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NAEP Technical DocumentationU.S. History Assessment IRT Parameters

The table links provided below contain Item Response Theory (IRT) parameters for NAEP U.S. history items that were scaled, as well as the block in which each item appeared for each grade (shown in the Block column) and the position of each item within its block (shown in the Item column). Note that these item parameters are provided in the metrics used for the original calibration of the scales.

Links to item response theory (IRT) parameters, U.S. history national assessments, by year, grade, and subscale: Various years, 20012018
YearGradeChange and continuity in American democracy subscale (Democracy) Gathering and interactions of peoples, cultures and ideas subscale (Culture)Economic and technological changes subscale (Technology)The changing role of America in the world subscale (World role)
2018 8 R3 R3 R3 R3
2014 8 R3 R3 R3 R3
2010 4 R3 R3 R3 R3
8 R3 R3 R3 R3
12 R3 R3 R3 R3
2006 4 R3 R3 R3 R3
8 R3 R3 R3 R3
12 R3 R3 R3 R3
2001 4 R3 / R2 R3 / R2 R3 / R2 R3 / R2
8 R3 / R2 R3 / R2 R3 / R2 R3 / R2
12 R3 / R2 R3 / R2 R3 / R2 R3 / R2
NOTE: R2 is the non-accommodated reporting sample; R3 is the accommodated reporting sample. If sampled students are classified as students with disabilities (SD) or English learners (EL), and school officials, using NAEP guidelines, determine that they can meaningfully participate in the NAEP assessment with accommodation, those students are included in the NAEP assessment with accommodation along with other sampled students including SD/EL students who do not need accommodations. The R3 sample is more inclusive than the R2 sample type and excludes a smaller proportion of sampled students. The R3 sample is the only reporting sample used in NAEP after 2001. The block naming conventions used in the 2018 U.S. history assessment are described in the document 2018 Block Naming Conventions in Data Products and TDW.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 20012018 U.S. History Assessments.

Last updated 02 November 2022 (SK)