The two major goals are to measure student achievement and to report changes in student performance over time.
It is the nation’s only ongoing survey of what students know and can do in various subject areas (reading, mathematics, writing, and science at the state and national levels; U.S. history, geography, civics, economics, world history, foreign language, and the arts at the national level).
Reports performance by student groups, e.g., by gender, race/ethnicity, English language learners (ELL), and participation in exceptional education programs.
In 2009, 52 jurisdictions (the 50 states, the District if Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity schools) and selected urban districts participated in NAEP.
Was designed as a survey assessment in 1969 to produce national results.
Was expanded to produce state level results in 1990. Results for selected large urban school districts have been available since 2002.
Assessments are administered, with the help of contractors, by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Does NOT provide scores at the school or individual student levels.