The federal NAEP assessment

Your child does NOT have to take

the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP)!

The NAEP, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, is the federal assessment that is given to school children across the country.   Since 1969, periodic assessments have been given in reading, math, science, writing, U.S. history, civics, geography, and the arts.   Until the 2001 passage of the federal education law, No Child Left Behind, participation by states and schools was voluntary.

THE FACTS

No Child Left Behind has made some important changes:

•   The NAEP will conduct national and state assessments in math and reading at least once every 2 years in grade 4 and 8.

•   In order to receive Title 1 money, every state MUST participate   in the biennial state-level NAEP in reading and math in grades 4 and 8.   State participation in other NAEP assessments is voluntary.

•   In a typical state, approximately 100 schools participate in grade   4, and 100 in grade 8.   Schools are selected to represent the demographic and geographic composition of the state.

•   Local school districts that receive Title 1 money MUST participate in the NAEP if their district is selected.

•  Approximately 25-30 students in each school are chosen for each subject area tested.

•  Parents of children selected to take the NAEP must be informed before administration of the assessment that their child may be excused and that the child is not required to complete the assessment or to answer any test question.

•  Parents and members of the public shall have access to all assessment data, questions, and assessment instruments in a secure setting.   The NAEP State Coordinator must be contacted to request access to the NAEP.  Access to the assessment shall be provided within 45 days of the date of the request.

•  Revealing any of the questions is a FELONY .

•  The NAEP does not replace any state’s own assessments.

•  The NAEP should NOT assess “personal or family beliefs and attitudes.” All questions are to be “secular, neutral, and non-ideological.”

•  The Long Term Trends NAEP MUST be given in reading and math.   Administration of science and writing assessments is voluntary.

•  The federal government will pay for administration of the mandatory NAEP assessments.

There is more than one type of NAEP test:

NATIONAL NAEP

This test reports information for the nation and specific geographic regions.   It is given to public and non-public students in grades 4, 8, and 12.   Scores are only reported for student groups, not individual students.   This NAEP test evolves to match instructional practices, so it can only be used for short-term comparisons.

STATE NAEP

Although the same test is used, the NAEP is given to a different set of children within each state.   Testing results are limited to each individual state.

LONG-TERM TREND NAEP

This test is designed to give information on the changes in basic achievement of U.S. students since 1971 in reading and 1973 in math.   The NAEP is given nationally to students who are 9, 13, and 17 years of age.   In order to compare student scores over years, this NAEP does not evolve to reflect changes in curricula or educational practices.

In 2003, both the National and State NAEP assessments were given in math and reading.   During the seven-week assessment period, more than 727,800 students were assessed in 14,200 schools,

The 2004 NAEP schedule:

NAEP Long-Term Trend – given nationally

October – December 2003 – 9 year-olds

January   – March 2004 – 13-year-olds

March – May 2004 – 17-year-olds

Pilot foreign language NAEP in grade 12

October-November 2003

Field tests for math and reading questions to use in the 2005 NAEP

January 26 – March 4, 2004 in reading, math and science in grade 4, 8, and 12

Parents, Take Note!

Students who have taken the NAEP have reported to their parents that personal questions are embedded among the academic questions.   These questions reportedly have asked about student preferences, teachers’ practices, and family habits.   Students are so trained to answer all test questions that they usually provide the information.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has an extensive section on the NAEP.  

Part C, Section 411, (c),   (3), (A), reads:

“IN GENERAL – The Commissioner shall ensure that all personally identifiable information about students, their academic achievement, and their families , and that information with respect to individual schools, remains confidential, in accordance with section 552a of title 5, United State Code.” (emphasis added)

This indicates that the NAEP definitely does collect information on the families.

Discussion of this issue has been hampered because of another section of NCLB.   Part C, Section 411, (c), (4), reads:

“PENALITIES – Any unauthorized person who knowingly discloses, publishes, or uses assessment questions, or complete and current assessment instruments of any assessment authorized under this section may be fined as specified in section 3571 of title 18, United State Code or charged with a class E felony.”

Because the government shrouds the NAEP in secrecy, those wanting to preview the test must jump many hurdles. Part C, Section 411, (c), (1), establishes the review process:

Parents must contact the individual State NAEP Coordinator to request access to the NAEP, which must be provided within 45 days.   This lengthy process makes it difficult for parents (or anyone else) to preview the NAEP before their child takes it.

More information can be found at the NAEP website – http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard .