Develop the Assessment Framework

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) frameworks describe what skills and knowledge should be assessed in each subject area. The assessment frameworks are developed by the National Assessment Governing Board and individual assessment questions to measure student achievement are developed, reviewed, and refined by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), educators, and experts. Survey questionnaires are also developed and administered as part of NAEP to contextualize the assessment results with student educational experiences.

The Governing Board is responsible for developing both the framework and test specifications that serve as the blueprint for the assessment. For each framework, the Governing Board works with a committee of subject matter experts, practitioners, and members of the general public—including researchers, educators, business leaders, and policymakers—to develop a rich and rigorous set of curricula standards that define what students should know and be able to do in a particular subject. In order to measure trends in student performance, NAEP frameworks are designed to remain stable for as long as possible.

At the same time, all frameworks are responsive to changes in national and international standards and curricula. Without advocating any particular approach to instruction, NAEP frameworks provide a starting point for constructive conversations about high-quality educational standards and assessments.