National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is commonly known as the Nation’s Report Card. It is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in various subject areas. Since NAEP assessments are administered uniformly using the same sets of test booklets across the nation the results can serve as a common metric for all states. NAEP results are based on representative samples of students. Scores for individual students or schools are not available.

NCLB requires all states that receive Title I funds to participate in NAEP reading and mathematics assessments at fourth and eighth grades. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education is responsible by law for carrying out the NAEP project. The National Assessment Governing Board, appointed by the Secretary of Education, sets policy for NAEP and is responsible for developing the framework and test specifications that serve as the blueprint for the assessments. The NAEP assessment operations are carried out with the assistance from contractors.

State NAEP is administered in reading and mathematics during the spring semester of odd number years. The most current NAEP data released from NCES is NAEP 2007. It is anticipated the NAEP 2009 data will be available for the 2010 report card.   

2007 Kansas State Results
Comparison of NAEP and Kansas assessment