Members of the independent board that sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress are studying the feasibility of publishing a report on the five states with the largest student populations, separate from the reports on other NAEP scores.
A sub-panel of the National Assessment Governing Board, the reporting and dissemination committee, discussed the idea during the board’s quarterly meeting in Washington on March 6.
The idea of a big-state study, or “mega report,” appeals to some board members, who say it could provide more-relevant comparisons of student progress in states with similar challenges and populations, particularly with fast-growing groups such as Latinos. The national assessment releases reports on academic progress for all 50 states, as well as on national trends.
The five states that have been discussed as potentially being studied through a “mega report” are California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas.
