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Information for Public Schools

You Are Essential Partners in NAEP

As a teacher, my constant focus is to help students make progress in the classroom. NAEP helps with this mission by creating a common measure of student achievement across the country.

- Iris Garcia, Teacher, Biscayne Elementary Community School, Miami Beach, FL.


As school administrators, you are essential partners in NAEP. You select and empower a NAEP school coordinator, meet with teachers and students who will participate in the assessment, complete a questionnaire, and encourage your students to participate and do their best.

As teachers, you make an important contribution by completing a teacher survey questionnaire and encouraging your students to participate and give their full effort. When students take part in NAEP, we get the most accurate measure possible of student achievement across the country.

2026 Resources for NAEP Assessments

During the upcoming 2026 school year, the NAEP assessment program will include assessments in mathematics and reading for grades 4 and 8, and national-level assessments of civics and U.S. history at grade 8. NCES will administer these assessments between January 26 and March 20, 2026. NAEP 2026 will also include pilot assessments in mathematics and reading in grades 4, 8, and 12. These pilot assessments will provide important information as NAEP continues its transition to the updated mathematics and reading frameworks.

Additional resources regarding the 2026 assessments will be posted as they become available.

About NAEP

What Questions Are on the Test

The NAEP frameworks define content areas and levels of complexity for questions on NAEP. Using the dashboard below, explore sample questions from recent assessments by subject, content area, and range of difficulty. Sample Questions are sourced from the NAEP Questions Tool, a database which houses over 3,000 assessment questions.

Has Your School Been Selected?

If your school has been selected to participate in NAEP, here is what you need to know.

  • NAEP's goal is minimal disruption to teachers and students.
  • NAEP representatives conduct the assessment and they lessen the burden on schools by providing support leading up to and on assessment day.
  • Student testing time is about 120 minutes.
  • NAEP reports on results for different demographic groups. There are no results for individual students, classrooms, or schools. No one involved in NAEP administration keeps personal information on participation after the assessments are completed.
  • Students, teachers, and school administrators are asked to complete survey questionnaires. These help provide a better understanding of educational experience and factors that may be related to students' learning.
Learn More

What Do NAEP Results Tell Us About Education?

NAEP reports provide more than just results in school subjects and grades. NAEP results show us how student groups perform over time, which states and select urban districts are closing achievement gaps, academic trends over time, and how course taking and grades correlate with high school graduation.

RECENT RESULTS STATE RESULTS DISTRICT RESULTS HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT STUDY
Graph: Compared to 1998, the first year of the NAEP civics assessment, the average score for eighth graders increased by 4 points in 2014.

Compared to 1998, the first year of the NAEP civics assessment, the average score for eighth graders increased by 4 points in 2014.

EXPLORE THE NATION'S REPORT CARD
Teacher and students at library.
Participating in a Digitally Based AssessmentDuring testing, NAEP provides all necessary equipment (tablets, ear buds, and administrative equipment). The only resources a school is requested to provide is space, desk or tables, and electricity. A tutorial will be provided prior to the assessment to teach students how to use the equipment and tools and to enter their responses. Questionnaires that capture the learning experience of students in and outside of the classroom will also be administered to students on tablets. Learn More
Last updated 30 May 2025 (DS)