About the NAEP Mathematics Assessment
NAEP Mathematics Assessment Administration
The 2024 NAEP mathematics assessment at grade 12 was administered on Microsoft Surface Pro tablets and, for the first time, on Chromebooks. Both device types were supplied by NCES. Students were able to interact with the Surface Pro tablets or Chromebooks via touchscreen, with an attached keyboard. Students using a Surface Pro also had access to a stylus provided by NCES. A bridge study was conducted to evaluate potential effects of changing the assessment device from Microsoft Surface Pro to Chromebook. Technical details about the device transition are available in the 2024 NAEP Digital Device Bridge Study for Mathematics and Reading at Grades 4 and 8, and the 2024 NAEP Digital Device Bridge Study for Mathematics and Reading at Grade 12.
The digitally based mathematics assessment provided students with a variety of onscreen tools, including an equation editor for entering numbers and expressions using the correct mathematical symbols; a scratchwork tool for annotating figures, performing computations, drawing diagrams, and highlighting portions of a question; and a calculator. The use of an onscreen calculator was available to students on approximately 35 percent of the test questions at grade 12. At the beginning of the assessment session, students viewed an interactive tutorial that provided the information needed to take the assessment; for example, the tutorial explains how to progress through questions, how to indicate answers for selected response questions, and how to use onscreen tools effectively when answering questions. The interactive nature of the tutorial allowed students to familiarize themselves with the digital delivery system before beginning the actual assessment. Grade 12 students taking the mathematics assessment are also provided with a reference sheet that provides various formulas.
At grade 12, trend performance dates to 2005. In 2024, the mathematics assessment at grade 12 was administered digitally for the second time, having transitioned from paper-based assessment (PBA) to digitally based assessment (DBA) in 2019. Technical details about the NAEP transition to digitally based assessment are available in 2017 NAEP Transition to Digitally Based Assessments in Mathematics and Reading at Grades 4 and 8: Mode Evaluation Study. Read more about the grade 12 transition and mode evaluation.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a congressionally mandated project administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education and is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what our nation's students know and can do in select subjects. The NAEP mathematics assessment measures students' knowledge and skills in mathematics and their ability to solve problems in mathematical and real-world contexts. Results for grades 4 and 8 are reported for the nation overall, for states and jurisdictions, and for districts participating in the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA). Results for grade 12 are reported for the nation only.