Nations Report Card (NAEP)
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation’s Report Card, is a U.S. Department of Education assessment administered nationally to students in grades 4, 8, and 12 to provide student academic achievement information in various core subjects, including mathematics, reading, civics, and U.S. history.
Why is NAEP considered the gold standard? The NAEP assessments are designed based on the NAEP Frameworks developed by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) which specify what a student should be able to do with what they know in the assessed subject, in a given grade. The NAEP assessment has come to be recognized as the gold standard of large-scale assessments due to its high technical quality and rigorous design and methodology. From the development of assessment frameworks and questions to the reporting of results, NAEP delivers high technical quality and represents the best thinking of assessment and content specialists, state education staff, and teachers from around the nation.
Who participates in NAEP? NAEP is administered following standardized processes and procedures across the nation. DoDEA students in grades 4 and 8 are assessed in mathematics and reading subjects. Each student is assessed in only one subject. In DoDEA, NAEP is administered during the spring semester, every two years. The test administration window is provided on the systemwide Assessment Calendar.
How are NAEP results reported? Results are released as The Nation’s Report Card, and reported at the nation and state levels, and for select urban districts that participate in the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA). NAEP is not designed to collect, or report results for individual students, classrooms, or schools. DoDEA results are reported at the system level and 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.
How are NAEP results used in the United States? NAEP is an essential integral measurement of student academic achievement and progress across the United States and over time. Results are used to inform policy decisions that improve education in the United States.
How does DoDEA use NAEP results? In DoDEA, NAEP is critically used to determine how DoDEA’s educational program is performing in comparison to other states in the nation, and to inform program improvement determinations systemwide. DoDEA NAEP historical data are accessible through the DoDEA State Profile
Resources for Teachers, Parents, and Students
