National and International Educational Assessments

National and International Educational Assessments

Updated November 2, 2018
National and International Educational Assessments
Assessing the academic achievement of students in
The main NAEP assessment has tracked student
elementary and secondary schools and the nation’s overall
achievement since the early 1990s and changes periodically
educational progress is fundamental to informing education
to reflect changes in school curricula and practice. It
policy approaches. Congressional interest in this area
currently assesses students in 4th and 8th grade every two
includes and extends beyond the annual assessments
years within the content areas of reading, mathematics,
administered by states to comply with the educational
science, writing, the arts, civics, economics, geography,
accountability requirements of Title I-A of the Elementary
U.S. history, and technology and engineering literacy
and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Congressional
(TEL). The main NAEP also assesses 12th graders, though
interest in testing also encompasses large-scale national
less frequently. All content areas are not assessed at every
assessments, authorized by the National Assessment of
administration of the main NAEP. Reading and
Educational Progress Assessment Act (NAEPAA; P.L. 107-
mathematics, however, are assessed at two-year intervals.
279, Title III), and international assessments, authorized by
The next mathematics and reading assessment is scheduled
the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA; Title I, Section
for 2019. As part of its research in exploring new testing
153(a)(6) of P.L. 107-279). These assessments include the
methods, the NAEP administered the reading, mathematics,
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP),
and writing assessments digitally in 2017. Additional
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
subjects will be administered digitally in future years.
(TIMSS), Progress in International Reading Literacy Study
(PIRLS), and the Program for International Student
The Commissioner of NCES in ED is responsible for the
Achievement (PISA).
administration of the NAEP. The Secretary of Education
appoints members to the independent National Assessment
These national and international assessments are typically
Governing Board (NAGB) to set the policy for NAEP
administered every two to five years to a sample of students
administration. The Commissioner of NCES and the NAGB
in the United States. Results from national and international
meet regularly to coordinate activities.
assessments aim to highlight achievement gaps, track
educational progress over time, compare student
The main NAEP assessment program has three levels of
achievement within the United States, and compare U.S.
assessment: national, state, and the trial urban district
achievement to that of other countries. None of the
assessment (TUDA). Assessment items across the national,
aforementioned assessments, however, provide data on
state, and TUDA levels are the same. The primary
individual student performance.
differences are the subject areas assessed, participation
requirement, and sampling procedures at each level.
This In Focus provides an overview of all four assessment
programs, describes the major distinctions between them,
The national NAEP assesses the widest range of subject
and provides a brief discussion of considerations when
areas. A sample is selected from public and private schools
comparing results across the assessments.
and students, creating a representative sample across the
nation.
NAEP
The NAEP is referred to as the “Nation’s Report Card”
The state NAEP program assesses four subject areas:
because it is the “largest nationally representative and
reading, mathematics, writing, and science. All states that
continuing assessment of what America’s students know
accept funding under Title I-A of the ESEA are required to
and can do in various subject areas.” The NAEP consists of
participate in the biennial assessments of 4th and 8th grade
two assessment programs—the long-term trends (LTT)
reading and mathematics, provided that the Secretary of
NAEP, and a group of assessments that the National Center
Education pays for the testing. Although states receiving
for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of
funding are required to participate, only a sample of public
Education (ED) refers to as the “main NAEP” assessments.
schools and students are selected, creating a representative
Student participation in all NAEP assessments is voluntary.
sample of students within each state. Participation is
voluntary at the individual level. In 2017, approximately
The LTT NAEP assessment program was developed in the
585,000 4th and 8th grade students participated in the
late 1960s, and has remained relatively unchanged. The
reading and mathematics assessments (national and state
LTT NAEP program assesses 9-, 13-, and 17-year-old
NAEP sample).
students in reading and mathematics and was most recently
administered in 2012. In that year, approximately 53,000 9-,
The TUDA program assesses four subject areas: reading,
13-, and 17-year-old students participated in the program.
mathematics, writing, and science. Like the state NAEP,
While previously administered about every four years, the
only a sample of public schools and students are selected to
next LTT NAEP administration is scheduled for 2024.
participate. In 2017, 27 districts voluntarily participated in
the TUDA. A total of 66,500 students participated in the
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National and International Educational Assessments
mathematics assessment and 65,300 students participated in
NCES within the International Activities Program. Like
the reading assessment.
TIMSS, the IEA coordinates PIRLS internationally.
TIMSS
PISA
The TIMSS is an international comparative study that is
PISA is an international comparative study of 15-year-old
designed to measure mathematics and science achievement
students in the content areas of science, reading, and
in the 4th and 8th grades. The TIMSS is designed to measure
mathematics “literacy.” It aims to measure the achievement
“school-based learning,” and to be broadly aligned with
of students at the end of their compulsory education. The
mathematics and science curricula in participating
PISA is not designed to measure “school-based learning” or
education systems (i.e., countries). The United States has
to be aligned with academic content standards. Instead,
participated in the TIMSS every four years since 1995. Less
PISA intends to measure students’ preparation for life and
frequently, 12th grade students participate in the TIMSS
focuses on science, reading, and mathematics problems
Advanced program, which measures advanced mathematics
within a real-life context. The United States has participated
and physics. In 2015, approximately 20,250 U.S. students
in PISA every three years since 2000. In 2015,
participated in TIMSS and about 5,900 U.S. students
approximately 6,000 U.S. students participated in PISA.
participated in TIMSS Advanced. The United States was
The United States was one of 72 countries and economies
one of over 60 countries and other educational systems to
to participate. All participation in PISA is voluntary. The
participate in TIMSS and one of 9 to participate in the
next administration of PISA is scheduled for 2018.
TIMSS Advanced program. All participation in TIMSS is
voluntary. The next TIMSS administration is scheduled for
PISA is conducted under the international assessment
2019. No date has been announced for the next TIMSS
activities authority (ESRA, Section 153(a)(6)). The PISA
Advanced administration.
assessment in the United States is administered by the
Commissioner of NCES within the International Activities
The TIMSS is conducted in the United States under the
Program. Unlike TIMSS and PIRLS, international
international assessment activities authority (ESRA, Section
coordination of the PISA is conducted by the Organisation
153(a)(6)). TIMSS assessments in the United States are
for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an
administered by the Commissioner of NCES within the
intergovernmental organization of industrialized countries.
International Activities Program. The International
Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement
Considerations for Comparing Results
(IEA) coordinates TIMSS and TIMSS Advanced
Comparing results across national and international
internationally.
assessments can be challenging. Each assessment was
PIRLS
created for a unique purpose by a different group of
stakeholders, and there is no simple way to make an “apples
PIRLS is an international comparative study of 4th grade
to apples” comparison. There are a number of issues to bear
students in reading literacy. PIRLS assesses reading literacy
in mind when evaluating U.S students’ performance across
in 4th grade because this is typically considered a
assessments. For example, consideration must be given to
developmental stage of learning where students shift from
the alignment between academic content standards and
learning to read to reading to learn. PIRLS is not an
assessments, the differences in the target population (e.g.,
assessment of word reading ability but rather an assessment
composition of sample of participants, age, ethnicity,
of the purposes for reading, processes of comprehension,
socioeconomic status, etc.), the differences in participating
and reading behaviors and attitudes. For young students,
education systems (e.g., countries and jurisdictions),
reading generally has two purposes both in and out of
differences in student voluntary participation, the scale of
school: “(1) reading for literary experience, and (2) reading
the assessment, and differences in the precision of
to acquire and use information.”
measurement for each assessment.
The United States has participated in PIRLS every five
For a more in-depth discussion about the NAEP, TIMSS,
years since 2001. The next assessment is scheduled to be
PIRLS, and PISA assessments and their results, see CRS
administered in 2021. In 2016, the United States also
Report R45401, National and International Educational
participated in the first administration of ePIRLS, a
Assessments: Overview, Results, and Issues. Additional
computer-based assessment of online reading. ePIRLS is
resources for more information about the assessments are
designed to measure informational reading comprehension
also included below.
skills in an online environment. In 2016, approximately
4,500 U.S. students participated in PIRLS and an additional
Resources for More Information
4,000 participated in ePIRLS. The United States was one of
NAEP: https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
61 educational systems to participate in PIRLS and one of
14 to participate in ePIRLS. All participation in PIRLS and
TIMSS: https://nces.ed.gov/timss/
ePIRLS is voluntary.
PIRLS: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pirls/
PISA: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/
PIRLS is conducted in the United States under the
international assessment activities authority (ESRA, Section
153(a)(6)). The PIRLS and ePIRLS assessments in the
Rebecca R. Skinner, Specialist in Education Policy
United States are administered by the Commissioner of
IF11021
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National and International Educational Assessments

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