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August 3, 2013 Assessment Statement

NAEP Assessment Schedule Statement

WASHINGTON – (August 3, 2013) – The National Assessment Governing Board, at its meeting August 2-3, unanimously adopted a revised assessment schedule for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) affecting 2015 and 2016. The revisions listed below were necessary due to increased costs of NAEP contracts and decreases in available funds as a result of administrative reductions and the 2013 sequester. These changes include:

  • Postponing the 2015 High School Transcript Study.
  • Postponing the 2015 state-level assessments at grade 12 in reading, mathematics, and science. The grade 12 national-level assessments will continue as will the national and state-level assessments in reading, mathematics, and science at grades four and eight. Also being continued is the NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) in reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8 for the 21 urban districts participating in TUDA in 2013 and that wish to participate in 2015.
  • Postponing the 2016 Long-Term Trend assessments in reading and mathematics at ages 9, 13 and 17.

The Governing Board regrets having to make these postponements and the ones announced June 12, 2013. The Board anticipates restoring these assessments in subsequent years and at its December 2013 meeting is likely to review an assessment schedule that is projected to 2022 or beyond. The future schedule could include plans for the restoration of the High School Transcript Study and the grade 12 state-level reading and mathematics assessments in 2019, and the restoration of the Long-Term Trend assessment in 2020. The schedule also could anticipate the restoration of U.S. history, civics, and geography at grades 4, 8, and 12 in 2018.

While the Board did not make changes to the schedule in 2017, it may have to do so in the coming months. However, the Board is optimistic that drastic changes to the subject areas planned will not be needed.

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Read a June 2013 statement from Board Chair David Driscoll on financial challenges affecting NAEP.