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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​NAEP Technical DocumentationNumber of Items in Each Subject Area Scale

For each subject area, the total number of items and the number of items in each subject area scale are provided for each grade/age level. These statistics are displayed for both univariate scales and subscales, when separate scaling exists for the subject. Item counts are available for each scale as defined in the final Item Response Theory (IRT) scales, as well as prior to the IRT scaling. The number of items may change between before scaling and after scaling because items could be dropped during the scaling process. In some assessments, related items might be combined into cluster items and treated as a single item during scaling. In such instances, the item counts before and after scaling include the cluster item(s) after the related items have been combined in place of their item components​.​

Starting in 2009, tables are displayed for the scaling results in science which contain both univariate scaling results and scaling results based on the three science content areas (Physical Science, ​Life Science, and Earth and Space Sciences)​.

Starting in 2014, tables are displayed for the scaling results in technology and engineering literacy (TEL) which contain both univariate scaling results and scaling results for the three TEL content areas (Technology and Society, Design and Systems, and Information and Communication Technology) and the three TEL practices (Understanding Technological Principles, Developing Solutions and Achieving Goals, and Communicating and Collaborating).

Links to tables of number of items, national and state assessments, by year and subject area: Various years, 2000–2022
YearSubject area
2022 Civics
Mathematics
Reading
U.S. history​
2019 Mathematics
Reading
Science
2018 Civics
Geography
Technology and engineering literacy (TEL)
U.S. history
2017 Mathematics
Reading
2016 Arts
2015 Mathematics
Reading
Science
Vocabulary
2014 Civics
Geography
Technology and engineering literacy (TEL)
U.S. history
2013 Mathematics
Reading
2012 Economics
2011 Mathematics
Reading
Reading vocabulary
Science
Writing
2010 Civics
Geography
U.S. history
2009 Mathematics
Reading
Science
2008 Arts
2007 Mathematics
Reading
Writing
2006 Civics
Economics
U.S. history
2005 Mathematics
Reading
Science
2003 Mathematics
Reading
2002 Reading
Writing
2001 Geography
U.S. history
2000 Mathematics
Reading
Science
NOTE: In NAEP, vocabulary, reading vocabulary, and meaning vocabulary refer to the same reporting scale. Because preliminary analyses of students' writing performance in the 2017 NAEP writing assessments at grades 4 and 8 revealed potentially confounding factors in measuring performance, results will not be publicly reported.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 2000–2022 Assessments.

Links to tables of number of items, long-term trend assessments, by year and subject area: Various years, 2004–2023
YearSubject area
​2022/2023 Mathematics long-term trend
Reading long-term trend
​2020 Mathematics long-term trend
Reading long-term trend
2012 Mathematics long-term trend
Reading long-term trend
2008 Mathematics long-term trend
Reading long-term trend
2004 Mathematics long-term trend
Reading long-term trend bridge study
NOTE:​ In 2020 and 2022/2023, age 17 was not assessed.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 2004–2023 Mathematics and Reading Long-Term Trend Assessments.





Last updated 24 July 2024 (SK)