NAEP Data Collection - Overview of the NAEP Assessments

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Overview of the NAEP Assessments

Overview of the 2000 Assessment

Overview of the 2001 Assessment

For each NAEP assessment the sample of schools, percentage of participation of schools and districts, and participation status of states and jurisdictions changes. NAEP data collection staff work to gain cooperation of all involved to ensure that enough data are collected to present an accurate picture of what students know and can do.

Additionally, the subject area that are assessed change from assessment cycle to assessment cycle. The table below lists the subject area assessed by assessment year and type.

Subject areas assessed, by assessment type: Various years, 1969–2001
Assessment year	Subject areas assessed in NAEP national main assessments	Subject areas assessed in NAEP long-term trend assessments	Subject areas assessed in NAEP state assessments
1969–70	Citizenship Science Writing	Science¹	§
1970–71	Literature Reading	Reading¹	§
1971–72	Music Social studies	†	§
1972–73	Mathematics Science	Mathematics¹ Science¹	§
1973–74	Career & occupational development writing	†	§
1974–75	The arts Index of basic skills Reading	Reading¹	§
1975–76	Citizenship/social studies Mathematics²	Citizenship/social studies¹	§
1976–77	Basic life skills² Science	Science¹	§
1977–78	Consumer skills² Mathematics	Mathematics¹	§
1978–79	The arts Music Writing	†	§
1979–80	The arts Literature Reading	Reading¹	§
1981–82³	Citizenship Mathematics Science Social studies	Mathematics¹ Science¹	§
1984	Reading Writing	Reading Writing	§
1986	Computer competence Literature² Mathematics Reading Science U.S. history²	Mathematics Reading⁴ Science	§
1988	Civics Document literacy² Geography² U.S. history Reading Writing	Civics¹ Mathematics Reading Science Writing	§
1990	Mathematics Reading Science	Mathematics Reading Science Writing	Mathematics⁵ (gr 8 only)
1992	Mathematics Reading Writing	Mathematics Reading Science Writing	Mathematics⁵ (gr 4 and 8) Reading⁵ (gr 4 only)
1994	Geography Reading U.S. history	Mathematics Reading Science Writing	Reading⁵ (gr 4 only)
1996	Mathematics Science	Mathematics Reading Science Writing	Mathematics (gr 4 and 8) Science (gr 8 only)
1997	The arts (grade 8 only)	†	†
1998	Civics Reading Writing	†	Reading (gr 4 and 8) Writing (gr 8 only)
1999	†	Mathematics Reading Science	†
2000	Mathematics Reading (grade 4 only) Science	†	Mathematics (gr 4 and 8) Science (gr 4 and 8)
2001	Geography U.S. history	†	†
§ State assessments began in 1990. † Not applicable; no subjects were assessed. ¹ This assessment appears in reports as part of long-term trend. Note that the civics assessment in 1988 is the third point in trend with citizenship/social studies in 1981–82 and in 1975–76. There are no points on the trend line for writing before 1984. ² This was a small, special study administered to limited national samples at specific grades or ages and was not part of a larger national main assessment. Note that this table includes only assessments administered to in-school samples; not shown are several special NAEP assessments of adults. ³ Explanation of format for year column: Before 1984, the national main NAEP assessments were administered in the fall of one year through the spring of the next. Beginning with 1984, the national main assessment was administered after the new year in winter, although the assessments to measure long-term trend continued with their traditional administration in fall, winter, and spring. Because the national main assessment is the largest component of NAEP, beginning with 1984 its administration year is listed (rather than the two years over which trend continued to be administered.) Note also that the state assessment is administered at essentially the same time as the national main assessment. ⁴ The 1986 long-term trend reading assessment is not included on the trend line in reports because the results for this assessment were unusual. Further information on this reading anomaly is available in Beaton and Zwick (1990). ⁵ State assessments in 1990–94 were referred to as Trial State Assessments. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

Last updated 17 June 2008 (MH)

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