NAEP Technical DocumentationWeighting Procedures for the 2011 Assessment

Computation of Replicate Weights for Variance Estimation

NAEP assessments use complex sample designs to create student samples that generate population and subpopulation estimates with reasonably high precision. Student sampling weights ensure valid inferences from the student samples to their respective populations. In 2011, weights were developed for students sampled at grades 4, 8, and 12 for assessments in mathematics, reading, science, and a writing computer-based assessment (WCBA). Each student was assigned a weight to be used for making inferences about students in the target population. This weight is known as the final full-sample student weight, which contains the following major components:

the student base weight;
school nonresponse adjustments;
student nonresponse adjustments;
school weight trimming adjustments;
student weight trimming adjustments; and
student raking adjustment.

The student base weight is the inverse of the overall probability of selecting a student and assigning that student to a particular assessment. The sample design that determines the base weights is discussed in the NAEP 2011 sample design section.

The student base weight is adjusted for two sources of nonparticipation: school level and student level. These weighting adjustments seek to reduce the potential for bias from such nonparticipation by

increasing the weights of students from participating schools similar to those schools not participating; and
increasing the weights of participating students similar to those students from within participating schools who did not attend the assessment session (or makeup session) as scheduled.

Furthermore, the final weights reflect the trimming of extremely large weights at both the school and student level. These weighting adjustments seek to reduce variances of survey estimates.

Starting in 2009, an additional weighting adjustment was implemented in the state samples so that estimates for key student-level characteristics were in agreement across assessments in reading, mathematics, and science. This procedure was implemented using a raking procedure.

In addition to the final full-sample weight, a set of replicate weights was provided for each student. These replicate weights are used to calculate the variances of survey estimates using the jackknife repeated replication method. The methods used to derive these weights were aimed at reflecting the features of the sample design, so that when the jackknife variance estimation procedure is implemented, approximately unbiased estimates of sampling variance are obtained. In addition, the various weighting procedures were repeated on each set of replicate weights to appropriately reflect the impact of the weighting adjustments on the sampling variance of a survey estimate. In 2011, a finite population correction (fpc) factor was used in computing variance estimates for the reading, mathematics, and science assessments. See Computation of Replicate Weights for Variance Estimation for details.

Quality control checks were carried out throughout the weighting process to ensure the accuracy of the full-sample and replicate weights. See Quality Control for Weighting Procedures for the various checks implemented and main findings of interest.

Last updated 20 November 2014 (GF)

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