The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), is a federally authorized survey of student achievement at grades 4, 8, and 12 in various subject areas, such as mathematics, reading, writing, science, U.S. history, civics, geography, economics, technology and engineering literacy (TEL), and the arts. The National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (Public Law 107-279 Title III, section 303) requires the assessment to collect data on specified student groups and characteristics, including information organized by race/ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, disability, and limited English proficiency. It requires fair and accurate presentation of achievement data and permits the collection of background, noncognitive, or descriptive information that is related to academic achievement and aids in fair reporting of results. The intent of the law is to provide representative sample data on student achievement for the nation, the states, and subpopulations of students and to monitor progress over time. The nature of NAEP is that burden alternates from a relatively low burden in national-level administration years to a substantial burden increase in state-level administration years when the sample has to allow for estimates for individual states and some of the large urban districts (as part of the Trial Urban District Assessment, or TUDA, program). This request is to conduct NAEP 2021, including operational assessments and pilot tests: operational national/state/TUDA Digitally Based Assessments (DBA) in mathematics and reading at grades 4 and 8, and Puerto Rico in mathematics at grades 4 and 8; and operational national DBA in U.S. history and civics at grade 8. In 2021, NAEP will begin to transition to a design in which students will take additional set(s) of cognitive items from another subject area. This design will allow more information to be collected from each individual student, thereby reducing the number of overall students (and, thus, schools) that are required. The NAEP results will be reported to the public through the Nation's Report Card as well as other online NAEP tools.
PL:
Pub.L. 107 - 279 303
Name of Law: National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act
The nature of NAEP is that burden alternates from a relatively low burden in national-level administration years (i.e., even years) to a substantial burden increase in state-level administration years that include one or more assessments that support national, state-by-state, and certain urban districts reporting (i.e., odd years). In state/district assessment years, NAEP samples approximately 400,000-800,000 students, while in national-only assessment years, approximately 50,000-100,000 students. In 2021, NAEP will conduct state/district assessments. Previous clearances have included multiple years and reported annualized burden averages, while this submission covers only 2021. In addition, in 2021 many students will take additional cognitive section(s), likely from a different subject. This will increase the student burden time from 30 minutes to 53 minutes, but will also reduce the overall student sample size as compared with previous administrations (approximately 450,000 students compared to approximately 750,000 for similar assessments in 2019). The decrease in student sample size is also reflected in fewer schools and associated burden.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Form Appendix E National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2021
Appendix G NAEP 2021 Sampling Design.pdf
Appendix D2 NAEP 2021 Communications Materials Part 2.docx
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2021