National NAEP reports statistical information about student performance and factors related to educational performance for the nation and for specific student groups in the population (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender). It includes students drawn from both public and nonpublic (private) schools and reports results for student achievement at grades 4, 8, and 12. The subject areas include: math, reading, science, writing, arts, civics, economics, geography, U.S. history & technology and engineering literacy.

These assessments follow subject-area frameworks developed by the National Assessment Governing Board, and use the latest advances in assessment methodology. These assessments are distinguished from NAEP long-term trend, which, although national, uses frameworks and questions that remain constant over time. Learn more about what national NAEP measures, and how results are reported to the public.

As the content and nature of the NAEP instrument evolve to match instructional practice, the ability of the assessment to measure change over time is reduced. While short-term trends can be measured in many of the NAEP subjects (e.g., mathematics, reading), the most reliable instruments of change over time are the NAEP long-term trend assessments.

Additionally, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) also collected high school transcript data in 1987, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2000 and 2005. Specifically, data include information that is contained on the student high school record—i.e., courses taken while attending secondary school; information on credits earned; year and term a specific course was taken; and, final grades. When available, information on class rank and standardized scores is also collected. Once collected, information (e.g., course name, credits earned, course grades) is transcribed and standardized (e.g., credits and credit hours standardized to a common metric) and can be linked back to the student’s questionnaire or assessment data.