quality control and validity checks
are implemented in the scanning, processing, and scoring
of multiple-choice items. To learn more about NAEP scoring,
visit http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/contracts/item_
score.asp.

The NAEP uses a combination of multiple-choice and
constructed-response items (questions) in its assessment
instruments. For multiple-choice items, students are required
to select an answer from a list of options; responses are
electronically scanned and scored. For constructed-response
items, students are required to provide their own answers;
responses are scanned and then scored by qualified and
trained scorers using a scoring guide and an electronic
image-processing and scoring system.
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NAEP Behind The Scenes

Learn more about the people who work behind the scenes to make NAEP the gold standard among assessments.

INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT BECKER ON
SCORING FOR NAEP

What is the most satisfying part of your job? What is the
most challenging?
The most satisfying part of my job is finding satisfying
solutions to the complex needs of the many different
stakeholders involved in NAEP constructed-response
scoring. The NAEP scoring process involves many different
players with many different schedules and needs.
Meshing all these moving pieces together in a coherent
fashion that produces the best quality NAEP scoring in an
appropriate timeframe is very rewarding.

Scott Becker is the Senior
Project Manager for NAEP
Scoring for Pearson.
His primary responsibility
is to provide support for the
scoring of NAEP constructedresponse items. Pearson
prints and distributes NAEP
assessment materials;
and scans and scores
assessment responses.

The most challenging part of my job is adjusting quickly
to the many changes and adjustments that always seem
to crop up. NAEP scoring is never dull!
Who scores NAEP items? How are scorers trained?
Where are NAEP items scored?
NAEP constructed-response scorers all have 4-year college
degrees. Beyond this single similarity they represent a
broad spectrum of the American workforce. Some are
recent college graduates while others are already retired
from successful careers and everything in between.

How long have you worked on the NAEP program?
“I‘ve worked on NAEP in various roles since 2003. I started
as a scorer on NAEP reading in March of 2003 at Pearson’s
Virginia Beach scoring site. I served as a NAEP trainer for
both reading and writing from 2005-2007. In August of
2007, I moved to Iowa City to begin my role as project
manager for Pearson’s federal programs team. As the
senior project manager for NAEP scoring, I provide
support for the scoring of constructed-response items
across all NAEP subject areas.”

NAEP scoring teams typically include 10-12 scorers and one
supervisor. The team is led by a trainer who has spent several
weeks mastering the content of the specific items the team
will be scoring. Trainers lead their teams through paper
training sets that present scorers with the item itself, the
scoring guide explaining the various score categories for the
item, and numerous examples of scored student responses
demonstrating how the scoring guide should be applied.

What in your past training and experience best prepared
you for your current job?
My experiences as both a NAEP scorer and trainer have
given me an excellent understanding of the NAEP
scoring process from the ground up, which allows me to
effectively serve the needs of both the NAEP program and
the Pearson staff responsible for actually scoring NAEP
student responses.

NAEP items are scored at various Pearson scoring sites
around the country. In any given year, NAEP may be
scored at any or all of the following locations: Mesa,
Arizona; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Columbus, Ohio; and
Lansing, Michigan.

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ONLINE RESOURCES
THANK YOU!
National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP)

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

2015 NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION STUDY (NIES)
National Indian Education Study

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nies

TRANSITION TO TECHNOLOGY-BASED ASSESSMENTS
NAEP Writing Computer-Based Assessments

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/writing/cba.aspx

Technology & Engineering Literacy Assessment

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/tel

Interactive Computer and Hands-On Tasks

http://nationsreportcard.gov/science_2009/ict_summary.aspx

THE ENHANCED NAEP QUESTIONS TOOL
The NAEP Questions Tool

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nqt

NAEP 2013 GRADE 12 MATHEMATICS AND READING RELEASE
The interactive Nation’s Report Card

http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_g12_2013/#/

State achievement levels

http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_g12_2013/#/
state-performance

State score changes

http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_g12_2013/#/
state-gains

State achievement gaps

http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_g12_2013/#/
state-gaps

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT ADMINISTRATIONS
International Activities Program

http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/international

Early Childhood Longitudinal Program (ECLS)

http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/kindergarten2011.asp

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09)

http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/hsls09

The Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2016-17
(MGLS:2017)

http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/mgls

NAEP SCORING
NAEP Item Scoring

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/contracts/item_score.asp

This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational Progress by Westat
under contract (ED-IES-13-C-0020) to the National Center for Educational Statistics, U.S.
Department of Education.

Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Resultsmobile app!

8

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149 Up
Measure

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Motivate Students

to Participate in and Do Their Best on NAEP

Students selected for NAEP represent hundreds of
other students like themselves. National results can
be compromised if students at your school do not fully
participate in the testing process. Your encouragement
will convey the importance of the assessment and
produce results that accurately measure what twelfthgraders know and can do.
Discussions with principals and an analysis of
student participation data from past assessments
reveal that schools that use multiple strategies have
higher participation rates than schools that do not.
Focus groups of seniors confirm the importance of
these strategies. Principals in past assessments have
found the following to be effective in engaging students
to take the assessment.

Share information about NAEP with your
twelfth-graders.
Hold a short meeting with students to explain NAEP
and how important it is for all selected students
to participate.
Show the 5-minute NAEP video, Introducing NAEP
to Students, and the Introducing NAEP to Students
PowerPoint presentation, that is customized
specifically for your school, to your sampled high
school students at an assembly or student meeting.
Post the video and PowerPoint on your school
website. The video could also be shown on school
television.
Mention NAEP as an important upcoming activity
during a school assembly or on the school website.

Consider ways to thank students for

their participation.

Recognize students who participated in NAEP.
Examples include:
– providing NAEP honor tags to wear
during graduation;
– providing free tickets to school events.

Give a pep talk to participating students at the

beginning of each assessment session. At that time,
you can
personally introduce the NAEP representatives, since
students demonstrate greater focus when they are
familiar with the test administrators;
show the NAEP video, Introducing NAEP to Students;
encourage students to do their best; and
remind students that, by participating, they
represent thousands of other high school students
across the nation.

Invite teachers to attend assessment sessions.
Their presence helps validate the assessment and
further motivates the students.
Inform students that they can find additional

resources and past results by visiting the NAEP website,
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/students.

Encourage students to find us on:

Include information about NAEP in student
newsletters or newspapers.
Use the Talking Points to answer students’ common
questions about NAEP.

Download the NAEP Results mobile app.
Get NAEP on the go with the
NAEP Results mobile app!

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Introducing NAEP to Students
PowerPoint Presentation

9/10/2014
9/10/2014
It is important for students to understand the importance of NAEP and know what to expect
for the
assessment. Share this PowerPoint presentation, customized specifically for your school, with your students.

Meeting with
students to explain
the importance of
NAEP had a positive
impact on student
participation in 2013.
Use this PowerPoint
presentation as
a resource for a
student meeting.

NAEP 2015
NAEP
2015
Coming soon
to Acme High School!
Coming soon to Acme High School!
N AT I O N A L A S S E S S M E N T O F E D U C AT I O N A L P R O G R E S S
N AT I O N A L A S S E S S M E N T O F E D U C AT I O N A L P R O G R E S S

What is NAEP?
What is NAEP?
NAEP stands for the National Assessment
of
Educational
Progress.
NAEP
stands for
the National Assessment
It is
also knownProgress.
as The Nation’s Report
of
Educational
Card.
It is also known as The Nation’s Report
Assesses
student achievement in major
Card.
subject
areas
across
the nationin
atmajor
grades
Assesses student
achievement
4,
8,
and
12.
subject areas across the nation at grades
 4,
Our8,school
has been
and 12.
selected
to
represent
 Our school has
been
schools
across
the
selected to represent
country.
schools across the








country.

2
2

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151
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

1
1

9/10/2014
9/10/2014

What is on the test?
What is on the test?

 Seniors will take a mathematics, reading,
science
on a tablet.
 or
Seniors
willassessment
take a mathematics,
reading,
on a tablet.
 or
Thescience
tabletsassessment
include a keyboard,
stylus,
earbuds.
You can
bring yourstylus,
own
 and
The tablets
include
a keyboard,
earbuds
if youYou
prefer.
and earbuds.
can bring your own
earbuds if you prefer.

3
3

What is on the test?
What is on the test?





Questions are multiple-choice, short
answer,
or are
essay.
Questions
multiple-choice, short
Some
questions
answer,
or essay.will be interactive. For
examples,
visit this
Some questions
will website:
be interactive. For
examples,
visit
this
website:
http://nationsreportcard.gov/science_2009/

http://nationsreportcard.gov/science_2009/
 Questions
about how your teachers teach,
educational
experiences,
and other
 your
Questions
about how
your teachers
teach,

information.
your educational experiences, and other
information.

4
4

2
2

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45

152
Introducing NAEP to Students PowerPoint Presentation

9/10/2014
9/10/2014

Sample Mathematics Question
Sample Mathematics Question
x-1
If f(x)=
x-1
x , what is f(5)?
If f(x)=
x , what is f(5)?
A
A
B

0
0
4

B
C

5
4
5
1

C
D

1
6

D
E
E

84% of students answered correctly
during the 2013 assessment.
84% of students answered correctly
during the 2013 assessment.

5
6
5
24
5
24
5

5
5

Sample Reading Excerpt
Sample Reading Excerpt
“I don't mean to put a damper on things. I just
mean we ought to treat fun reverently. It is a
“I don'tIt
mean
to put
damperlike
on things.
mystery.
cannot
beacaught
a virus.I just
It
mean
we
ought
to
treat
fun
reverently.
It is
a of mirth
cannot be trapped like an animal. The
god
mystery.
It back
cannot
be those
caught
likeofathinking
virus. Itfun
is paying us
for all
years
cannot
be
trapped
like
an
animal.
The
of mirth
was everywhere by refusing to come to ourgod
party.
I
is
paying
for all those
years of thinking
fun
don't
wantustoback
blaspheme
fun anymore.
When fun
was
everywhere
by dancing
refusing to
come
to probably
our party. I
comes
in on little
feet,
you
don't
to blaspheme
funfact,
anymore.
won'twant
be expecting
it. In
I bet itWhen
comesfun
when
comes
in
on
little
dancing
feet,
you
probably
you're doing your duty, your job, or your work. It may
won't
be expecting
it. In fact, I bet it comes when
even come
on a Tuesday.”
you're doing your duty, your job, or your work. It may
even come on a Tuesday.”
FUN by Suzanne Britt Jordan
From The New York Times, used with
FUN by Suzanne Britt Jordan
permission.
From The New York Times, used with
permission.

6
6

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Introducing NAEP to Students PowerPoint Presentation

9/10/2014
9/10/2014

Sample Reading Question
Sample Reading Question
Explain what
says,
"Fun
is
Explain
what
says, "Fun is

the author means when she
a
rare
jewel."
the
author
means when she
a rare jewel."

78% of students wrote an acceptable
response to this question during the 2013
78%
of students wrote an acceptable
assessment.
response to this question during the 2013
assessment.
7
7

Sample Science Question
Sample Science Question

25% of students had an
acceptable response to this
25%
of students
had
an
question
during the
2009
acceptable
response to this
assessment.
question during the 2009
assessment.

Use the information on the left
and your knowledge of
Use
the information
left
processes
that occuron
in the
stars
to
and
your
knowledge
of expect
predict
what
stages you
processes
that
occur
in
stars
each star to go through as it to
predict
ages. what stages you expect
each star to go through as it
What
ages. future stages will the Sun
likely go through? Select all
What
future stages will the Sun
that apply.
likely go through? Select all
that apply.
A Giant

A
B

Giant
Supergiant

B
C

Supergiant
White
dwarf

C White
dwarf
D
Planetary
nebula
D
E Planetary
Supernovanebula
E

Supernova

8
8

4
4

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154
Introducing NAEP to Students PowerPoint Presentation

9/10/2014
9/10/2014

How should I prepare for NAEP?
How should I prepare for NAEP?
Good news! You don’t have to study.
Just
yourYou
bestdon’t
to answer
Goodtry
news!
haveeach
to study.
question.
Just try your best to answer each
Your
scores will be anonymous, and will
question.
not
your
or academic
Youraffect
scores
willgrades
be anonymous,
andrecord
will
in
way.
notany
affect
your grades or academic record
 Your
scores
in any
way. will be combined with other
scores
to combined
show whatwith
seniors
 students’
Your scores
will be
other
know
about
the subject
students’
scores
to showareas
what across
seniorsthe
nation.
know about the subject areas across the
nation.







9
9

What should I expect?
What should I expect?






Testing takes place on January 26,
2015,
willplace
takeon
about
120 minutes.
Testingand
takes
January
26,
We
will and
call will
you take
out of
class120
thatminutes.
day.
2015,
about
You
will call
be given
a hall
pass that
telling
you
We will
you out
of class
day.
where
to
report.
You will be given a hall pass telling you
where to report.

10
10

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48

155
Introducing NAEP to Students PowerPoint Presentation

9/10/2014
9/10/2014

Your participation is important
Your participation is important






You represent seniors across the country.
Important
decisions
about
education
are
You represent
seniors
across
the country.
made
using
the
results
of
these
tests.
Important decisions about education are
You
can
contribute
to improving
the
made
using
the results
of these tests.
quality
educationtofor
all students
You canofcontribute
improving
the in the
United
quality States.
of education for all students in the
United States.

11
11

NAEP is important
NAEP is important
You have received a great education here
at
School.
YouAcme
haveHigh
received
a great education here
We
want High
you to
do your best because you
at Acme
School.
represent
seniors
across
Unitedyou
We want you
to doallyour
bestthe
because
States.
represent seniors all across the United
 It’s
a great way to do something good and
States.
contribute
thetofuture
of education.
 It’s a greatto
way
do something
good and
contribute to the future of education.






12
12

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156
Introducing NAEP to Students PowerPoint Presentation

9/10/2014
9/10/2014

Find out more
Find out more
 Visit NAEP:
 http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/students
Visit NAEP:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/students

 Follow NAEP:
 Follow NAEP:

13
13

Here’s a quick video made just
Here’s a quick
video made just
for students...
for students...

14
14

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50

157
Introducing NAEP to Students PowerPoint Presentation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Introducing NAEP to Students
Video

What is the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and why should students care? See what real students
have to say about NAEP and why their participation is important. Show this video to students in your school
who have been selected to take NAEP so that they can learn more about the assessment, how the results are
used, and how they can make a difference.

Meeting with students to explain the importance of NAEP
had a positive impact on student participation in 2013.
Use this video as a resource for a student meeting.

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Assembly Announcement
Sample

It is important for students to participate in NAEP and do their best. Use this assembly announcement to
explain the importance of student participation in NAEP.

I am pleased to announce that our school has been selected to
participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress,
also known as NAEP. You may have heard of NAEP. The results
are called The Nation’s Report Card because it measures student
achievement across the country. It is important because the
results help the President, Congress, and all of our educators
make decisions about how to improve our education system.
Not every student will be asked to take part in the assessment,
so for those of you who are chosen to participate, we encourage
you to take it seriously and do your best. You will represent other
students like yourselves, and you have a chance to have an
impact on the future education policy decisions in the United
States. Every student that is selected to participate makes a
difference. We will be providing more information for students
and teachers in the upcoming weeks. Thank you.

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

School Newsletter – NAEP 2014 is Coming!
Sample

It is important for students to participate in NAEP and do their best. Use this newsletter to share the
importance of NAEP and details about the upcoming assessment.

2015
Newsletter
What is NAEP?

Why is NAEP important?

The National Assessment of
Educational Progress, also known
as NAEP, is the largest nationally
representative assessment of what
students across the country know
and can do in a variety of subjects.
It has been around since 1969,
and allows us to compare student
progress over time.

The results of NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card and they
help the President, Congress, and all of our educators make decisions
about how to improve our education system.

What subjects will NAEP assess?
Students will be assessed in mathematics, reading, or science.
The assessment will be administered on tablets with a keyboard and stylus.
It will take approximately 120 minutes of student time.

Who will take NAEP?
NAEP 2015 will be administered to a nation-wide sample of students,
including [number] students here at [school name].

When will NAEP be administered?
NAEP 2015 will be administered here on [date].

Where can you find additional information?
Watch the NAEP student video: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/videos/
naepstudent.asp
Visit the NAEP website: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/students

Find NAEP on:

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

School Newspaper Article
Sample

It is important for students to participate in NAEP and do their best. Use this newspaper article to share
information about NAEP, its importance, and details about the upcoming assessment.

The Nation’s
Report Card and You
Soon you may notice some of your
classmates receiving hall passes to
excuse them from class on [assessment
date]. You will probably wonder: What
are they for, and? Where are these students going?
These students have been chosen to
participate in the National Assessment
of Educational Progress, also known as
NAEP. You may be thinking that NAEP
is just another test, but it’s not. NAEP is
different from our state assessments,
the SAT, and ACT because it represents
all high school students across the country, not just those who plan to go on
to college.
Ever heard of The Nation’s Report
Card? That’s NAEP: the assessment
results are released as The Nation’s
Report Card, and they help the President, Congress, and all of our educators
make decisions about how to improve
our education system. NAEP is what the
general public will hear about on the
news when reporters discuss what high
school students are learning.
The actual assessment takes about
120 minutes. During that time, students

Best Practices

54

will take a pilot technology-based
assessment in mathematics, reading,
and science on tablets. All students will
be asked questions about their educational experiences that may be related
to performance, such as homework and
reading habits. Student scores are anonymous and will not affect student grades
or academic records in any way. Instead,
they will be used to prepare for future
technology-based assessments.
Students who are selected to participate in NAEP have an important job
to do. NAEP will provide a national
snapshot of what students have learned
in school, and it is essential that students take it seriously, try their best,
and answer all the questions they can.
If you would like to see questions or
results from past NAEP assessments
and learn more about NAEP and why it
is important for students, check out
NAEP on Twitter and Facebook, or visit
http:// nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
students.

161
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Certificate

of Community Service

Does your school require students to collect community service hours? NAEP provides a Certificate of
Community Service for students participating in NAEP.

Certificate
of Community Service

This is to verify that (Name of Student)
has completed 1½ hours of community service by participating in the National Assessment
of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAEP is the largest continuing and nationally representative
assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in core subjects. Since each
sampled student represents many others throughout the state and country, each student’s
participation is critical to NAEP’s success.

Peggy Carr, Ph.D.
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics

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55

Find us on:

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Principals and Teachers to Students
Talking Points

In 2013, the talking points for students had
a positive impact on student participation.

What is NAEP?
NAEP stands for the National Assessment of
Educational Progress. You may know it as The
Nation’s Report Card. It’s the largest continuing
and nationally representative assessment of what
students across the country know and can do in
various subjects. It is different from our state
assessments and even the SAT and ACT because
it represents all high school students across the
country, not just those here in our state or those
who plan to go on to college.

What do I have to do?
You will take the test with other selected students.
The test takes only about 120 minutes. Students
will take a pilot technology-based assessment
in mathematics, reading, and science on tablets.
Each student will be assessed in only one subject.
Your scores will be anonymous and will not affect
your grades or academic record in any way. Instead,
they will be used to prepare for future technologybased assessments. You should do your best because
you were selected to represent students just like you
across the country. When NAEP results are reported
in the news, they influence the public’s opinion of
what high school students across the United States
know and can do.

Why should I participate?
NAEP is important. The results of NAEP are released
as The Nation’s Report Card and they help the
President, Congress, and all of our educators make
decisions about how to improve our educational
system. By participating, you have the ability to
influence those decisions and contribute to the
quality of education for future students. Not all
students take the assessment. You have been
chosen to represent other high school students in
our school, in our state, and across the country. It
is important that you take part and put forth your
best effort.

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

More on the Twelfth-Grade Challenge
Low participation and low motivation
can undermine the validity and
credibility of the results from the
National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) for high school
seniors. This section includes
participation rate data from strategies
used in NAEP 2013, the last time NAEP
assessed mathematics and reading at
twelfth grade. In addition, this section
includes examples of NAEP in the news
to illustrate the importance of NAEP
and how the media reports on The
Nation’s Report Card.
The National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES), which administers
NAEP, and the National Assessment
Governing Board, which sets policy for
NAEP, have been concerned about the
participation of high school seniors in
NAEP and their motivation to do their
best. In response to this issue, NCES
convened a Secondary School Principals
Working Group in 2005. This section
also includes the working group’s
recommendations.

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The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Grade 12 Student Participation
Increased Across the Board from 2005

Student participation increased from 2005 to 2013. This section illustrates the relationship between the
strategies used from the Best Practices Guide and participation of students.

Grade 12 Student Participation for Public Schools by Geographic Region
100
90

84
80

80
70

66

Percent

60

84 86

84
76

71

82 84
75
67

61

80

62

2005
2009

50

2013

40
30
20
10
0
National Public

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58

West

South

Midwest

Northeast

165
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

Grade 12 Student Participation for Public Schools by Race/Ethnicity

100
90
80

80
67

70

88

84 85

85

84
79

83

80

78

66

70

65

66
2005

Percent

60

2009

50

2013

40
30
20
10
0
White,
not Hispanic

Black,
not Hispanic

Hispanic

Asian/
American Indian/
Pacific Islander
Alaska Native

Grade 12 Student Participation for Public Schools by Size of School and Type of Location

100
90
80

85

88
79

75

70

82
75

89

76

80

84

65

62

60
Percent

83

87

83
77

61
2005

51

50

2009
2013

40
30
20
10
0

Small

Medium
Size of School

Best Practices

Large

Rural

Suburb

City

Type of Location

166
59
Grade 12 Student Participation Increased Across the Board from
2005

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Types of Strategies
Used by High Schools

Public high schools used a variety of strategies to
improve the participation and engagement of their
seniors. Six strategies emerged that were associated
with a statistically significant difference in average
student participation rates between schools that
used the strategies and those that did not. They
include the following:

Announce NAEP prior to assessment day to
parents, students, and faculty;

Recognize students who participated at a

school awards assembly or other announcement;

Hold a meeting with seniors to explain the
importance of NAEP using the resources in the
Best Practices Guide;
Explain the importance of NAEP to teachers

Invite teachers to attend the assessment session;
and

Give students an item, such as a ticket to a school
event, yearbook, etc. for participating in NAEP.

In general, the relationship between use of these
strategies and average student participation rates
held for small, medium, and large schools. Small
schools have fewer than 300 seniors. Medium
schools have between 300 and 599 seniors. Large
schools have more than 600 seniors.
The majority of public high schools used more than
one of these six strategies. Average participation
rates tended to increase with the number of
strategies that were used, especially among large
high schools.

using the PowerPoint presentation and video in the
Best Practices Guide;

Number of Strategies Used by Schools and Their Student Participation Rates
Number of Strategies

Student participation rate

None of these strategies

82%

One strategy

85%

Two strategies

85%

Three strategies

87%

Four strategies

89%

Five strategies

90%

Six strategies

94%

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The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Use of Strategies by High Schools
More is More!

  trategies from the Best Practices Guide have improved the overall
S
student participation rate to 84 percent in 2013, an increase of
18 percentage points from the low of 66 percent in 2005.

NAEP 2013

Average Student Participation Rates
Using six
strategies

Average student
participation rates
increased with
the number of
strategies used

Using no
strategies

94%

vs.

82%

Student Participation Rates Using vs. Not Using Strategies
Medium-sized Schools
Announce

NAEP prior to assessment day

%
79
Not using

%
83
Using

Recognize

%
87
Using

%
82
Not using

teachers to attend assessment

%
83
Not using

Meet

%
84
Using

%
83
Not using

Give

with students

students an item

%
84
Using

Best Practices

importance of NAEP to teachers

Invite

students who participate

%
86
Using

Explain

%
81
Not using

61

%
86
Using

%
82
Not using

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

NAEP in the News
Video

What does the media have to say about NAEP and the academic progress of high school students? This is a
short video that shows how the media reported on the last grade 12 release.

NAEP in the News

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Goals to Improve Participation and Engagement
in 12th-Grade NAEP

NCES convened a Secondary School Principals Working Group in 2005 to address participation rates. Read
this summary to see their recommendations to improve student participation and engagement.

Goals to Improve
Participation and Engagement
in 12th Grade NAEP
National
Assessment
Educational
Progress
of

THE SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS WORKING GROUP
Nation’s
Report
Card

Statement of the Problem

• There has been a decline in 12th grade school and student participation in some NAEP assessments.
• Many students who do participate fail to try as hard as they can.
• The current participation rate of high school seniors in the NAEP assessment threatens the validity
of NAEP data and may present a distorted picture of the condition of the nation’s high schools.

•

NAEP is in danger of underreporting the academic performance of America’s high school students.

In 2005, The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) convened a working group of public secondary school
principals from across the country to tap into their knowledge of what works in their high schools and what may work
in other schools. The principals were selected to represent a variety of school settings and sizes. The Working Group
was charged with reviewing the issues detailed above, accumulating information about the problem, and making specific
recommendations to NCES for improving school and student participation in NAEP assessments. Below are the members
of the Working Group. On the reverse side are the Group’s recommendations. NCES is in the process of implementing
some recommendations and exploring the feasibility of others.
Principals Working Group Members
Tim Davis, Central High School, Rutherfordton, NC
Donald Wood Foucar, Helena High School, Helena, MT
Todd Harvey, Glasgow High School, Newark, DE
Charles Heinlein, St Mary’s High School, St. Mary’s, WV
Jean Massey, Northwest Rankin High School, Brandon, MS

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63

Keith Maxey, Blue Springs South High School, Blue Springs, MO
John Modest, West Charlotte High School, Charlotte, NC
Linda S. Perie, retired principal, Snoqualmie, WA
Oscar A. Troncoso, Socorro High School, El Paso, TX

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

1. NAEP participation and results must be relevant and meaningful to primary stakeholders:
students, schools, parents, and local districts.
RECOMMENDATIONS

• Provide direct and specific performance feedback to participating schools and students soon after the assessment.
• Focus communications to educate primary stakeholders about the importance of NAEP.
• Offer incentives and recognition that have value to stakeholders.

2. Expand the involvement and sense of ownership by the school and provide increased
logistical support for administering NAEP.
RECOMMENDATIONS

• Incorporate NAEP into school calendars by notifying schools no later than May 1 in the year prior to the assessment.
• Provide early and frequent direct communication with the school.
• Provide a “best practices” toolkit and reimburse the school for incidental costs associated with administering NAEP.
• Test the entire class or grade to accommodate the diverse schedules of high school students with at least one
alternative testing session.
• Principals or their designees should be a visible presence.

3. NAEP must become an integral part of the assessment environment in schools today.
RECOMMENDATIONS

• NAEP 12th grade assessments should have the same requirements as 4th and 8th grades
under the No Child Left Behind Act.
• Redesign NAEP.
• Examine testing window (spring of junior year or fall of senior year).
• Design the test—increasing the length if necessary—to make it possible to provide specific feedback
to primary stakeholders.
• Incorporate computer-based assessment.
• Embed NAEP in other required tests.
• Undertake a national campaign targeted to higher education, the military, the business community,
and policymakers.
This publication was prepared for the National Assessment of Educational
Progress by Hager Sharp under contract ED-02-PO-2738 to the National
Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

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64

Goals to Improve Participation and Engagement in 12th-Grade171
NAEP

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

NAEP in Your State
How is NAEP data used in your state? Use these resource to find out more about the NAEP data available in
your state.

Arkansas

Mathematics

Grade 12
Public Schools

2013 S t a t e S n a p s h o t R e p o r t
Overall Results

Achievement-Level Percentages and Average Score Results

In 2013, the average score of twelfth-grade students in Arkansas
was 150. This was lower than the average score of 152 for public
school students in the nation.
The average score for students in Arkansas in 2013 (150) was
higher than their average score in 2009 (146).
The score gap between higher performing students in Arkansas
(those at the 75th percentile) and lower performing students (those
at the 25th percentile) was 38 points in 2013. This performance
gap was not significantly different from that in 2009 (41 points).
The percentage of students in Arkansas who performed at or
above the NAEP Proficient level was 18 percent in 2013. This
percentage was not significantly different from that in 2009 (16
percent).
The percentage of students in Arkansas who performed at or
above the NAEP Basic level was 64 percent in 2013. This
percentage was greater than that in 2009 (59 percent).
Compare the Average Score in 2013 to Other States/Jurisdictions

¹

*
#

Significantly different (p < .05) from state's results in 2013. Significance
tests were performed using unrounded numbers.
Rounds to zero.
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Average Scores for State/Jurisdiction and Nation (public)

Department of Defense Education Activity (overseas and domestic schools).

In 2013, the average score in Arkansas (150) was
lower than those in 9 states/jurisdictions
higher than those in 2 states/jurisdictions
not significantly different from that in 1 state/jurisdiction

*

Results for Student Groups in 2013

Score Gaps for Student Groups
Percentages

Percent of

Avg.

at or above

Percent at

students score Basic Proficient Advanced

Reporting Groups
Race/Ethnicity
White

66

156

74

23

1

Black

21

130

36

3

#

9

143

55

Hispanic

Significantly different (p < .05) from 2013. Significance tests were
performed using unrounded numbers.

10

#

Asian

2

‡

‡

‡

‡

American Indian/Alaska Native

1

‡

‡

‡

‡

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

#

‡

‡

‡

‡

Two or more races

1

‡

‡

‡

‡

In 2013, Black students had an average score that was 26
points lower than White students. This performance gap
was narrower than that in 2009 (33 points).
In 2013, Hispanic students had an average score that was
13 points lower than White students. This performance gap
was not significantly different from that in 2009 (18 points).
In 2013, male students in Arkansas had an average score
that was higher than female students by 3 points.

Gender
Male

50

151

66

21

1

Female

50

148

62

15

#

# Rounds to zero.
‡ Reporting standards not met.
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Black includes African
American and Hispanic includes Latino. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin.
NOTE: Statistical comparisons are calculated on the basis of unrounded scale scores or percentages.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009 and 2013 Mathematics Assessments.

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

NAEP in Your State

Arkansas

Reading

Grade 12
Public Schools

2013 S t a t e S n a p s h o t R e p o r t
Overall Results

Achievement-Level Percentages and Average Score Results

In 2013, the average score of twelfth-grade students in Arkansas
was 285. This was lower than the average score of 287 for public
school students in the nation.
The average score for students in Arkansas in 2013 (285) was
higher than their average score in 2009 (280).
The score gap between higher performing students in Arkansas
(those at the 75th percentile) and lower performing students (those
at the 25th percentile) was 48 points in 2013. This performance
gap was not significantly different from that in 2009 (50 points).
The percentage of students in Arkansas who performed at or
above the NAEP Proficient level was 33 percent in 2013. This
percentage was greater than that in 2009 (29 percent).
The percentage of students in Arkansas who performed at or
above the NAEP Basic level was 72 percent in 2013. This
percentage was greater than that in 2009 (68 percent).
Compare the Average Score in 2013 to Other States/Jurisdictions

¹

*

Significantly different (p < .05) from state's results in 2013. Significance
tests were performed using unrounded numbers.
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Average Scores for State/Jurisdiction and Nation (public)

Department of Defense Education Activity (overseas and domestic schools).

In 2013, the average score in Arkansas (285) was
lower than those in 8 states/jurisdictions
higher than that in 1 state/jurisdiction
not significantly different from those in 3 states/jurisdictions

*

Results for Student Groups in 2013

Score Gaps for Student Groups
Percentages

Percent of

Avg.

at or above

Percent at

students score Basic Proficient Advanced

Reporting Groups
Race/Ethnicity
White

66

Black

292

80

40

21

263

49

12

Hispanic

9

278

66

22

2

Asian

2

‡

‡

‡

‡

4
1

American Indian/Alaska Native

1

‡

‡

‡

‡

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

#

‡

‡

‡

‡

Two or more races

Significantly different (p < .05) from 2013. Significance tests were
performed using unrounded numbers.

1

‡

‡

‡

‡

Male

50

278

65

27

2

Female

50

291

79

39

5

In 2013, Black students had an average score that was 29
points lower than White students. This performance gap
was not significantly different from that in 2009 (28 points).
In 2013, Hispanic students had an average score that was
14 points lower than White students. This performance gap
was not significantly different from that in 2009 (18 points).
In 2013, female students in Arkansas had an average
score that was higher than male students by 14 points.

Gender

# Rounds to zero.

‡ Reporting standards not met.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Black includes African
American and Hispanic includes Latino. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin.
NOTE: Statistical comparisons are calculated on the basis of unrounded scale scores or percentages.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009 and 2013 Reading Assessments.

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Principals and Teachers to Parents
Talking Points

What is NAEP?

What does my child have to do?

The National Assessment of Educational Progress,
or NAEP, is often called the gold standard of
assessments and has been around since 1969. It’s
called The Nation’s Report Card because it tells us
how students across the country are doing. It is
different than any of the other tests your child takes
in school – including state assessments and even the
SAT and ACT – because it represents all high school
students in the United States, not just those here
in [state] or those who plan to go on to college. As
the largest national test, the results are found in the
headlines of national and local news stories all over
the country.

If your child is selected to participate in the
assessment, he or she will need to be out of class for
about 120 minutes. The results are anonymous and
your child’s grades won’t be affected. We encourage
students to get a good amount of sleep the night
before and to eat breakfast that morning. Please
encourage your child to do his/her best.

Why should I encourage my child
to participate?
NAEP is a window into the state of our educational
system and what students are learning. It opens the
door for parents to understand how well children
like theirs are doing compared to other students
in participating large urban districts, other states,
the nation, and the rest of the world. Your child
has been selected to represent other students like
him/her across the country. Not every student or
every school takes the test, and your child can help
to show the country just how much all our high
school students know and can do. The results of
NAEP help the President, Congress, and educators
make informed decisions about how to improve our
educational system. When your child participates,
he/she is making a difference.

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67

Where can I find more information on NAEP?
Visit The Nation’s Report Card online at
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard and dig
deeper into topics such as:
How your child was selected
NAEP accommodations
NAEP scoring
Access the NAEP parent brochure at http://nces.ed.gov/
pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2012469.
Stay involved! Connect with NAEP online to be
the first to know about upcoming assessments
and reports.

Download the NAEP Results mobile app.
Get NAEP on the go with the
NAEP Results mobile app!

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Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Parent Brochure
Share this brochure with parents so they can discover more about the NAEP program and what the
assessment will mean for their child.

U.S. Department of Education
NCES 2012-469

The Nation’s Report Card

What Every Parent Should
Know About NAEP

You’ve probably
heard of The Nation’s
Report Card.
It’s a resource. It’s a
national wakeup call.
It’s a window into
the state of our
educational system
and what students
are learning.

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68

It’s more than just a test.
Today’s students take tests for everything.
The National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP), though, is different. It’s
called The Nation’s Report Card because it tells
us how students across the country, not just
in one particular school or state, are doing.

175
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

“[T]he definitive source… for state-to-state
comparisons in educational achievement…”
-Influence: A Study of the Factors of Educational Achievement

“Only 12% of U.S. high
school seniors are
proficient in the legacy
of America’s past.”

“…higher math scores
are “undoubtedly” a
sign of the success of
math instruction in
classrooms…”

“…urban school
districts have
steadily increased
their scores since
2003…”

Everyone’s talking about NAEP. As the
largest national test, its results are found
in the headlines of national and local news
stories all over the country.

“NAEP is the
gold standard
of student
assessments.”

“Students taking the math exam
who reported taking algebra I in
eighth grade tended to outscore
their peers who had not taken
algebra I.”

-The Washington Post editorial board

“The nation’s report card on math
and reading shows fourth- and
eighth-graders scoring their
best ever in math…”

“Today’s NAEP
results confirm that
we have a crisis
on our hands
when it comes to
civics education.”

“Very few students
have the advanced
skills that could lead
to careers in science
and technology,
according to the
results of a national
exam…”

NAEP: The Big Picture
The Nation’s Report Card opens the door for
parents to understand how well children like theirs
are doing compared to other students in:
•
•
•
•

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69

Participating large urban districts
Other states
The nation
The rest of the world!

176
Parent Brochure PowerPoint Presentation

NAEP in a
Nutshell
• It is often called the gold
standard of tests and has
been around since 1969.
• The subjects most frequently
tested are math, reading,
science, and writing.
• Not every student or every
school takes the test.
• The results are anonymous
and if your child is asked to
take it, his or her grades won’t
be affected.
• Accommodations are
provided so that as many
students as possible can
participate.

How would
my child
stack up?
Use real NAEP questions to find out.
After each test, dozens of NAEP sample questions are
released with The Nation’s Report Card to show how real
students performed in that subject.

As part of the U.S. history assessment, students were
asked the purpose of the Declaration of Independence.

34 percent of fourth-grade students
answered correctly.

As part of the math test, students were asked to subtract
46 from 972 and fill in their answer.

76 percent of fourth-grade students
answered correctly.

Give it a try. Test yourself!
Lightning and thunder happen at the same time, but
you see the lightning before you hear the thunder.
Explain why this is so.

Do you know
the answer?
Find out online!

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70

177
Parent Brochure PowerPoint Presentation

What do all of these
NAEP results tell us
about education?
See how your state measures up.

Go beyond the scores.

You can use NAEP results to compare your state to the
nation, other states, and some large urban districts.

NAEP reports provide more than just results in school
subjects and grades.
See how students have performed over time,
including by racial/ethnic groups and gender.
NAEP also looks at differences between the performances of
groups of students, illuminating achievement gaps that exist
among the nation’s students.
Learn which states are closing achievement gaps,
and see whether your state is making progress.
NAEP examines the path to high school graduation by
studying coursetaking and grades of America’s most recent
high school graduates.
Find out if your child is prepared for the future.

Look at the full picture.
NAEP also looks at the factors that may be related to learning—both inside and outside the classroom.

Fourth-graders who reported reading for fun
almost every day scored higher on NAEP.
The percentage of twelfth-grade students who
reported studying the U.S. Constitution in
2010 was lower than in 2006.
Eighth-graders who reported taking algebra I
scored higher on average than students taking
lower-level courses.

Since 1990, more high school graduates from
each racial/ethnic group completed a rigorous

curriculum.
90 percent of fourth-graders who took the NAEP
reading assessment in 2011 reported that they had

a home computer.
More than any other single subject, science was the

key to reaching a higher curriculum level.

NAEP Sparks Change Across the Country

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71

Detroit, Michigan

North Carolina

In 2009, the NAEP assessment revealed that Detroit
schoolchildren ranked the lowest in the nation in both
grades 4 and 8. In response to the alarming results,
The Detroit Free Press partnered with Detroit Public
Schools (DPS) to create and implement a new reading
initiative, The Call to Action for a new Reading Corps,
which encouraged citizens to volunteer 100,000 hours
collectively to tutor reading in DPS schools.

In 2005, results from the NAEP reading assessment
revealed that eighth grade students in North Carolina
scored below the national average. In response, the state
deployed more than 200 literacy coaches to middle
schools around the state to help teachers reach students
with reading difficulties before they made the transition
to high school.

178
Parent Brochure PowerPoint Presentation

Visit The Nation’s Report Card online.
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard
Dig deeper into topics such as:
• How your child was selected
• NAEP accommodations
• NAEP scoring

Stay involved! Connect with
NAEP online to be the first
to know about upcoming
assessments and reports.

This document was prepared for the National Center for Education
Statistics under Contract No. ED-07-DO-0338 with Hager Sharp.

www.ed.gov

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72

ies.ed.gov

179
Parent Brochure PowerPoint Presentation

The Twelfth-Grade Challenge

Parent Brochure
Video

Give parents a “virtual video tour” that brings the NAEP parent brochure to life!

NAEP: The Big Picture
You’ve probably

It’s more than just a test.

heard of The Nation’s
The Nation’s Report
Card opens the door for
Report Card.
parents to understand how well children like theirs
It’s a resource. It’s a
are doing compared
to other students in:
national wakeup call.
Today’s students take tests for everything.
The National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP), though, is different. It’s
called The Nation’s Report Card because it tells
us how students across the country, not just
in one particular school or state, are doing.

It’s a window into

the statelarge
of our urban districts
• Participating
educational system
• Other states
and what students
are learning.
• The nation
• The rest of the world!

“[T]he definitive source… for state-to-state
comparisons in educational achievement…”
-Influence: A Study of the Factors of Educational Achievement

“Only 12% of U.S. high
school seniors are
proficient in the legacy
of America’s past.”

“…higher math scores
are “undoubtedly” a
sign of the success of
math instruction in
classrooms…”

“…urban school
districts have
steadily increased
their scores since
2003…”

Everyone’s talking about NAEP. As the
largest national test, its results are found
in the headlines of national and local news
stories all over the country.

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73

“NAEP is the
gold standard
of student
assessments.”

“Students taking the mat
who reported taking alg
eighth grade tended to o
their peers who had not
algebra I.”

-The Washington Post editorial board

“The nation’s report card on m
and reading shows fourth- a
eighth-graders scoring the
best ever in math…”

“Today’s NAEP
results confirm that
we have a crisis
on our hands
when it comes to
civics education.”

180
Guide for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

“Very few stud
have the adva
skills that cou
to careers in sc
and technolog
according to th
results of a na
exam…”

The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with
the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and
other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed
in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every NCES employee as well
as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to
a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable
information about students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for
viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the
Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across
respondents to produce statistical reports.

181

Dear School Principal,
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest continuing and nationally
representative measure of student achievement. Your school has been selected to participate in digitally
based mathematics, reading, and science pilot assessments and special studies. Results will not be
released but will be used to inform future NAEP assessments.
NAEP results provide valuable feedback to educators, elected officials, and policymakers who work to
maintain and improve the quality of our education system. Since NAEP is designed to assess a
representative sample of our nation’s students, the accuracy of NAEP relies on the full participation of
you, your students, and teachers.

Twelfth-grade participation
Historically, twelfth-grade student participation in NAEP has been a challenge. Student participation
reached an all-time low in 2005—only 66 percent of sampled seniors participated. Both low participation
and low motivation can undermine the validity and credibility of NAEP results for high school students.
As the graph below demonstrates, NAEP participation has increased significantly with the
implementation of The Best Practices Guide in 2007. However, there was a decrease in student
participation in 2015.
NAEP School and Student Participation Rates for Public Schools: Grade 12

Recommendations from the Secondary School Principals’
Working Group
The Best Practices Guide was created after NCES convened a Secondary School Principals’ Working
Group in 2005 to address twelfth-grade participation rates. After discussing participation rates, student
motivation, and high school student results, the Principals’ Working Group concluded that the results did
not reflect the true level of achievement of their students. The Principals’ Working Group also concluded
that high school principals and other school leaders could help improve participation rates by obtaining
teacher buy-in and motivating students to show up and do their best, and that best practices for achieving
high participation should be shared with principals. Their recommendations set the stage for the initial
Best Practices Guide prepared for the 2007 assessment.

182

Preparing for NAEP 2018
Each year, NAEP provides resources and strategies to promote the importance of the assessment with
teachers, students, and parents. These are updated with each grade 12 administration to reflect lessons
learned from administrators like you.
This year, Best Practices: Strategies for Supporting Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation is all digital—
organized around the theme of “NAEP and Your School: A Winning Combination!” You can download
more than 15 customizable resources and templates directly from www.mynaep.com.
Prepare & Schedule

Work with Teachers

Motivate Students

Inform Parents

Student Notification
Letter

Introducing NAEP to
Teachers video

Introducing NAEP to
Students video

Parent/Guardian
Notification Letter

Morning
Announcement
Template

Talking Points for
Principals to Teachers

Talking Points for
Teachers to Students

Talking Points for
Principals and Teachers
to Parents

Social Media Posts

Measure Up newsletter

Certificate of
Community Service

Nation’s Report Card
website

NAEP in Your School

Introducing NAEP to
Teachers PowerPoint

Introducing NAEP to
Students PowerPoint

Introducing NAEP to
Parents PowerPoint

Facts for Principals

NAEP Questions Tool

Twelfth-Grade
Incentive Ideas

What Every Parent
Should Know about
NAEP brochure

Announcement
PowerPoint Slide

In addition, you will receive four emails in the months leading up to the assessment. Each email will
highlight effective strategies for encouraging participation and will link to the above resources.

What’s in your box?
Your Best Practices box contains a lanyard and flash drive for downloading Best Practices resources and
customizable templates from www.mynaep.com.
If you have any questions about Best Practices or the upcoming NAEP assessment, please contact me at
NSC email or NSC phone number. The NAEP 2018 assessment is another opportunity to show the public
and everyone around the world, what our seniors know and can do in core subjects.
Sincerely,
NSC Name

183

Subject: Prepare & Schedule
Timeframe: Week of 10/16/17
To: School Principal
CC: School Coordinator

Best Practices

Strategies for Supporting
Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

NAEP and Your School: A Winning Combination!
ANNOUNCE | NOTIFY | EMPOWER
Planning for NAEP activities in advance can help ensure a successful administration. The actual day
of the assessment runs most smoothly when your school staff is prepared to accommodate the
assessment. I am available to answer any questions you have as you prepare for and schedule the
assessment.

Strategy 1:
ANNOUNCE

Use the sample social media posts to announce that NAEP is coming to your
school in 2018. Also post a message on your school’s website about NAEP.

Strategy 2:
NOTIFY

Use the sample student notification letter to notify selected students of their
participation in the NAEP assessment and to give more details about the
importance of NAEP.

Remind teachers and students of the assessment in the morning
announcements using the sample morning announcement templates.
Teachers should dismiss selected students prior to the assessment using the
student appointment cards on www.mynaep.com in the Support Assessment
Activities section.

Schedule NAEP on the annual school calendar. This allows NAEP to be
recognized as a part of your school’s schedule of activities and helps avoid
scheduling conflicts.
Notify students and staff by including the announcement PowerPoint slide in
classroom monitors/screens.

Strategy 3:
EMPOWER

Learn more about NAEP 2018 by accessing Facts for Principals.
Empower your NAEP school coordinator to effectively prepare for the
assessment by providing the NAEP in Your School fact sheet.

INCREASING STUDENT PARTICIPATION
Six strategies are associated with a statistically significant improvement in average student
participation rates. In the months leading up the assessment, you will receive information on how to
implement the strategies below.
ANNOUNCE NAEP prior to assessment
day to parents, students, and faculty.

RECOGNIZE STUDENTS that
participated at a school awards assembly
or other announcement.

HOLD A MEETING with seniors to
explain the importance of NAEP using
the resources shared in the Best
Practices emails.

EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE of NAEP
to teachers using the PowerPoint
presentation and video.

INVITE TEACHERS to attend
assessment sessions.

GIVE STUDENTS an item, such as
tickets to a school event, yearbook, etc.
for participating in NAEP.

Discover More Strategies and Resources
184

Subject: Work with Teachers
Timeframe: Week of 11/6/17
To: School Principal
CC: School Coordinator

Best Practices

Strategies for Supporting
Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

NAEP and Your School: A Winning Combination!
SHARE | PROVIDE | USE
Teachers are essential in motivating students to do their best on NAEP. It is important that teachers
understand that NAEP is a valuable tool to show the nation what high school students know and can
do in core subjects. Teachers may be reluctant to lose instructional time to an assessment, but it is
important to have students participate and do their best on NAEP to ensure an accurate picture of
high school student achievement.

Strategy 1:
SHARE

Hear what real educators are saying about NAEP by watching the Introducing
NAEP to Teachers video. In this 5-minute video teachers will learn more
about the impact of NAEP, online resources, and strategies they can use to
motivate students to do their best on the assessment.
Present the Introducing NAEP to Teachers PowerPoint presentation at a
faculty meeting.

Strategy 2:
PROVIDE

Give teachers the Measure Up newsletter. It includes information about
upcoming NAEP activities, results from recently released NAEP assessments
and how they are being used, and how NAEP’s online tools can be used as a
classroom resource.

Strategy 3:
USE

Refer to the Talking Points from Principals to Teachers to answer teachers’
questions about NAEP. Principals can use these talking points to reiterate why
teachers should encourage their students to participate.
Use the NAEP Questions Tool to supplement classroom instruction, provide
additional insight into the content of the assessment, design classroom
assessments, and show what students nationally or in your state or district
know and can do in core subjects.

Discover More Strategies and Resources

185

Subject: Motivate Students  
Timeframe: Week of 12/4/17
To: School Principal
CC: School Coordinator

Best Practices

Strategies for Supporting
Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

NAEP and Your School: A Winning Combination!
GIVE | REMIND | THANK
Students selected for NAEP represent thousands of other students like themselves. National results
can be compromised if students at your school do not fully participate in the testing process. Your
encouragement will convey the importance of the assessment and produce results that accurately
measure what twelfth-graders know and can do in core subjects.

Strategy 1:
GIVE

Invite selected students to participate in NAEP using the specially designed
invitations that were sent to your school earlier in the fall.

Strategy 2:
REMIND

Use the Talking Points from Teachers to Students to remind students of their
important role in the NAEP assessment.

Strategy 3:
THANK

Thank students who participated in NAEP at a school awards assembly and
give them a Certificate of Community Service.

Give students who have been selected to take NAEP an opportunity to ask
questions after showing the 5-minute video Introducing NAEP to Students.

Remind students of what to expect when they take NAEP by sharing the
Introducing NAEP to Students PowerPoint presentation at an assembly or
student meeting.

Choose from the twelfth-grade incentive ideas to thank students for their
participation in NAEP.

Discover More Strategies and Resources

186

Subject: Inform Parents  
Timeframe: Week of 1/8/17
To: School Principal
CC: School Coordinator

Best Practices

Strategies for Supporting
Twelfth-Grade NAEP Participation

NAEP and Your School: A Winning Combination!
INFORM | ENCOURAGE | INVITE
NAEP is the largest continuing and nationally representative measure of student achievement. NAEP
results provide valuable feedback to educators, elected officials, and policymakers who work to
maintain and improve the quality of our educational system. Since NAEP is designed to assess a
representative sample of our nation’s students, the accuracy of NAEP relies on the support of
parents and the full participation of their twelfth-graders and the school.

Strategy 1:
INFORM

Inform parents of their student’s selection to participate in NAEP 2018 and
provide them with a copy of the Parent/Guardian Notification Letter.
Use the Talking Points From Principals and Teachers to Parents to answer
questions from parents.

Strategy 2:
ENCOURAGE

Direct parents to the Nation’s Report Card website for more information.

Strategy 3:
INVITE

Invite parents to learn more about the NAEP assessment by showing the
Introducing NAEP to Parents PowerPoint presentation at a parent-teacher
organization meeting.

Encourage parents to call or email their student’s principal or the NAEP school
coordinator to ask questions or to receive additional information.

Provide parents with the What Every Parent Should Know About NAEP
brochure to read and learn more about NAEP.

Discover More Strategies and Resources

187

Appendix J1-17: Initial Contact Letter to Private Schools
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

188

NAEP 2018 Initial Contact Letter from NAEP Representative to Private School
Red text should be customized

[Date]
[Administrator Name]
[School Name]
[Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]

Dear [Head Administrator]:
[School name] has been selected to represent private schools across our nation by participating in the
2018 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). This year, your grade 8 students will have
the opportunity to participate in (digitally based assessments administered on tablets in civics,
geography, and U.S. history. A small number of students may take paper and pencil assessments in
civics, geography, or U.S. history. NAEP is administering these assessments via both tablets and
paper booklets to evaluate any differences in student performance between the two types of
administration. Each student will be assessed in only one subject and in one type of administration.)
OR (an innovative technology and engineering literacy (TEL) assessment administered on laptops).
The 2018 NAEP assessment window is January 29 through March 9, 2018. We will work with you to
arrange a date within the assessment window that is convenient for your schedule. NAEP representatives
will provide significant support to schools, bring all necessary materials and equipment (including
tablets OR laptops) and administer the assessment. The school’s internet, networks, or computers will
not be needed.
Your school’s participation is vitally important to ensure that the performance of private school students
is accurately reported. Historically, NAEP data have shown, across subjects and over time, that the
performance of private school students compares favorably with that of public school students. You can
demonstrate leadership in civic responsibility by participating and encouraging your teachers and students
to support NAEP. By participating in NAEP your students will set a positive example for their peers by
practicing good citizenship and contributing to data that serve to improve and strengthen the educational
options for our nation’s youth.
OPTIONAL: INSERT SCHOOL PERSONALIZATION PARAGRAPH AS APPROPRIATE
NAEP is regarded as the gold standard of assessments because of its high technical quality. NAEP
representatives, who submit fingerprints for an FBI clearance and sign an oath of confidentiality, bring all
materials and equipment for the assessment and conduct the sessions. Principals appoint a school staff
member as school coordinator who works with the NAEP representative to complete the logistical and
clerical tasks associated with participation.
OPTIONAL: INSERT ENDORSEMENT PERSONALIZATION PARAGRAPH/SENTENCE AS
APPROPRIATE
I thank you for considering participation and look forward to working with you and your staff. I will
contact you soon to review the enclosed materials and answer any questions that you may have. In the
interim, you may wish to select a school staff member to serve as the school coordinator to assist with
coordinating assessment details. Additional information about NAEP is available at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard, including sample questions, previous results, and other publications.
For specific information for private schools, including a short 4-minute video in which heads of schools
and teachers discuss their experiences with NAEP, see
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/nonpublicschools.asp.

189

If you have questions, please contact me at [XXX-XXX-XXXX] or [____@naepmail.westat.com].
Sincerely,
NAEP Representative
Telephone number
Email address
cc: Principal [IF THE ORIGINAL IS ADDRESSED TO A HEADMASTER]

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from
education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information each
student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information
Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws,
student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than
employees or agents. By law, every NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she
willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students.. Electronic submission of student information will be
monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the
Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce
statistical reports.

Enclosures:

NAEP in Your Private School
Measure Up for Private Schools
An Introduction to NAEP for Private Schools [optional]
NAEP 2014 Results brochures (TEL or social studies) [optional]

190

Appendix J1-18: 2018 Sample Letter NCEA to Diocese Superintendent
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.4)

191

Spring 2017
Dear Superintendent:
I am pleased to inform you that (number) schools in your diocese have been selected for the 2018 National Assessment
of Educational Progress (NAEP). First administered in 1969, NAEP is the largest nationally representative assessment of
what students in public and private schools across the country know and can do in core subjects. Teachers, principals,
parents, policymakers, and researchers all use NAEP results to assess student progress and develop ways to improve
education in the United States. Once more, NAEP results consistently show that the performance of students both in
private schools overall and in Catholic schools compares positively to students in public schools.
Private schools account for approximately 26 percent of all schools in the nation and educate approximately 9 percent of
all students. About 40 percent of all private school students are educated in Catholic schools. Therefore, it is important
that all selected schools participate to provide an accurate and fair representation of the performance of private school
students. Catholic schools have achieved excellent participation in NAEP for many years.
From January 29 through March 9, 2018, NAEP representatives will administer digitally based assessments on tablets to
grade 8 students in civics, geography, and U.S. history. Some students will take paper and pencil versions of the civics,
geography and U.S. history assessments to evaluate any differences in student performance between the two types of
administration. In addition, grade 8 schools and students may also be selected to participate in the innovative technology
and engineering literacy (TEL) assessment administered on laptops. Individual students will be assessed in only one
subject and via one type of administration. All materials and equipment, including tablets and laptops, will be provided
by NAEP representatives. National results, will be released as The Nation's Report Card. Assuming reporting standards
are met, results will also be reported for Catholic and other private schools.
As in the past, NAEP is identifying schools in the sample in May so that principals can place the NAEP assessment on
their 2017-2018 school calendars. The list of sampled schools in your diocese is attached. A NAEP representative will be
contacting you soon to answer any questions you may have and discuss contacting individual schools. You may choose
to designate a diocese-level NAEP coordinator for these schools. If you do so, NAEP representatives will ask you for the
name and contact information of your coordinator and will discuss with that coordinator the protocol for contacting
selected schools.
Please visit the NAEP website at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard for complete information about NAEP, including
sample questions and previous results. For information specifically for private schools, visit
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/nonpublicschools.asp.
I strongly urge you to contact and encourage the selected schools in your diocese to participate in the NAEP 2018
assessment. Your leadership will most certainly have a positive impact on school participation. Our goal is 100 percent
participation, and I am counting on you to help us reach that goal!
I have designated Sr. Dale McDonald, NCEA's Director of Public Policy and Educational Research, as our NAEP
representative. If you have questions or concerns about participating in NAEP, please contact her at 571-257-0010 or
mcdonald@ncea.org.
Sincerely,

Thomas Burnford, D.Min., NCEA President
Attachment: List of Sampled Schools

192

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of Educational
Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from education agencies or
institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The information each student provides will be used for statistical
purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable
form to anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as
contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both
if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students.. Electronic submission of student information will
be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the
Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical
reports.

193

Appendix J1-19: An Overview of NAEP
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.5)

194

What is NAEP?
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the
largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of
what students in the United States know and can do in various
subjects. Since 1969, NAEP has provided a common measure
of student achievement across the country. The results are
released as The Nation’s Report Card and are available for the
nation, states, and in some cases, urban districts. NAEP is a
congressionally mandated project conducted by the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES), located within the U.S.
Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.

U.S. Department of Education
NCES 2013-455

National Assessment of Educational Progress

An Overview of NAEP

How is NAEP different from state assessments?
NAEP serves a different role than state assessments. States have their own unique
assessments which are designed to provide individual student data about achievement
on different content standards. NCES administers the same NAEP assessment in every
state. This provides a common measure of achievement that allows for comparisons of
achievement to the nation and among states and participating urban districts. NAEP
does not report results for individual students.
Unlike state assessments, students, teachers, and principals who participate in NAEP are
also asked to complete contextual questionnaires. This information provides a better
understanding of students’ educational experiences and factors that may be related to
their learning. To learn more about these questionnaires, visit http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard/bgquest.aspx.

The NCES NAEP website provides more extensive information about the assessment:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard
NAEP Tools on the Web provide quick and easy access to NAEP assessment data,
previously administered NAEP questions, performance comparisons, and more:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/naeptools.asp
Full copies of all reports are available on The Nation’s Report Card website:
http://nationsreportcard.gov

195
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What subjects does NAEP assess?
Main NAEP assessments are conducted in a range of subjects with fourth-, eighth-, and
twelfth-grade students across the country. Mathematics and reading are assessed every
two years, and science and writing are assessed every four years. Other subjects are
assessed periodically, including the arts, civics, economics, geography, technology and
engineering literacy, and U.S. history.
Long-term trend NAEP measures student performance in mathematics and reading, and
is designed to ensure comparability across the years. The long-term trend assessment
makes it possible to chart educational progress since the early 1970s. The assessment is
given to 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds every four years.
NAEP special studies, such as the High School Transcript Study, are conducted periodically
in addition to main and long-term trend assessments. The National Assessment Governing
Board, which sets NAEP policy, determines the assessment schedule and what content
should be measured. To download a detailed PDF version of the assessment schedule,
please visit http://www.nagb.org/newsroom/assessment-schedule.htm.

How is NAEP using technology to measure and
report the skills of a new generation of students?
As computers and digital tools play an increasingly important role
in today’s classroom, NAEP is advancing with technology-based
assessments. The goal is to be paperless by the end of the decade.
Through the following innovative assessments, NAEP is collecting
new types of data that provide depth in our understanding of what
students know and can do, including how they engage with technology
to approach problem solving.
TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING LITERACY (TEL) ASSESSMENT:

What can schools and students expect
when participating in NAEP?
NAEP is administered to students during regular
school hours. Students spend between 90 and 120
minutes taking the assessment.
Each student is assessed in one subject area and is
asked to provide contextual information, such as the
amount of reading they do, the types of classes they
take, and their experiences with technology.
Accommodations are provided for students with
disabilities and/or English language learners.
Student results are confidential.* All materials are
brought to and taken from the school by NAEP
representatives on assessment day.

Why is student participation important?
The participation of all selected students enables NAEP to obtain an accurate picture of
how students are performing in the United States. Since NAEP is not designed to report
results for individual schools or students, it is not necessary for every student in every
school to take the assessment. Instead, NCES uses a sampling procedure to ensure that
NAEP participants are representative of the geographical, racial/ethnic, and
socioeconomic diversity of schools and students across the country. Each participating
student represents hundreds of other students. Their participation is vital for valid
information on student achievement to be collected and shared. Teachers, principals,
parents, policymakers, and researchers all use NAEP results to assess student progress
and develop ways to improve education across the country.

TEL is a new frontier for NAEP and large-scale assessment. It is a
computer-based, cross-curricular assessment that challenges students
to perform interactive tasks and engage in solving problems within
realistic scenarios. TEL gauges how well students understand and
apply technology and engineering principles to real-life situations. To
learn more about TEL, visit http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/tel.

WRITING ASSESSMENT: The writing assessment is administered on a
computer and asks students to respond to writing prompts delivered
in multimedia formats, including short videos and audio. In addition
to writing scores, assessment results provide information about the
extent to which students engaged in certain actions on the computer
as they responded to these tasks, such as thesaurus tool usage.
Results and contextual information are available at http://nces.ed.
gov/nationsreportcard/writing.
SCIENCE INTERACTIVE COMPUTER TASKS (ICTs): The NAEP science

assessment includes ICTs that challenge students to solve scientific
problems and perform experiments, often by simulation. ICTs
provide students more opportunities than a paper-and-pencil
assessment to demonstrate skills involved in doing science, without
many of the logistical constraints associated with a natural or
laboratory setting. The full library of released ICTs from the 2009
assessment is available at http://nationsreportcard.gov/
science_2009/ict_tasks.asp.

196
Page 37

After each assessment, some NAEP questions are released to the
general public along with data on how students performed on each
question. The following are examples of NAEP questions and actual
correct responses from students.

*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential
Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses
will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every
NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a
jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students.
Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees
and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined
across respondents to produce statistical reports.

4th Grade Reading
For the following question, students read a passage from the story “Tough as
Daisy,” which is about a young girl who has moved to a new school and must
prove she is a good enough wrestler to be on the team.
At the beginning of the story, when some of the boys point and laugh at Daisy,
she thinks, “We’ll see about that.” What does this tell you about Daisy?

8th Grade Science
This multiple-choice question measures students’ performance in the Earth
and space sciences content area.
These funnels were filled with equal volumes of pebbles, fine sand, and coarse
sand, as shown in the diagram below. The same amount of water was poured
into each funnel.

Which correctly lists the order in which the water passed through the funnels,
from fastest to slowest?
A
B

Pebbles, fine sand, coarse sand
Pebbles, coarse sand, fine sand

C
D

Find us on:

Fine sand, coarse sand, pebbles
Coarse sand, pebbles, fine sand

12th Grade Mathematics
The following is a short constructed-response question from the algebra
content area.
If f(x) = x2 + x and g(x) = 2x + 7, what is an expression for f (g(x)) ?

Get NAEP on the go with the NAEP Results mobile app!

www.ed.gov

ies.ed.gov
197
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This document was prepared for the National Center for Education Statistics under Contract No. ED IES 13 C 0025 with Hager Sharp.

Appendix J1-20: An Overview of NAEP for Private Schools
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.7)

198

An Overview of NAEP

for Private Schools

199

What is NAEP?
The National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP) is the largest nationally representative and
continuing assessment of what students in public and
private schools in the United States know and can do
in various subjects. Since 1969, NAEP has provided a
common measure of student achievement across the
country. The results are released as The Nation’s
Report Card. Results are generally reported for
private schools overall and for two groups of private
schools, Catholic and Other Private schools, provided
minimum participation benchmarks are met. NAEP is
a congressionally mandated project conducted by
the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES), located within the U.S. Department of
Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.

Why assess private schools?
Private schools have participated in NAEP for
decades and are an integral part of providing a
complete picture of education in the United States.
Private school data make an important contribution
to our understanding of the condition of education
in the United States and to future policy decisions.
Without the participation of private schools, there
would be no Nation’s Report Card. NAEP has
consistently demonstrated that the performance
of private school students compares favorably to
that of public school students.

NAEP special studies are conducted periodically
in addition to main assessments. They are
administered as part of NAEP and often involve
special data collection procedures in the field,
in-depth analyses of NAEP results, and evaluations
of various technical procedures. For more
information about NAEP special studies, visit
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies.
The National Assessment Governing Board, which
sets NAEP policy, determines the assessment
schedule and what content should be measured.
To download a detailed PDF version of the
assessment schedule, please visit http://www.
nagb.org/newsroom/assessment-schedule.htm.

What are NAEP digitally based assessments?
An increasing number of schools are making digital
tools an integral component of the learning
environment, reflecting that the knowledge and skills
needed for future postsecondary success involve the
use of new technologies. NAEP is evolving to address
this changing educational landscape through
its transition to digitally based assessments;
pencil-and-paper assessments are being replaced
by devices such as touchscreen tablets.

NAEP assessments are conducted in a range of
subjects at grades 4, 8, and 12 across the country.
Assessments are given most frequently in
mathematics, reading, science, and writing. Other
subjects, including civics, economics, geography,
music and visual arts, technology and engineering
literacy, and U.S. history, are assessed periodically.

Digitally based assessments allow NAEP to collect
new types of data that provide depth in our
understanding of what students know and can
do in various subjects. New technologies and
universal design features are improving NAEP’s
ability to offer accommodations to increase
student participation. In a digital environment,
features like adjusting font size and using a
highlighter tool are available to all students during
the test administration. To learn more about
digitally based assessments, visit http://nces.ed.
gov/nationsreportcard/dba.

The NCES NAEP website provides more extensive
information about the assessment: http://nces.
ed.gov/nationsreportcard
●● For specific information about private school
participation in NAEP, visit: http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard/about/nonpublicschools.asp
●● The NAEP website features a number of tools and
applications designed to provide quick and easy
access to NAEP assessment data, previously

administered NAEP questions, performance
comparisons, and more: http://nces.ed.gov/
nationsreportcard/about/naeptools.asp
●● To quickly access private school results, visit the
private school quick data tool at https://nces.ed.
gov/nationsreportcard/about/private_school_
quick_data.aspx
●● NAEP results are also available on The Nation’s
Report Card website: http://nationsreportcard.gov

What subjects does NAEP assess?

●●

200

The following are examples of the types of NAEP questions and features students may encounter
when participating in digitally based assessments.*
4th Grade Mathematics
Students use the online
ruler to measure objects
and then answer multiplechoice questions in a
grade 4 mathematics
digitally based assessment
administered on a tablet.

8th Grade Technology and
Engineering Literacy
In 2014, NAEP administered
the first-ever technology
and engineering literacy
assessment on laptops.
This question assessed
grade 8 students’
understanding of the
recycling process and its
impact on society.

12th Grade Science
Students can use an online
slider to observe changes
in a nuclear reaction and
then answer this multiplechoice question in a grade
12 science digitally based
assessment administered
on a tablet.

*The 4th grade and 12th grade questions are not released assessment questions, but represent what students might be asked during a NAEP
digitally based assessment. The 8th grade sample question was released from the 2014 NAEP technology and engineering literacy assessment.
201

Frequently Asked Questions
What can private schools and students
expect when participating in NAEP?
●●

●●

●●

●●

NAEP is administered to students during
regular school hours. Each student is assessed
in one subject area. Students spend about
120 minutes taking the assessment, including
time to complete a survey questionnaire.
NAEP representatives will bring all necessary
materials, including tablets or other devices for
digitally based assessments, to the schools on
assessment day.
Allowable accommodations are provided as
necessary for students with disabilities and/or
English language learners.
Student responses on NAEP are confidential,
and the privacy of each participating school
and student is essential.*

out of the classroom. Student survey questionnaires
take no more than 15 minutes to complete and are
administered at the end of the NAEP assessment.
To learn more about these questionnaires, visit http://
nces.ed. gov/nationsreportcard/bgquest.aspx.

Why is private school student participation
important?
The participation of all selected students enables
NAEP to provide the most accurate and representative
picture of student performance. NAEP uses a
carefully designed sampling procedure for the
assessment to be representative of public and
private schools and students throughout the
United States. Each participating student represents
hundreds of other students. These students
represent the geographic, racial, ethnic, and
socioeconomic diversity that is our nation’s student
body. Districts, states, policymakers, and researchers
all use NAEP results to assess student progress
and develop ways to improve education across
the country.

What are NAEP survey questionnaires?
NAEP survey questionnaires are voluntarily
completed by students, teachers, and principals
who participate in a NAEP assessment. Students
may answer as many questions as they like and
may skip any question by leaving a response blank.
NAEP survey questionnaires provide valuable
information about participating students’ educational
experiences and opportunities to learn both in and

*The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes
only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions
of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws,
student responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in
identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every
NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath
and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or
she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic
submission of student information will be monitored for viruses, malware,
and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with
the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be
combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

Find us on:
202

49754.0717

Appendix J1-21: NAEP-NTPS Participation Letter to States
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.5)

203

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS
May 1, 2017
NAME
TITLE
ADDRESS 1
ADDRESS 2
CITY, STATE, ZIP
Dear NAME:
On behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) I am writing to invite your state to
participate in a new initiative that will explore the feasibility of administering both the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) teacher and school questionnaires and the National
Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) to a common set of teachers and schools. The goal of this
initiative is to improve information about the link between student achievement and teacher and
school characteristics. NCES is reaching out to states to garner their support and participation in
this initiative.
The first step in this initiative is to conduct a study examining the operational feasibility of a dual
administration of both the NAEP and NTPS teacher and school survey questionnaires in 2018. The
NAEP-NTPS study will be conducted in approximately 900 schools nationwide. Teachers and
school administrators will be selected from a small portion of schools in your state already
participating in the 2018 NAEP pilot studies. Teachers and schools will respond to both NAEP and
NTPS questionnaires as part of the NAEP data collection. In addition, the NTPS questionnaire will
also be administered to a small sample of non-NAEP teachers in schools participating in the study.
In order to meet deadlines for NAEP sampling designs and to provide timely notification to
participants, it is necessary to confirm your participation now. If interested please confirm your
states participation in the NAEP-NTPS pilot survey by completing and submitting the
enclosed participation agreement by close of business on Friday May 19, 2018.
Thank you for considering participation in this important activity. Further details of the study will
be presented to your NAEP State Coordinator in the upcoming weeks. If you have any questions,
please contact Holly Spurlock at holly.spurlock@ed.gov or 202-245-7132 or Gina Broxterman at
gina.broxterman@ed.gov or 202-245-7791.
Sincerely,

Peggy Carr, Ph.D.
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics

204

Appendix J1-22: NAEP-NTPS Fact Sheet
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.5)

205

NAEP-NTPS Linking Study for States Fact Sheet
Page 1, Sidebar Text:
 The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest continuing and
nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in
a variety of academic subjects. NAEP is a congressionally mandated project conducted
by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of
Education.
 In addition to the assessments, NAEP coordinates a number of related special studies.
Such studies often involve special data collection procedures in the field, in-depth
analyses of NAEP results, and evaluations of various technical procedures.
 The National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) is a nationwide sample survey of
teaching and working conditions in schools, as well as characteristics of teachers and
principals.
Page 1, Body Text:
What is the NAEP-NTPS Linking Study?
In 2018, a pilot linking study will be introduced to explore the feasibility of administering both
the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the National Teacher and Principal
Survey (NTPS) to a common set of teachers and schools as part of the NAEP administration. The
study will be conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S.
Department of Education.
Both NAEP and NTPS questionnaires gather specific data that contribute to a better
understanding of educational progress as well as teacher and school staff experiences across
the nation. NAEP questionnaires gather information from schools and teachers on topics like
school policies, teacher training, and instructional practice. NTPS questionnaires gather
descriptive data from teachers and principals on subjects like class preparation, types of classes
taught, school characteristics, and school staff demographics.
Prior to administration, a comparison of NAEP and NTPS questionnaires will be conducted to
reduce any overlap of questions asked of participants taking the linking study. Schools and
teachers will respond to the NAEP questionnaire followed by the NTPS questionnaire, per
standard NAEP practices. A separate set of teachers in the same school will participate in the
NTPS questionnaire only.
Who is participating in the NAEP-NTPS Linking Study?
States will participate in the linking study on a voluntary basis. The linking study will include
selected schools, teachers, and principals that participate in NAEP pilot administrations at
grades 4, 8, and 12, in addition to the separate set of teachers selected to participate in NTPS
only.

206

Why is participation important?
The goal of the NAEP-NTPS Linking Study is to reduce burden to schools by combining the
questionnaires, increase participation rates, and therefore enhance the usefulness of both
NAEP and NTPS data. Data gathered from the study will help researchers and policymakers
learn about our nation’s schools, teachers, and principals so they can improve education for all
students.
Since only a small number of schools will participate in this study, your state’s participation is
critical to gathering meaningful information. You will ensure that collected data reflect schools
similar to the schools in your state.
Footer text: For more information about NAEP, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard
For more information about NTPS, visit http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps
Page 2, Body Text:
More Information About NTPS…
Through a system of related questionnaires, NTPS gathers data on the context of elementary
and secondary education and provides a variety of statistics on the condition of education in
the United States. NTPS is the only nationwide survey that provides this kind of information and
it does not involve students, parents, or any use of classroom time.
NTPS is a redesign of the Schools and Staffing Survey, a study conducted by NCES dating back
to 1987.
NTPS allows for comparison among data and is designed to promote flexibility, timeliness, and
integration with other U.S. Department of Education data collections.
The data gathered by NTPS will help inform and shape future education policies.
Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, state education agencies, public school districts,
education associations, and the education research community use data from NTPS to do the
following:
 Evaluate the effects of school workplace conditions, salaries, and training
opportunities on the educational work force;
 Assess school staffing practices and personnel policies; and
 Help the U.S. Department of Education’s program planning for teacher shortage
incentives, teaching policies, and teacher education.
In the past, some of the most frequently published topics have included class size, number and
characteristics of new teachers, teaching certification, teacher professional development,
teacher attrition/retention, and teacher qualifications.

207

NTPS has been designed with input from state and local education agencies, educators,
school administrators, education policymakers, and researchers.
To allow for a variety of statistics, NTPS regularly gathers data every two years on core topics
like teacher and principal preparation, classes taught, school characteristics, and demographics
of the teacher and principal labor force. In addition, each administration of NTPS contains
rotating modules on important education topics like professional development, working
conditions, and evaluation.
Page 2, Footer Text:

Participation is voluntary and answers may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used,
in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151). By law,
every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors
and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both
if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about respondents. Electronic submission of information
will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with
the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to
produce statistical reports.

208

NAEP-NTPS Linking Study for Schools Fact Sheet
Page 1, Sidebar Text:
 The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest continuing and
nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in
a variety of academic subjects. NAEP is a congressionally mandated project conducted
by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of
Education.
 In addition to the assessments, NAEP coordinates a number of related special studies.
Such studies often involve special data collection procedures in the field, in-depth
analyses of NAEP results, and evaluations of various technical procedures.
 The National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) is a nationwide sample survey of
teaching and working conditions in schools, as well as characteristics of teachers and
principals.
Page 1, Body Text:
What is the NAEP-NTPS Linking Study?
In 2018, a pilot linking study will be introduced to explore the feasibility of administering both
the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the National Teacher and Principal
Survey (NTPS) to a common set of teachers and schools as part of the NAEP administration. The
study will be conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S.
Department of Education.
Both NAEP and NTPS questionnaires gather specific data that contribute to a better
understanding of educational progress as well as teacher and school staff experiences across
the nation. NAEP questionnaires gather information from schools and teachers on topics like
school policies, teacher training, and instructional practice. NTPS questionnaires gather
descriptive data from teachers and principals on subjects like class preparation, types of classes
taught, school characteristics, and school staff demographics.
Prior to administration, a comparison of NAEP and NTPS questionnaires will be conducted to
reduce any overlap of questions asked of participants taking the linking study. Schools and
teachers will respond to the NAEP questionnaire followed by the NTPS questionnaire, per
standard NAEP practices. A separate set of teachers in the same school will participate in the
NTPS questionnaire only.
Who is participating in the NAEP-NTPS Linking Study?
Your state has volunteered to participate in this linking study, and your school’s participation
helps ensure your state is represented. The linking study will include selected schools, teachers,
and principals that participate in NAEP pilot administrations at grades 4, 8, and 12, in addition
to the separate set of teachers selected to participate in NTPS only.

209

Why is participation important?
The goal of the NAEP-NTPS Linking Study is reduce burden to schools by combining the
questionnaires, increase participation rates, and therefore enhance the usefulness of both
NAEP and NTPS data. Data gathered from the study will help researchers and policymakers
learn about our nation’s schools, teachers, and principals so they can improve education for all
students.
Only a small number of schools will participate in this study. By participating, your school will
ensure that collected data reflect schools like yours.
Footer text: For more information about NAEP, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard
For more information about NTPS, visit http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps
Page 2, Body Text:
More Information About NTPS…
Through a system of related questionnaires, NTPS gathers data on the context of elementary
and secondary education and provides a variety of statistics on the condition of education in
the United States. NTPS is the only nationwide survey that provides this kind of information,
and it does not involve students, parents, or any use of classroom time.
NTPS is the redesign of a study conducted by NCES dating back to 1987.
NTPS allows for comparison among data from teachers, principals, and schools and is designed
to promote flexibility, timeliness, and integration with other U.S. Department of Education data
collections.
The data gathered by NTPS will help inform and shape future education policies.
Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, state education agencies, public school districts,
education associations, and the education research community use data from NTPS to do the
following:
 Evaluate the effects of school workplace conditions, salaries, and training
opportunities on the educational work force;
 Assess school staffing practices and personnel policies; and
 Help the U.S. Department of Education’s program planning for teacher shortage
incentives, teaching policies, and teacher education.
In the past, some of the most frequently published topics have included class size, number and
characteristics of new teachers, teaching certification, teacher professional development,
teacher attrition/retention, and teacher qualifications.
NTPS has been designed with input from state and local education agencies, educators,
school administrators, education policymakers, and researchers.

210

To allow for a variety of statistics, NTPS regularly gathers data every two years on core topics
like teacher and principal preparation, classes taught, school characteristics, and demographics
of the teacher and principal labor force. In addition, each administration of NTPS contains
rotating modules on important education topics like professional development, working
conditions, and evaluation.
Page 2, Footer Text:

Participation is voluntary and answers may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used,
in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151). By law,
every National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors
and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both
if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about respondents. Electronic submission of information
will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with
the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to
produce statistical reports.

211

Appendix J1-23: Oral Reading Fluency Fact Sheet
Approved for NAEP 2018 (OMB# 1850-0928 v.5)

212

NAEP 2018 Oral Reading Fluency Fact Sheet
Side bar language:
What is NAEP?
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is an essential measurement of student
achievement in the United States.
First administered in 1969, NAEP is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of
what our nation’s students know and can do in core subjects such as civics, geography, mathematics,
reading, U.S. history, and writing.
NAEP is considered the gold standard of assessments because of its high technical quality. From
developing frameworks and questions to the reporting of results, NAEP represents the best thinking of
assessment and content specialists, state education staff, and teachers from around the nation.
Since 1969, NAEP has provided a common measure of student achievement across the country.
Policymakers, educators, the media, and the assessment community all use NAEP results to develop
ways to improve and report on education.
Page 1:
The Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) study was first conducted by the National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) in 1992 and again in 2002 as a measure of students’ basic reading skills—i.e.,
decoding, word recognition, and fluency. The Oral Reading Fluency study for 2018 is another step in the
move to digitally based assessments for NAEP. Results will be reported at the national level. Tablets will
be used to administer the study and collect information on students’ oral reading fluency.
What is the goal of the ORF study?
The goal of the ORF study is to develop common profiles of struggling, low fluency readers. The study
will differentiate among readers who persist, pause, skip, or quit when faced with challenging words.
Such information may help teachers create better instructional practices.
What does it measure?
The 2018 ORF study will collect the following information:
 Words read correctly per minute
 Expression of structure (patterns of stress and intonation in a language that reflect
comprehension of phrase and sentence structure)
 Expression of meaning (stress patterns that reflect comprehension of discourse or passage via
focus, apposition, contrast, and resolution)
 Difficulty clusters (e.g., irregular, infrequent, multisyllabic words; long sentences)
 Specific location of non-fluent reading

213

Page 2:
How does ORF collect data?
During a 10 to 15 minute module, each grade 4 student will be given a set of materials to read aloud in
English after completing the NAEP reading assessment. Each student will receive the same set of
materials. The study is administered on tablets and students use headsets with microphones.
The ORF module records students while they read aloud, and automated scoring counts the number of
words read correctly per minute using speech recognition software. Student identifiable information is
confidential* and student names are not included with audio recordings.
Extensive research and development has ensured that words read correctly per minute can be
measured reliably and that speakers of non-standard varieties of English as well as English Language
Learners are scored fairly.
What do students read for ORF?
Word lists – English words arranged in increasing order of difficulty these lists provide a measure of
students’ ability to recognize familiar words (often referred to as “sight words”) as well as to decode.
Pseudo-word lists – Possible, but non-occurring English forms (e.g., “wike”) these lists provide a direct
measure of students’ ability to decode written word forms with which they are not familiar, also used
when learning new vocabulary and proper nouns (e.g., Bhutan).
Text passages of 140-170 words – These passages measure students’ ability to read words within
meaningful phrase, clause, sentence, and discourses.

When will it take place and who will participate?
The study will be conducted from January 29 to March 9, 2018. Up to twelve grade 4 students from each
participating school will be randomly selected to participate in the study. The reading assessment and
ORF study will take a total of approximately 120 minutes of students’ time. NAEP representatives will
administer the study and bring all materials and equipment, including the tablets.

* The information each student provides will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential
Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws, student responses
will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents. By law, every
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP
coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully
discloses ANY identifiable information about students. Electronic submission of student information will be monitored for
viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement
Act of 2015. The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.
214