According to NAEP 2007:

Known as "the nation's report card," NAEP offers comparable state-by-state performance data. NAEP is overseen by the federal government and assesses student performance in reading, math, science, history, and writing.

NAEP is based on the performance of a representative sample of students, with about 3,000 students per jurisdiction. While the program provides extensive data on the performance of the states and various student populations, it does not provide information on how individual schools or students are doing.

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NAEP results are reported in two ways:

1. Average scores are reported on a scale, typically from 0-500.
2. Achievement levels (below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced) are assigned to ranges on the scale to describe various levels of performance.

NAEP data are available at the national and state level and for a dozen districts. The data are also broken down by race, income, gender, English language learners, and student disability.

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How does the performance of student groups compare? NAEP provides achievement data by student race/ethnicity, family income, disability, and English language proficiency. These indicators shed light on achievement gaps between student groups in your state. The Nations Report Card is an easy-to-use website for accessing this data. 

Is NAEP achievement improving?  It's also important to understand if student performance is improving or declining. The "main" NAEP provides trend data beginning in the early 1990s. The long-term trend NAEP is a separate test that has been tracking student achievement since 1971. Both the Main NAEP and NAEP Long-Term Trends provide achievement data broken down by student group.  

Why does student performance on NAEP differ from state tests?
Under federal law, each state sets its own proficiency level on state exams. While some states grade their students against proficiency standards that are as high as NAEP, others use standards lower than NAEP. The Center for Public Education provides more information on comparing state and NAEP assessments in two of its guides, Score wars and The proficiency debate.

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Congress established NAEP in 1969, and while the exam is voluntary, all states that receive Title I funds must participate in the reading and mathematics assessments in fourth and eighth grade. NAEP administers the reading and mathematics exams every other year, while other subject-area exams like U.S. History typically occur every four years. More information on the NAEP program and schedule of exams can be found in The Nation's Report Card, Questions and Answers.

Although NAEP aims to provide data at the state and national level, some districts have also participated in the assessment. The districts include Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Diego. The 2007 urban district results have been released in math and in reading.

NAEP measures student performance against an academic framework. The framework is a broad outline of what students should know and be able to do and was developed by the U.S. Department of Education with the help of educators, policymakers, and the general public. In the mathematics framework, for example, fourth graders at the proficient level should be able to use whole numbers, have a conceptual understanding of fractions and decimals, and be able to use four-function calculators. Results on the exams are reported by scale scores or by the achievement levels based on these frameworks. Researchers typically use the scale scores because they offer more precise results, while policy-makers and the public usually report scores according to the achievement levels. More information on the test development and frameworks can be found on the National Assessment Governing Board website.

The NAEP program—and its academic frameworks—has not been without its critics. Some states have argued that the exam does not reflect their local curricula, and some experts have criticized the design of the academic frameworks. Most notably, a 1998 report by the National Academy of Science found that the process for setting NAEP achievement levels was flawed and argued that the performance benchmarks were set too high. While the Department of Education maintains that the assessment program is sound, it has contracted with the Buros Center for Testing for an external evaluation. More information on the debate over NAEP and the NAEP frameworks can be found on the Center for Public Education website. Information about the Buros Center evaluation can be found on the University of Massachusetts website.

Demonstrating success: Accountability Plan Spurs Achievement Gains for Indiana District—Making accountability a matter of policy helped this school district narrow the acheivement gap and raise students' achievement scores overall

Long-term commitment key to Kansas City (Kan.) schools' success—Faced with a high drop out rate and low student performance, this Kansas City (Kan.) district put "first things first" to increase community involvement and make student achievement gains. 

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