NAEP Technical DocumentationNAEP 2018 Sample Design

      

Selection of Primary Sampling Units

2018 Public School Social Sciences Assessment

2018 Private School Social Sciences Assessment

2018 Public School TEL Assessment

2018 Private School TEL Assessment

School and Student Participation Results

The NAEP 2018 sample design consisted of a nationally representative sample of students for the following operational and pilot assessments:

  • social sciences assessments in civics, geography, and U.S. history at grade 8;
  • technology and engineering literacy (TEL) assessment at grade 8;
  • a science pilot test at grades 4, 8, and 12;
  • a reading pilot test at grade 12; and
  • a mathematics pilot test at grade 12.

In addition to the operational and pilot assessments, special studies were conducted, including:

  • reading scenario-based tasks (SBT) at grades 4, 8, and 12; and
  • oral reading fluency (ORF) at grade 4.

This was accomplished by designing separate sample components for public and private schools. The selected samples were based on a three-stage sample design:

The samples of schools were selected with probability proportional to a measure of size based on the estimated enrollment in the schools at grades 4, 8, and 12.

The target population included all students in public and private schools, including Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools, who were enrolled in grades 4, 8, and 12, respectively, at the time of assessment.

The figure below illustrates the various sample types and subjects. Assessments were either paper-based (PBA) or digitally-based (DBA).

Components of the NAEP samples, by assessment subject, grade, and school type: 2018

Components of the NAEP samples, by assessment type, assessment subject, school type, grade, and mode: 2018
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2018 Assessments.

The sample design for the operational assessments is described in more detail in subsequent pages.

Last updated 23 February 2023 (SK)
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