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Contents

The State of Adolescent Literacy Today Educating the Educators Family, Communities and Peers Adolescent Literacy and Public Policy Standards and Assessment
  • National Assessment of Educational Progress Information
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Standards and Assessment

National Assessment of Educational Progress

“The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the ‘the Nation’s Report Card,’ is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in various subject areas. Since 1969, assessments have been conducted periodically in reading, mathematics, science, writing, U.S. history, civics, geography, and the arts. NAEP does not provide scores for individual students or schools; instead, it offers results regarding subject-matter achievement, instructional experiences, and school environment for populations of students (e.g., fourth-graders) and groups within those populations (e.g., female students, Hispanic students).”1

“Students in more that 17,600 schools participated in the 2005 reading assessment. The assessment was administered from January to early April 2005 to more than 165,000 students at grade 4, to 159,000 students at grade 8, and to 12,000 students at grade 12.”2

For 2005 NAEP results nationwide, click here.

For an explanation of NAEP assessments and achievement levels, click here.

Sample Assessments
  • NAEP Demonstration Booklet: 4th Grade Assessment

  • NAEP Demonstration Booklet: 8th Grade Assessment

  • NAEP Demonstration Booklet: 12th Grade Assessment

  • Example of sample questions on the “Reading to Perform” section of the NAEP Assessment: “Sample NAEP Items, by Element of Practical Text and Aspect of Reading.”3

    • Element of Practical Text Aspect of Reading
    Forming a General Understanding Developing Interpretation Making Reader/Text Connections Examining Content and Structure
    Central purpose What is the purpose of the document? Use evidence from the document in your response. Do these directions list all the materials you need? Give a reason for your answer. Do you think the directions would be the same for _____? Use evidence from the text. Is this mainly for readers familiar with the activity? Explain why or why not.
    Key information Tell how this information would be useful. Use evidence from the document. Why is it important to do _____ before _____? Use evidence from the document in your response. Compare the directions to a set of directions you have used in the past. Which set is easier to follow? Tell why. Name one step that is important in order to follow the directions. Explain why this step is important.
    Key organizing features Tell what you need to complete the steps. Which features indicate this? What happens after _____? Explain why this is an important step? When might you use these steps? Support your answer with evidence from the text. Explain how the author organized this document. Use support from the text.
    Key graphics What is the significance of the graphics to the total set of directions? Use support from the text in your response. Why does the second picture show _____? Which additional graphics would you add to make the directions clear? Use support from the text. Why is there boldface print at the front of each section?
    Vocabulary Which words tell what the document is mostly about? Use evidence from the text to support your response. Use the context to tell the meaning of _____. Explain why the phrase _____ is useful in these directions. Why does the author use the words _____ to present the last step of the directions?


  • View more sample NAEP questions (all grades).



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