Governing Board Launches Commission to Study Future of 12<SUP>th</SUP> Grade National Assessment

FOR RELEASE
March 7, 2003

Contact: Ray Fields or
Lawrence Feinberg
(202) 357-6938

Governing Board Launches Commission to Study
Future of 12^th Grade National Assessment

The National Assessment Governing Board has established a 20-member study commission, including representatives of higher education, business, the military and K-12 education from across the country, to take a broad look at the future of the 12^th grade surveys of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

Darvin Winick, Chairman of the independent, bipartisan Board, announced the appointment of the National Commission on NAEP 12^th Grade Assessment and Reporting today at the Board’s quarterly meeting in Tysons Corner, VA. He said the panel would make recommendations on both the content and standards of the grade 12 assessments, and on how the NAEP results might be better related to national needs.

"The future of 12^th grade NAEP is an important, complicated issue," said Winick. "NAEP is the only representative survey that the nation has of what students know when they graduate high school, not just those who are going on to college. We want to improve the assessment we have, and make its reports much more useful."

At present, NAEP tests national samples of 12^th graders in a variety of academic subjects, including reading, mathematics, writing, science, U.S. history, geography and civics.

According to an issues paper, prepared by Board staff, the commission might consider changes in NAEP to help answer such questions as: What percentage of 12^th graders are ready for higher education? What percentage are likely to require remediation before they can start regular college work? How many high school seniors have the academic achievement needed for employment in high skills industries? How many are prepared only for low skill, low pay jobs? Are there sufficient numbers of seniors who qualify for leadership roles and demanding technical jobs in the military?

The commission also is expected to consider student participation and motivation in 12^th grade NAEP.

The panel will hold a series of public meetings and hearings and will commission expert papers. It is scheduled to make recommendations to the Governing Board in March 2004. The panel’s first meeting will be March 27 in Arlington, VA.

The National Assessment Governing Board was established by Congress in 1988 to set policy for NAEP, which has been conducting surveys of student achievement in grades 4, 8 and 12 for more than 30 years. The Board is composed of state, local, and federal officials, educators, and members of the public.

The new commission will be co-chaired by two Board members—Mark Musick, a former NAGB chairman, who is president of the Southern Regional Education Board, and Michael Nettles, an expert on higher education at the University of Michigan, who serves as NAGB’s vice chairman.

A full list of commission members is attached.