NAEP

About NAEP

A Common Measure of Student Achievement

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only assessment that measures what U.S. students know and can do in various subjects across the nation, states, and in some urban districts. Also known as The Nation’s Report Card, NAEP has provided important information about how students are performing academically since 1969.

NAEP is a congressionally mandated project administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

NAEP is given to a representative sample of students across the country. Results are reported for groups of students with similar characteristics (e.g., gender, race and ethnicity, school location), not individual students. National results are available for all subjects assessed by NAEP. State and selected urban district results are available for mathematics, reading, and (in some assessment years) science and writing.

As the gold standard in large-scale assessments, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is developed by a renowned group of assessment and content specialists, education experts, and teachers. NCES shares best practices and lessons learned from NAEP assessments are shared with assessment programs across the nation.

NAEP is at the forefront in

providing valid and reliable national assessment data on student progress;

developing innovative large-scale assessments that reflect advances in educational technologies;

creating assessment advances in methodology, statistical modeling; and

reporting findings that meet the needs and interests of the educational community.

NAEP is a nationally representative assessment that measures U.S. students’ knowledge and performance in multiple subjects. The first national assessments administered by NAEP were in 1969. Here is a timeline of the addition of NAEP assessments through the years:

1969-70 – citizenship, science, and writing

1970-71 – literature and reading

1971-72 – music and social studies

1974-75 – art

1986 – U.S. history

1988 – civics and geography

2006 – economics

2014 – technology and engineering literacy

NAEP assessments are administered at the national level for all subjects, and at the state level for mathematics, reading, science, and writing. In addition, select urban districts participate in reading, mathematics, science, and writing assessments.

Today’s students are digital natives. Their schools are usually equipped with computers, and digital tools are an integral part of the learning environment. To address the increased role of technology in classrooms, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is transitioning the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) from paper and pencil to digitally based assessments. NCES is utilizing established best practices for NAEP to remain at the forefront of innovation for large-scale assessments. NCES is also exploring new testing methods and question types to reflect the growing use of technology in education.

NAEP digital assessments, which are administered on tablets or laptop computers, use dynamic and innovative technologies to provide an engaging assessment experience for students and more meaningful data about students’ skills and knowledge for educators. With digitally based assessments, students are asked to receive, gather, and report information just as they do in their everyday lives. These new assessments include universal design principles, making it possible for more students to participate without special accommodation sessions. The goal is for all students to have a seamless assessment administration, regardless of their ability.

Results of the 2018 NAEP digitally based assessments in civics, geography, U.S. history, and technology and engineering literacy (TEL) are being analyzed and will be reported on a national level in 2019. The civics, geography, and U.S. history assessments were administered on NAEP-provided tablets at grade 8 in the winter of 2018. A small number of eighth-grade students took paper-and-pencil assessments in these subjects to help NAEP evaluate any differences in student performance between the two types of administration. The NAEP TEL assessment was administered to eighth-graders on laptops in 2018.

Select fourth-grade students participated in reading special studies or a science pilot assessment; some eighth-grade students participated in a reading special study or science pilot assessment; and some twelfth-grade students participated in a mathematics pilot assessment, reading pilot assessment, reading special study, or science pilot assessment. Results from these pilot assessments will not be released but will be used to inform future NAEP assessments. Additional subjects will be administered on tablets in 2019. Each student will take NAEP in one format and one subject only.

Since 2001, NAEP has been exploring new testing methods and question types that reflect the growing use of technology in education. NAEP has introduced a variety of new question and task types in the assessments to capture what students know and are able to do in more authentic or direct ways, including scenario-based tasks from the technology and engineering literacy (TEL) assessment, interactive computer tasks, and hybrid hands-on tasks.

In 2016, NAEP mathematics and reading assessments were piloted on tablets with an attached keyboard, a stylus, and earbuds and used new testing methods and question types. Some questions included multimedia, such as audio and video. Other questions allowed the use of digital tools (such as an onscreen calculator) to form a response, or engaged students in solving problems within realistic scenarios.

Research in the use of new technologies is ongoing throughout the introduction of digitally based assessments.

New technologies are improving NAEP’s ability to offer accommodations to increase participation and provide universal access to students of all learning backgrounds, including students with disabilities and English language learners. In a digital environment, what used to be an accommodation for paper-based testing becomes a seamless part of universal design, available to all students. That means that things like adjusting font size, having test questions read aloud in English (text-to-speech), use of higher contrast to improve readability, and using a highlighter tool are available to all students during the assessment.

Statement on NAEP's Transition to Digitally Based Assessments

October 31, 2017

In Spring 2017, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) completed a major step with its transition to digitally based assessments for the reading and mathematics portions of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation’s Report Card. NAEP assessed over half a million fourth- and eighth-graders across the country in reading and mathematics with digital devices. Also in 2017, the writing assessment was given for the second time on a digital platform. To minimize the burden on schools and to standardize the administration across schools and states, NCES provided all the equipment for the assessments. The move to digitally based assessments reflects how NAEP has evolved to address the changing landscape of learning in and out of the classroom.

This transition was carefully planned over several years, and was based on a wealth of knowledge and experience in digital assessments. The NCES team of experts has conducted special technology-based studies and administered digitally based assessments for writing and technology and engineering literacy (TEL). In 2015, NCES conducted pilot studies to gather data that would support the transition of grades 4 and 8 reading and mathematics assessments from paper-and-pencil to a digital format. That transition was completed with the 2017 administration of the National Assessment.

Digitally based assessments will allow NAEP to report not only on student performance but also on student actions on the assessment related to performance, such as those recorded through the keyboard and mouse. In mathematics, we can learn how long students spend on different mathematical tasks and how they use built-in tools—like calculators and rulers—to solve problems. In reading, we can see how long it takes students to read a passage and how often they return to it as they answer questions. In writing, we can see how much time students spend writing, how many revisions they make, and at what point in the writing process they make revisions. This information expands and enriches reporting while also informing the development of future assessments and questions.

Moving forward, NAEP will use a digital format for all subjects it assesses. In 2018, civics, geography, and U.S. history will transition from paper-and-pencil to digital and TEL will continue to be administered on laptop computers.

During these transitions, NCES is taking great care to maintain NAEP’s contribution as the common “yardstick” in large-scale assessments and to maintain the reporting of trends in student performance over time. As in the past, NCES will report trends in student achievement for the nation, all states, and participating urban districts. For the first time in reading and mathematics, The Nation’s Report Card will report on the steps students take in responding to assessment questions.

NCES and the National Assessment Governing Board will share the NAEP 2017 reading and mathematics results in early 2018 and will continue to deliver rich data on what students know and can do.

Maintaining Trend

Maintaining trend lines (the ability to compare performance results from one year to another) is a priority. To do this, NAEP is using a multistep process to move from paper to digital technology to protect trend reporting. The process involves two stages of piloting before administering an operational digitally based NAEP assessment:

Stage 1. Adapt the paper-based questions for tablet delivery and pilot them in the same year as a main paper-based NAEP administration. Comparing results from paper and digitally based versions of the same assessment content will allow NAEP to establish a link between administration modes and help interpret performance trends across the transition from paper to digital delivery.

Stage 2. Develop new assessment questions and innovative question types and tasks that make use of digital technologies. This new digital assessment content will be gradually introduced into the assessment after first studying the effects of including these new items and item types.

美国“国家教育进步评价”（National Assessment of Educational Progress，NAEP）也被称为“国家成绩报告单”，是美国国内唯一长期的且具有全国代表性的教育评价体系，在美国教育领域占据着独特的地位，在世界范围内也产生了重要影响，成为其他国家建立教育质量监测体系的榜样，被多个国家借鉴和模仿。

美国自建国以来，教育实权一直都掌握在州政府，或更低一级的学区上。二战后，受到国内外复杂环境的影响，美国联邦政府开始关注并干预教育，联邦政府和公众对全国教育成绩等教育信息的需求也日益强烈。于是，时任全国教育总监的凯佩尔（Francis C. Keppel）联合全国著名的教育评价专家泰勒（Ralph W. Tyler）和卡内基基金会主席共同推动了NAEP的产生。从1963年提出设想到现在，NAEP主要经历了以下四个发展阶段：

艰难创立

各利益群体之间持续博弈（1963年～1969年）

　　此阶段，NAEP在凯佩尔的领导下开始创建工作，但其最初的想法却遭到了一些有影响的教育组织的反对。经过一系列艰难协商，NAEP最终由各州教育官员组成的各州教育委员会（Educational Commission of the States, ECS）来管理，并于1969年实施了第一次全国性评价。在相当长的时间里NAEP只公布国家一级的结果，而不报告各州和学区的成绩。

平稳发展

由私人投资到政府拨款（1969年～1983年）

此阶段，NAEP的管理工作由ECS负责。但联邦政府对NAEP的投资逐渐增加，并于1972年成为了NAEP的唯一资金来源。同时，NAEP的监控权由“国家教育研究发展中心”转移给了“国家教育统计中心”（National Center for Educational Statistics, NCES）。

历史突破

州评价的实施（1983年～2001年）

此阶段，NAEP的管理权由ECS转移给了教育考试服务中心（ETS）。ETS为了增强NAEP的解释力，满足公众对学生评价的要求，突破性增加了NAEP州评价项目。1988年，国会批准建立独立的机构专门负责NAEP的管理工作，最终促成了国家评价管理委员会（National Assessment Governing Board，NAGB）的建立，至此NAEP有了专门而独立的管理机构。

新的发展阶段

从自愿到强制（2001年至今）

2001年小布什上台后的第一个法案就是《不让一个孩子掉队》（NCLB）法案。法案要求所有接受《中小学教育法》“第一条”（TitleⅠ）资助的州必须承诺参加两年一次的，针对4、8年级学生数学和阅读科目的NAEP州评价。至此，NAEP州评价由原来的自愿参与，变成了强制性的，从而进入了一个新的历史阶段。

NAEP的项目构成

主要评价

评价学生当前成就

NAEP的主要评价包括全国评价和州评价，旨在检测全国及各州学生在核心学科领域知道什么、能做什么。

全国评价每年实施一次，以4、8、12年级学生为样本，评价内容包括阅读、数学、科学、写作、美国历史、经济学、公民学、地理和艺术等9个科目，但每轮评价只选择其中的两到三个科目和两个年级的学生参加。

州评价每两年实施一次，以4、8年级学生为样本，评价内容为数学、阅读、科学和写作4个科目。数学和阅读评价各州必须参加，其他两个科目则遵循各州自愿的原则。

长期趋势评价

监测学生成就发展趋势

NAEP的长期趋势评价旨在提供有关青少年在学业成绩方面长期变化发展的信息。它每四年实施一次，以9、13、17岁的学生为样本。评价的科目包括数学、科学、阅读和写作。其测量方式是固定不变的，不随课程以及教育实践的变化而改变。

专项研究

辅助性专题研究

除了常规性的主要评价和长期趋势评价，为了更加充分的利用NAEP平台，NAEP体系还要进行一系列的相关辅助性研究。持续进行的研究项目包括特许学校试验性研究、中学毕业成绩单研究、全国印第安教育研究、口语阅读研究、私立学校学生成绩研究等。这些研究项目针对特定的学生群体，根据他们在NAEP主要评价中的成绩来检测其学业成就。

NAEP的组织模式

管理机构

国家评价管理委员会

美国国家评价管理委员会（NAGB）是1988年按照联邦法律、由国会批准，为监督NAEP的工作而专门建立的。NAGB主要负责：选择评价的学科；为每个年龄段和年级在所要测试的学科领域中确定合适的成绩目标；设定评价目标；制定测试规范；设计评价方法；制定分析计划和报告、颁布评估结果的方针与标准；开发州与州之间、地区与国家之间成绩比较的标准和程序等。

执行机构

国家教育统计中心

美国国家教育统计中心（NCES）是美国教育部下属的重要机构，隶属于教育科学院。从70年代NAEP的监控权正式移交给NCES至今，其下属的评价部（Assessment Division）就具体负责执行这一项目，其主要职责包括：设计评价、开发试题、实施评价、发布报告、协调各州评价与相关数据收集活动等。NCES通过发标竞标的形式为NAEP选择最佳的合作伙伴，并给予其法律授权的形式来实现对NAEP的管理和控制。

实施机构

专业教育考试服务公司

NAEP具体实施的各个环节都是由NCES选中的专业教育考试机构或考试服务公司来完成的。如“美国大学入学考试”（ACT）教育公司负责确定测评的各学科与各年级的学业标准；ETS负责编制评价工具、评分、分析数据、报告结果；西斯特（Westat）公司负责抽取被试学校与学生样本，培训评价管理人员，组织实地测评工作；全美计算机系统（NCS）负责测评材料的印刷与分发，以及学生答卷的扫描、识别与计分；美国研究所（AIR）负责背景问卷的编制等。

NAEP的评价过程

NAEP从设计到实施是一个相当复杂的过程，一般需要五年时间，主要有以下几个阶段：

框架制定

由NAGB负责，统领整个评价的设计与实施。评价框架的制定以《教育与心理测验之标准》、《教育公平测验实践的准则》和《国家教育统计中心统计标准》为指导原则，通过各领域的专业人员和公众的积极参与和反复论证，确保评价框架一方面反映出当前教育发展的要求，综合考虑各州和地区不同的教育状况，另一方面又要具有前瞻性和预测性以反映教育目标和课程的变化，实现教学实践与研究成果之间的平衡。

工具开发

主要由ETS负责，严格按照工具编制的标准化程序进行试题的开发。首先ETS测验开发人员和课程顾问根据NAEP评价工具制定委员会的指导和建议，编写评价试题和练习。然后ETS组织富有经验的各科测验开发专家对这些试题和练习的相关内容进行审核和修改，并通过小规模试测（Pilot Test），再次对题目进行修订。最后通过实地测验（Field Test），对其结果进行评分和分析，选择最佳试题。在第三次修改之后最终确定正式评价中所用的试题册。

学生取样

NCES采用分层取样的方法选择学校和学生参与评价。主要依据地理位置、城市化程度、少数民族学生注册人数、中等收入家庭数量、学校性质（公立学校和非公立学校）抽取学校。在选定的学校中按照事先确定的比例从指定的年级中随机抽取学生。

具体施测

主要由Westat公司负责完成数据采集与评价实施的工作。NAEP全国评价和州评价是同步进行的，即从每年一月份的最后一周开始到三月份的第一周结束。而长期趋势评价按照学生样本年龄的不同分为三个阶段，即13岁学生的评价在秋季进行，9岁学生的评价在冬季进行，17岁学生的评价在春季进行。

评分过程

NAEP的评分由美国国家计算机系统（NCS）负责，选择题使用光电阅读器评分，开放式问题由经过培训的评分者依据评分指南和量表进行评分。NCS还开发了特有的电子图像处理评分系统，可以电子阅读学生的应答手册，使开放式问题数字化，并把图像存储到计算机监测系统之中，每一试题可能的分数范围会出现在电脑屏幕上，评分者只要按下合适的按钮就可以快速和准确地进行评分。

成绩报告

NAEP主要评价的每一评价科目结果都以量尺分数（scale score）和成就水平（achievement levels）两种方式呈现。量尺分数的汇总依据项目反应理论。阅读、数学、历史和地理科目的量尺分数范围是0-500；科学、写作和公民学是0-300。成就水平采用国际通用的方法和程序划定，共分为三个等级，基础、熟练和高级。

NAEP的主要特点

作为美国唯一一个长期的全国性评价体系，NAEP有着如下主要特点：

　　1、权威性：联邦主导，专业机构实施；

　　2、法制性：法律保障，纳入法制框架；

　　3、多效性：综合数据收集与课题研究的评价体系；

　　4、全面性：多样化的评价手段，对学生进行科学而全面的评价；

　　5、公平性：关注弱势群体，体现评价公平；

　　6、开放性：重视评估与交流，开放的评价体系；

　　7、低利害性：考试结果对学生及学校的利害性低、影响小。