The NAEP Glossary of Terms
accommodation. A change in how a test is presented, in how it is administered, or in how the test taker is allowed to respond. This term generally refers to changes that do not substantially alter what the test measures. The proper use of accommodations does not substantially change academic level or performance criteria. Appropriate accommodations are made to provide equal opportunity to demonstrate knowledge. The most frequently used accommodations in NAEP are large-print booklets, extended time in regular test sessions, reading questions aloud in regular sessions, small groups, one-on-one sessions, scribes or use of computers to record answers, bilingual booklets (mathematics assessment only), and bilingual dictionaries (not for the reading assessment). In NAEP, accommodations may be provided to certain students with disabilities (SD) and/or English language learners (ELL), as specified in the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP).
achievement levels. Performance standards set by the National Assessment Governing Board that provide a context for interpreting student performance on NAEP, based on recommendations from panels of educators and members of the public. The levels, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced, measure what students should know and be able to do at each grade assessed. See each NAEP subject for a detailed description of what students should know and be able to do at each level at grade 4, 8, or 12.
achievement-level percentages. The percentage of students within the total population, or in a particular student group, who meet or exceed expectations of what students should know and be able to do. Specifically, it is the weighted percentage of students with NAEP composite scores that are equal to, or exceed, the achievement-level cut scores specified by the National Assessment Governing Board.
Advanced. One of the three NAEP achievement levels, denoting superior performance at each grade assessed. See each NAEP subject for a detailed description of what students should know and be able to do at grade 4, 8, or 12 at the Advanced level. The cut scores determining each level are available with these descriptions.
advanced math. Used for the High School Transcript Study, advanced mathematics includes courses, other than calculus, that are generally taken after algebra II (e.g. AP statistics and precalculus).
advanced science. Used for the High School Transcript Study, advanced science are science courses that contain advanced content (like AP Biology, IB Chemistry, AP Physics, etc.) or are considered second-year courses (Chemistry 2, Advanced Biology, etc.). Students may take advanced science courses (like second-year chemistry) instead of physics.
background questionnaires. The instruments used to collect information about student demographics and educational experiences.
Basic. One of the three NAEP achievement levels, denoting partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade assessed. NAEP also reports the proportion of students whose scores place them below the Basic achievement level. See each NAEP subject for a detailed description of what students should know and be able to do at grade 4, 8, or 12 at the Basic level. The cut scores determining each level are available with these descriptions.
charter school. A public charter school is a publicly funded school that, in accordance with an enabling state statute, has been granted a charter exempting it from selected state or local rules and regulations. A charter school may be newly created, or it may previously have been a public or private school; it is typically governed by a group or organization (e.g., a group of educators, a corporation, or a university) under a contract or charter with the state. In return for funding and autonomy, the charter school must meet accountability standards. A school's charter is reviewed (typically every 3 to 5 years) and can be revoked if guidelines on curriculum and management are not followed or the standards are not met.
Classification of Secondary School Courses (CSSC). A coding system employed for the purpose of standardizing High School Transcript Study (HSTS) transcripts. The CSSC, a modification of the Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) is used for classifying college courses and contains 2,268 course codes. (For more information see http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/hst/courses.asp).
constructed-response item. A non-multiple-choice item that requires some type of written or oral response.
core academic courses. A course type defined for the High School Transcript Study, core courses are English, mathematics, science, and social studies.
course types. The High School Transcript Study reports credits earned for three types of courses: core academic, other academic and, other courses.
credits earned. In the High School Transcript Study, course credits earned are converted to standardized Carnegie units, in which a single Carnegie unit is equal to 120 hours of classroom instruction over the course of a year. One Carnegie credit is often described as what a student earns for completing a one year course that meets 40 minutes per school day (assuming 180 school days in a school year). However, it should be noted that some courses may meet for one semester for 0.5 credits, while others may meet for 60 minutes each day for a year for 1.5 credits.
curriculum level. For the purposes of the High School Transcript Study, three curriculum levels were defined: standard, midlevel, and rigorous. The curriculum levels are based on the number of credits and the types of courses graduates take.
This is a modified version of curriculum levels used by Laura Horn and Lawrence K. Kojaku (U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. High School Academic Curriculum and
the Persistence Path Through College, NCES 2001-163. Project Officer: C. Dennis Carroll. Washington, DC: 2001). This modification was made to ensure that HSTS data for earlier years are consistent with 2005.
cut score. The minimum score required for performance at each NAEP achievement level. NAEP cut scores are determined through a standard-setting process that convenes a cross-section of educators and interested citizens from across the nation. The group determines what students should know and be able to do relative to a body of content reflected in the framework. The National Assessment Governing Board then adopts a set of cut scores on the scale that defines the lower boundaries of Basic, Proficient, and Advanced.
disadvantaged minority. Used to define minority school status, historically disadvantaged minorities include Black students and Hispanic students.
English language learners (ELL). A term used to describe students who are in the process of acquiring English language skills and knowledge. Some schools refer to these students using the term limited-English-proficient (LEP). "Limited English Proficient" is also the terminology used in NAEP technical documentation prior to the 2005 NAEP assessment.
excluded student questionnaire. An instrument completed for every student who was selected to participate but ultimately excluded from the assessment.
excluded students. Sampled students determined by the school to be unable to participate because they are English language learners (ELL) or have a disability.
gender. NAEP results are reported separately for males and females, based on students' self-reported gender.
grade point average (GPA). GPA is used in the High School Transcript Study. Points are assigned to each letter grade as follows: A=4 points; B=3 points; C=2 points; D= 1 point; F= 0 points. The points are weighted by the number of Carnegie credits earned, so that a course with 120 hours of instruction counts twice as much as one with 60 hours. The average of the points earned for all the courses taken is the grade point average. Courses in which a graduate did not receive a grade, such as pass/fail and audited courses, do not factor into the GPA calculation. No additional grade points are assigned for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and other honors classes. This process does not standardize for differences in grading practices among schools and teachers.
Individualized Education Program (IEP). A written statement for each individual with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with Title 42 U.S.C. Section 1414(d).
item. The basic scorable part of an assessment; a test question.
large central city. A comparison group that includes public schools located in large central cities (population of 250,000 or more) throughout the United States within metropolitan statistical areas as defined by the federal Office of Management and Budget. It is not synonymous with the term inner city.
midlevel curriculum. One of the curriculum levels defined for the High School Transcript Study—four years of English; three years each of social studies, mathematics (which includes geometry and Algebra I or II), and science (which includes two years of biology, chemistry and physics); and one foreign language course.
minority school status. A measure of the level of historically disadvantaged minority student groups being served by schools participating in the High School Transcript Study. Low minority schools have less than 5 percent disadvantaged minority students. Medium minority schools have 5 to 50 percent disadvantaged minority students. High minority schools have over 50 percent disadvantaged minority students.
multiple-choice item. An item that consists of one or more introductory sentences followed by a list of response options that include the correct answer and several incorrect alternatives.
NAEP scales. The scales common across age or grade levels and assessment years used to report NAEP results.
National Assessment Governing Board. Independent organization whose members are appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Education. The Governing Board provides overall policy direction to the NAEP program. It is an independent, bipartisan group whose members include governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives, and members of the general public.
National School Lunch Program (NSLP). A federally assisted meal program that provides low-cost or free lunches to eligible students. It is sometimes referred to as the free/reduced-price lunch program. Free lunches are offered to those students whose family incomes are at or below 130 percent of the poverty level; reduced-price lunches are offered to those students whose family incomes are between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level.
other academic courses. A course type defined for the High School Transcript Study, courses are fine arts, foreign languages, and computer-related studies.
other courses. A course type defined for the High School Transcript Study, other courses includes courses such as, vocational education, general skills, personal health and physical education, religion, military science and special education, etc.
percentile. A score location below which a specified percentage of the population falls. For example, in 1998, the tenth percentile of fourth-grade reading scores was 167. This means that in 1998, 10 percent of fourth-graders had NAEP reading scores below 167, while 90 percent scored at or above 167.
population. In the case of NAEP, the population of interest is the entire collection of American students in public or private schools at grades 4, 8, or 12 (or in the case of the long-term trend assessments, at ages 9, 13, and 17 years). The small samples of students that NAEP selects for the assessment permit inferences about academic performance to be made for all school students at the three grade or age levels.
Proficient. One of the three NAEP achievement levels, representing solid academic performance for each grade assessed. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real-world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject matter. See each NAEP subject for a detailed description of what students should know and be able to do at grade 4, 8, or 12 at the Proficient level. The cut scores determining each level are available with the descriptions.
quality control monitor (QCM). A field staff member whose duties include assisting in assessment administrator (AA) training, conducting pre-and post-assessment telephone interviews, observing assessment sessions, and completing reporting forms.
Quality Education Data (QED). A survey of public school information from Quality Education Data, Inc. Enrollment grade span and other data for individual public schools was aggregated into data for use in sampling primary sampling units (PSUs) and schools, and in preliminary session allocation.
race, race/ethnicity. In order to allow comparisons across years, assessment results presented are based on information for six mutually exclusive racial/ethnic categories: White, Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian (including Alaska Native), and Other. Students who identified with more than one of the first five categories or had a background other than the ones listed were categorized as Other. In all NAEP assessments, data about student race/ethnicity is collected from two sources: school records and student self-reports. Before 2002, NAEP used students' self-report of their race and ethnicity on a background questionnaire as the source of race/ethnicity data. In 2002, it was decided to change the student race/ethnicity variable highlighted in NAEP reports. Starting in 2002, NAEP reports of students' race and ethnicity are based on the school records, with students' self-report used only if school data are missing. Information based on student self-reported race/ethnicity will continue to be reported in the NAEP Data Explorer for assessments after 2001.
released item. Test question that has been made available to the public. After each assessment, NCES releases nearly one-third of the questions. Released questions often serve as models for teachers who wish to develop their own classroom assessments.
rigorous curriculum. One of the curriculum levels defined for the High School Transcript Study—four years of English; three years each of social studies, mathematics (which includes precalculus or higher), and science (which includes biology, chemistry and physics); and three years of foreign language.
sample. A subset of a population whose characteristics are studied to gain information about the entire population. NAEP assesses a representative sample of students each year, rather than the entire population of students.
scale score. A score, derived from student responses to assessment items, that summarizes the overall level of performance attained by that student. While NAEP does not produce scale scores for individual students, NAEP does produce summary statistics describing scale scores for groups of students. NAEP subject area scales typically range from 0 to 500 (reading, mathematics, U.S. history, and geography) or from 0 to 300 (science, writing, and civics).
school questionnaire. A questionnaire completed for each school by the principal or other official. It is used to gather information concerning school administration, staffing patterns, curriculum, and student services.
SD/LEP questionnaire. A questionnaire completed for each selected student identified as a student with a disability (SD) and/or limited English proficient (LEP) by the school staff member most knowledgeable about the student.
significantly different, statistically significant, statistically significant difference. Statistical tests are conducted to determine whether the changes or differences between two result numbers are statistically significant. The term "significant" does not imply a judgment about the absolute magnitude or educational relevance of changes in student performance. Rather, it is used to indicate that the observed changes are not likely to be associated with sampling and measurement error, but are statistically dependable population differences. NAEP uses widely accepted statistical standards in analyzing data. For instance, this website discusses only findings that are statistically significant at the .05 level. However, some differences that are statistically significant appear small, particularly in recent assessment years, when the sample sizes have been larger.
NOTE: Differences between scale scores or percentages are calculated using unrounded values. In some instances, the result of the subtraction differs from what would be obtained by subtracting the rounded values shown in the accompanying figure or table.
socioeconomic status (SES). A combination of social and economic factors that are used as an indicator of household income and/or opportunity. NAEP uses eligibility for the Department of Agriculture's National School Lunch Program (NSLP) as a measure of socioeconomic status.
standard curriculum. One of the curriculum levels defined for the High School Transcript Study—four years of English; three years each of social studies, mathematics, and science; and no foreign language courses.
standard error. In NAEP, a measure of sampling variability and measurement error for a NAEP scale score. However, for other statistics, it reflects the sampling variability. Because of NAEP's complex student sampling design, sampling standard errors are estimated by jackknifing the samples from first-stage sample estimates. Standard errors may also include a component due to the error of measurement of individual scores estimated using plausible values.
student group. Groups of the student population identified in terms of specific demographic or background characteristics. Some of the major student groups used for reporting NAEP results are those defined by students' gender, race or ethnicity, highest level of parental education, and type of school (public or nonpublic). Information gathered from NAEP background questionnaires also makes it possible to report results based on variables such as course-taking, home discussions of school work, and television-viewing habits.
students with disabilities (SD). A student with a disability may need specially designed instruction to meet his or her learning goals. A student with a disability will usually have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which guides his or her special education instruction. Students with disabilities are often referred to as special education students and may be classified by their school as learning disabled (LD) or emotionally disturbed (ED). The goal of NAEP is that students who are capable of participating meaningfully in the assessment are assessed, but some students with disabilities selected by NAEP may not be able to participate, even with the accommodations provided.
subject area. One of the areas assessed by NAEP: the arts, civics, economics, foreign language, geography, mathematics, reading, science, U.S. history, world history, or writing.
teacher questionnaire. A questionnaire completed by selected teachers of sampled students. It is used to gather information concerning years of teaching experience, frequency of assignments, use of teaching materials, and availability and use of computers.
trend samples. Study of change over time in a group selected to represent a larger population.
Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA). NAEP began the urban school district assessment on a trial basis in 2002, in a few large urban districts in participating states. The purpose of the TUDA is to allow reporting of NAEP results for large urban school districts and to allow the NAEP program to evaluate the usefulness of NAEP data to cities of different sizes and demographic compositions.