The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation's Report Card, is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in school. Since 1969, NAEP has provided valuable information on student achievement to policymakers, educators, and the general public. The National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education, is responsible by law for carrying out the NAEP project. The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), appointed by the Secretary of Education but independent of the Department, sets policy for NAEP and is responsible for developing the frameworks and test specifications that serve as the blueprint for the assessments.
NAEP is a survey assessment. It provides results for populations and groups of students. It is not a testing program designed to provide individual student, school, or district results (except for a select group of urban districts, see TUDA below).
There are two types of NAEP assessments that are administered on alternating years: Main or State/TUDA NAEP and National/Long-Term Trend/Special Studies NAEP.
Main/State/TUDA NAEP
Main NAEP is conducted every other year (odd numbered years). It yields public school State results for grades 4 and 8, and public/nonpublic National results for grades 4, 8, and 12. There also are a select number of urban districts that participate in the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA). Milwaukee first participated in TUDA in 2009.
These assessments follow the frameworks developed by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB). NAEP assessments include selected response and constructed response questions and sometimes include the use of calculators and other ancillary materials. The Writing assessments and some Science assessments are computer-based. Each year NAEP releases a number of previously operational items. By using the NAEP questions tool, one can review these items, performance statistics, scoring rubrics, and sample student work.
The content of Main NAEP is designed to align with current national instructional practice. As a result, frameworks and content have evolved over time. Main NAEP can be used for short-term trend analysis. The more reliable instrument for national change over time is Long-Term Trend NAEP.
Beginning in 2003, NAEP assessments were conducted under the No Child Left Behind law which links participation to Title 1 funds. The law states that any school selected for participation in NAEP in grades 4 and 8 must participate if the district wishes to receive Title 1 funds.
Main NAEP always consists of mathematics and reading assessments for grades 4 and 8. Other subject areas are included on a rotating basis (see schedule for upcoming assessments).
Assessment Results for Main NAEP - State level results
NAEP 2011 Mathematics Results
Average scale scores for public school participants
| Grade 4 | Grade 8 | |||
| State | Nation | State | Nation | |
| Overall | 245* | 240 | 289* | 283 |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 231 | 227 | -- | 266 |
| Asian (new) | 242 | 257* | 289 | 305* |
| Asian Pacific Islander | 242 | 256* | 290 | 302* |
| Black | 217 | 224* | 256 | 262 |
| Hispanic | 228 | 229 | 270 | 269 |
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander | -- | 235 | -- | 265 |
| White | 251* | 249 | 295* | 293 |
| Two or more races | -- | 244 | -- | 286 |
| Females | 244* | 239 | 287* | 282 |
| Males | 245* | 241 | 290* | 283 |
| Eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch (FRL) | 231* | 229 | 269 | 269 |
| Not Eligible for FRL | 254* | 252 | 299* | 295 |
| Students with Disabilities | 222* | 218 | 252 | 249 |
| Non-disabled | 248* | 243 | 294* | 287 |
| English-Language Learners | 223* | 219 | 257* | 244 |
| Non-ELL | 247* | 243 | 290* | 285 |
| --Sample size insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. *Statistically higher (p<.05) within the same reporting group when comparing Wisconsin and national public students for same grade and year. No (*) between groups means the scores are not statistically different. NOTE: New reporting groups for 2011: Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander. In 2009 and years prior, these were combined into the category Asian/Pacific Islander. |
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NAEP 2011 Reading Results
Average scale scores for public school participants
| Grade 4 | Grade 8 | |||
| State | Nation | State | Nation | |
| Overall | 221 | 220 | 267* | 264 |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | -- | 204 | -- | 253 |
| Asian (new) | 224 | 236* | 271 | 277 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 225 | 234* | 271 | 275 |
| Black | 196 | 205* | 240 | 248* |
| Hispanic | 202 | 205 | 248 | 251 |
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander | -- | 214 | -- | 251 |
| White | 227 | 230* | 272 | 272 |
| Two or more races | -- | 225 | -- | 267 |
| Females | 224 | 223 | 272* | 268 |
| Males | 219 | 217 | 262* | 259 |
| Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL) | 206 | 207 | 251 | 251 |
| Not Eligible for FRL | 232 | 234* | 275 | 275 |
| Students with Disabilities | 182 | 186 | 235* | 230 |
| Non-Disabled | 227* | 224 | 272* | 267 |
| English-Language Learners | 195* | 188 | 240* | 223 |
| Non-ELL | 223 | 224 | 269* | 266 |
| --Sample size insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. *Statistically higher (p<.05) within the same reporting group when comparing Wisconsin and national public students for same grade and year. No (*) between groups means the scores are not statistically different. NOTE: New reporting groups for 2011: Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander. In 2009 and years prior, these were combined into the category Asian/Pacific Islander. |
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Please see the 2011 NAEP Math and Reading Results press release for results from previous years or visit the NAEP Data Explorer for further data analysis.
NAEP 2009 Science Results
Average scale scores for public school participants
| Grade 4 | Grade 8 | |||
| State | Nation | State | Nation | |
| Overall | 157* | 149 | 157* | 149 |
| African-American | 121 | 127* | 120 | 125* |
| American Indian | 145 | 137 | -- | 138 |
| Asian | 153 | 160 | 152 | 159 |
| Hispanic | 138* | 130 | 134 | 131 |
| White | 164* | 162 | 165* | 161 |
| Females | 156* | 148 | 155* | 147 |
| Males | 157* | 149 | 160* | 151 |
| Disadvantaged | 141* | 134 | 139* | 133 |
| Not Disadvantaged | 166* | 163 | 166* | 161 |
| Students with Disabilities | 134* | 129 | 130* | 122 |
| Non-Disabled | 160* | 163 | 161* | 152 |
| English-Language Learners | 131* | 114 | 128* | 103 |
| Non-ELL | 158* | 153 | 159* | 151 |
| --Sample size insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. *Statistically higher (p<.05) within the same reporting group when comparing Wisconsin and national public students for same grade and year. No (*) between groups means the scores are not statistically different. |
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Milwaukee TUDA results can be viewed at http://nationsreportcard.gov/tuda.asp.
NAEP provides a variety of tools to present and organize assessment results including:
- State Profile summary – This tool provides information about each state's student and school population and NAEP testing history. Click on Wisconsin to obtain the most recent results.
- NAEP Data Explorer - This tool provides access to all NAEP data, including National and all states/jurisdictions. Data can be represented as scale scores or proficiency levels. This tool presents data in charts and graphical format and also provides checks for statistical significance.
- State Comparisons tool – This tool provides comparisons between states based on average scale score. Comparisons can be made within a single assessment year or between two assessment years.
Released Items
Released items for Main NAEP and Long-Term Trend are available from the NAEP questions tool. Items can be searched by subject, grade, and/or complexity.
National/Special Studies/ Long-Term Trend
National Assessments
National NAEP reports statistical information about student performance and factors related to educational performance for the nation and for specific student groups in the population (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender). It includes students drawn from both public and nonpublic (private) schools and reports results for student achievement at grades 4, 8, and 12.
These assessments follow subject-area frameworks developed by the National Assessment Governing Board, and use the latest advances in assessment methodology. These assessments are distinguished from NAEP long-term trend, which, although national, uses frameworks and questions that remain constant over time.
As the content and nature of the NAEP instrument evolve to match instructional practice, the ability of the assessment to measure change over time is reduced. While short-term trends can be measured in many of the NAEP subjects, the most reliable instruments of change over time are the NAEP long-term trend assessments.
Special Studies
NAEP conducts a number of special studies in subjects other than reading and mathematics. Ongoing projects include the High School Transcript Study and a Technology-Based Assessment project designed to explore the use of technology, especially the use of the computer, as a tool to enhance the quality and efficiency of educational assessments. NAEP is also conducting a special two part study entitled the National Indian Education Study (NIES). More information about NAEP special studies can be found at: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies/
Long-Term Trend
Students are assessed in reading or mathematics. This assessment has been administered to students across the nation since the late 1960’s and allows educators, researchers and policy makers to examine trends in national academic achievement over time. Since its inception, Long-Term Trend has been administered to students at various ages (ages 9, 13, and 17; not grade levels.) The time allotted for this assessment is 90 minutes. Results are reported at the national level only.
Long-Term Trend Results
A summary of the most recent results (2008) is available on the NAEP website.
Long-Term Trend Released Items
Released items for Long-Term Trend are available from the NAEP questions tool. Items can be searched by subject, grade, and/or complexity.
Assessment Schedule (does not include pilot tests or special studies)
| Year | National | State and TUDA | Long-Term Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Reading (4, 8) | Reading | |
| Mathematics (4, 8) | Mathematics | ||
| Writing* (8, 12) | Science (8) (State only) | ||
| Science (8) | |||
| 2012 | Economics* (12) | Reading | |
| Mathematics | |||
| 2013 | Reading | Reading | |
| Mathematics | Mathematics | ||
| 2014 | US History* | ||
| Civics* | |||
| Geography | |||
| Technology and Engineering Literacy* (8) | |||
| 2015 | Reading | Reading | |
| Mathematics | Mathematics | ||
| Science | Science | ||
| High School Transcript Study | |||
| 2016 | Arts (8) | Reading | |
| Mathematics | |||
| 2017 | Reading | Reading | |
| Mathematics | Mathematics | ||
| Writing | Writing |
*Updated or new framework is planned for implementation for this subject. Framework for foreign language approved by the National Assessment Governing Board May 2000; updates to mathematics framework approved November 2001; economics framework approved August 2002. In the case of subjects for which frameworks are already adopted (i.e., reading, writing, mathematics, science, the arts, U.S. history, geography, and civics), the Board will decide whether a new or updated framework is needed for this assessment year.
Note: Grades tested are 4, 8, and 12 unless otherwise indicated, except that Long-Term Trend assessments sample students at ages 9, 13, and 17 and are conducted in reading and mathematics.
Resources for Participating Schools
All schools selected to participate in NAEP for the 2013-14 school year will be notified in June. All building principals and district assessment coordinators will be notified of the assessment date.
In early September, selected schools and DACs will receive a NAEP packet. This packet included information about the MyNAEP website, providing/updating school information on MyNAEP, and submitting a student list.
Materials for participating schools are posted online on schools' MyNAEP webpages.
If you have questions about the assessment or need to change your assessment date due to a school conflict please contact Angela Dugas at 608-267-2273 or angela.dugas@dpi.wi.gov, or visit your MyNAEP webpage.
Information for Parents
Information for Students
Kids' Zone: Learning with NCES
NAEP and State Assessments
This fact sheet describes the differences between NAEP and state assessments.