What is NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)
NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) is the Nation's Report Card — the largest nationally representative assessment of what U.S. students know and can do in various subjects.
NAEP stands for National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly known as The Nation's Report Card. It is the largest, nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various academic subjects. NAEP has been measuring student achievement since 1969 and is the only nationally consistent measure of student knowledge across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
What NAEP Measures
NAEP assesses student performance at grades 4, 8, and 12 in:
- Reading (assessed most frequently — every 2 years)
- Mathematics (assessed most frequently — every 2 years)
- Science
- Writing
- U.S. History
- Civics
- Geography
- Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL)
- Arts (periodically)
- Economics (periodically)
How NAEP Reports Results
NAEP reports student achievement on a 0–500 scale and divides scores into four achievement levels:
| Achievement Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Advanced | Superior performance |
| Proficient | Solid academic performance — the desired level |
| Basic | Partial mastery of knowledge and skills |
| Below Basic | Does not demonstrate Basic level mastery |
The Proficient level is considered the target — much national debate centers on what percentage of students are reaching Proficient.
Who Participates in NAEP?
NAEP uses a random sampling methodology:
- Schools are randomly selected; students within those schools are randomly selected
- Students cannot study for NAEP or be specifically prepared — it reflects natural learning
- No individual student scores are reported — only aggregate results for states, districts, and demographic groups
- NAEP does not affect individual students, teachers, or schools in any direct way
Why NAEP Matters
- National benchmark — Allows comparison of academic performance across states despite different state standards and tests
- Exposes gaps — Reveals persistent achievement gaps between demographic groups
- Tracks trends — Long-term trend data shows whether U.S. students are improving over decades
- Policy driver — NAEP results inform federal education policy decisions and public debate
- Accountability check — States that report inflated results on their own tests can be compared against NAEP as a reality check ("NAEP honesty")
The NAEP Score Decline After COVID-19
The 2022 NAEP results (released in October 2022) showed the largest decline in reading and math scores in the test's 50-year history, directly attributed to learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic school closures.