Assessment Report Roundup

How NAEP Works

By Kathleen Kennedy Manzo — October 30, 2007 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Understanding NAEP: Inside the Nation’s Education Report Card

A new guide attempts to unravel the complexities of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the federally sponsored testing program that has gauged student achievement in core subjects for nearly 40 years.

Education Sector, the Washington-based think tank that produced the report, outlines the history and purpose of the assessment program, as well as the appropriate uses and interpretations of NAEP’s test data.

The 17-page online guide says it describes “how the assessment is designed, how its scores are calculated and what they mean, and what controversies surround the reporting and use of NAEP data. It seeks to set straight what conclusions can and cannot be legitimately drawn from the NAEP assessment and examines what challenges lay ahead for the ‘nation’s report card’ in an era of increased accountability.”

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the October 31, 2007 edition of Education Week

Events

Student Well-Being Webinar After-School Learning Top Priority: Academics or Fun?
Join our expert panel to discuss how after-school programs and schools can work together to help students recover from pandemic-related learning loss.
Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Assessment NAEP Results Are Often Politicized. Could Rescheduling It Help?
Administering NAEP in non-election years will shield it from further politicization, the board that oversees it said.
3 min read
Image of a clock, calendar, and a pencil.
Tatomm/iStock/Getty
Assessment Opinion The Nation's Report Card Could Be Education's Data Gold Mine
Better support for educators, higher student achievement, improved tests are among the outcomes when researchers have access to NAEP data.
Mark Schneider & John Whitmer
5 min read
Abstract illustration of big data technology and artificial intelligence
Nicolas Herrbach/iStock/Getty Images
Assessment Opinion Can State Tests Be Useful for Instruction and Accountability?
An assessment company is aiming to eliminate the gap between what local assessments and the respective state test is delivering.
7 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Assessment Letter to the Editor State Exams Offer Pathways for Some—Not All—Learners
A parent writes a letter to the editor detailing her child's experience with state exams in New York.
1 min read
Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week