NAEP Technical DocumentationSample Design for the 2019 National Assessment

			4th and 8th Grade Public School National Mathematics and Reading Assessment 4th and 8th Grade Private School National Mathematics and Reading Assessment 4th and 8th Grade Public School National Science Assessment 4th and 8th Grade Private School National Science Assessment 12th Grade Public School National Assessment 12th Grade Private School National Assessment

The 2019 national assessment included operational assessments in mathematics, reading, and science in public and private schools at grades 4, 8, and 12.

The sample designs aimed to achieve nationally representative samples of students in the defined populations who were enrolled at the time of assessment.  

The samples were based on a two-stage sample design:

• selection of schools within strata; and
• selection of students within schools.

The samples of schools were selected with probability proportional to a measure of size based on the estimated grade-specific enrollment in the schools.

For fourth- and eighth-grade public schools, the aggregate of the NAEP state student samples and assessments in mathematics and reading constitute the corresponding NAEP national student samples and assessments.

The samples for the remaining national assessments were organized into five distinct groupings and sampled separately:

• mathematics and reading assessments in private schools at grades 4 and 8;
• science assessment in public schools at grades 4 and 8; 
  
• science assessment in private schools at grades 4 and 8;
• mathematics, reading, and science in public schools at grade 12; and
• mathematics, reading, and science in private schools at grade 12.

The mathematics and reading assessments in public and private schools at grades 4 and 8 were digitally based assessments (DBA) administered using tablets. The science assessments at grades 4 and 8 and the mathematics, reading, and science asssessments at grade 12 were administered in two modes: paper and pencil (paper-based assessments [PBA]) and tablets (DBA). The DBA and PBA assessments for each of the specific samples were generally in the same schools. Students were assigned to either DBA or PBA during student sample selection. Details can be found in the student sampling selection section for each assessment type.

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