Administer the Assessment

NAEP representatives go into schools across the nation to administer assessments to students who are part of the NAEP sample.

NAEP representatives are trained to collect and safeguard NAEP assessment data in order to guarantee its accuracy and integrity. The representatives also provide support to and reduce the burden for participating schools throughout the assessment process. Representatives receive extensive training in administering NAEP assessments. This training includes (but is not necessarily limited to) learning about procedures for conducting the following tasks:

• scheduling assessments with the schools;
• providing schools with information about notifying parents/guardians;
• reviewing contextual information about students, such as whether students who participate in the National School Lunch Program receive free or reduced-price lunches;
• distributing student assessment materials or administer digitally based assessments, as appropriate;
• administering accommodations sessions as needed;
• answering and tracking questions students ask during the assessment;
• conducting quality control procedures for all assessment materials following the administration; and
• shipping materials to the scoring facility.

NAEP representatives sign and observe the NAEP Code of Ethics, which defines the principles that are the foundation for fair and accurate test administration and data collection.

Individual schools participating in NAEP designate an in-school staff member to be the school coordinator. The school coordinator collaborates on assessment activities with NAEP representatives. School coordinators complete the following tasks with the help of the NAEP representatives and the NAEP State Coordinator:

• schedule the assessment date,
• provide a list of all eligible students for sampling,
• inform teachers and students about the assessment,
• inform parents about the assessment, and
• provide space for the assessment.