Naep Trends In Academic Progress

Since its inception, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has been conducting assessments of the nation's students attending public and private schools. This report presents NAEP 1992 trend data in science, mathematics, reading, and writing. Proficiency scales provide a basis for comparing student overall achievement in each of the four curriculum areas. Comparisons are provided for samples of students in grades 4, 8, and 11 for writing, and for students aged 9, 13, and 17 in the other curricular areas. About 31,000 students were involved in NAEP's 1992 trend assessments. In general, overall trends in science and mathematics show noteworthy improvements during the past decade since the 1983 publication of "A Nation At Risk," while trends for reading show declines for the same period. Between 1984 and 1992, writing performance of eleventh graders showed little change. Writing has remained relatively stable for grade 4, but there was a significant decline for grade 8 from 1984 to 1990. An upward turn since then deserves further study. Twenty-six figures and 96 tables present survey findings. Twelve tables in a procedural appendix supplement the text. A Data Appendix summarizes data for each area. (SLD)

Since its inception in 1969, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has been regularly assessing the nation's students in public and private schools, serving as a barometer of educational attainment. This report in brief is excerpted from "NAEP 1992 Trends in Academic Progress," which presents trend data in science, mathematics, reading, and writing. Approximately 31,000 students were involved in NAEP's 1992 trend assessments. Student performance is characterized at five levels along the proficiency scales, and percentages of students reaching each level are presented. For reading and writing, results are also presented for individual tasks. In general, trends in science and mathematics show noteworthy improvements since 1983, while trends for reading show slow declines for the same period. Writing performance has been relatively stable for grades 11 and 4, with a recent improvement for grade 8 that awaits support in subsequent years. Eleven tables and four figures present trend data in brief form. (SLD)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has served as the only ongoing monitor of student achievement in the United States across time. This report summarizes major findings from 10 administrations of the long-term reading assessment since 1971, 9 administrations of the long-term trend mathematics assessment since 1973, and 10 administrations of the long-term trend science assessment since 1969 and 1970. Generally, the trends in mathematics and science are characterized by declines in the 1970s followed by increases during the 1980s and early 1990s and mostly stable performance since then. Some gains are evidenced in reading, but they are modest. Overall improvement across the assessment years is most evidenced in mathematics. National trends are reported in the three subject areas, by quartiles, and in the attainment of performance levels. Trends in academic achievement among student subgroups are reported for racial and ethnic groups and for males and females and by parents' educational level, and for public and nonpublic students. Trends are also reported for students' school and home experiences as they have reported them over the years. Appendixes contain an overview of the procedures used in the NAEP trend assessments and a review of NAEP data. (Contains 59 figures.) (SLD)