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NAEP Technical DocumentationDevelopment of Final School Nonresponse Cells
Limits were placed on the magnitude of cell sizes and adjustment factors to prevent unstable nonresponse adjustments and unacceptably large nonresponse factors. All initial weighting cells with fewer than six cooperating schools or adjustment factors greater than 3.0 for the full sample weight were collapsed with suitable adjacent cells. Simultaneously, all initial weighting cells for any replicate with fewer than four cooperating schools or adjustment factors greater than the maximum of 3.0 or two times the full sample nonresponse adjustment factor were collapsed with suitable adjacent cells. Initial weighting cells were generally collapsed in reverse order of the cell structure; that is, starting at the bottom of the nesting structure and working up toward the top level of the nesting structure.
State Public School Samples for Mathematics and Reading Assessments at Grades 4 and 8
For the grade 4 and 8 public school samples for mathematics and reading, cells with the most similar Black/Hispanic, achievement level,
median income, or enrollment composition stratum within a given jurisdiction/Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) district and
urbanicity (urban-centric locale) stratum were collapsed first. If further collapsing was required after all levels of the first variable were collapsed, cells with the most similar urbanicity strata were combined next. Cells were never permitted to be collapsed across jurisdictions or TUDA districts.
National Public School Sample for Science Assessment at Grade 8
For the grade 8 public school science sample, Black/Hispanic composition stratum cells within a given census division stratum and urbanicity stratum were collapsed first. If further collapsing was required after all levels of race/ethnicity classification were collapsed, cells with the most similar urbanicity strata were combined next. Any further collapsing occurred across census division strata but never across census regions.
National Public School Samples for Mathematics and Reading Assessments at Grade 12
For the grade 12 public school samples for mathematics and reading, Black/Hispanic composition stratum cells within a given census division stratum and urbanicity stratum were collapsed first. If further collapsing was required after all levels of race/ethnicity classification were collapsed, cells with the most similar urbanicity strata were combined next. Any further collapsing occurred across census division strata but never across census regions.
National Private School Samples for Mathematics and Reading Assessments at Grades 4 and 8
For the grade 4 and 8 private school samples for mathematics and reading, cells with the most similar Black/Hispanic/American Indian/Alaska Native composition within a given affiliation, census region, and urbanicity stratum were collapsed first. If further collapsing was required after all levels of race/ethnicity strata were collapsed, cells with the most similar urbanicity classification were combined. Any further collapsing occurred across census region strata but never across affiliations.
National Private School Sample for Science Assessment at Grade 8
For the grade 8 private school science sample, cells with the most similar Black/Hispanic/American Indian/Alaska Native composition within a given affiliation, census region, and urbanicity stratum were collapsed first. If further collapsing was required after all levels of race/ethnicity strata were collapsed, cells with the most similar urbanicity classification were combined. Any further collapsing occurred across census region strata but never across affiliations.
National Private School Samples for Mathematics and Reading Assessments at Grade 12
For the grade 12 private school samples for mathematics and reading, cells with the most similar Black/Hispanic/American Indian/Alaska Native composition within a given affiliation, census region, and urbanicity stratum were collapsed first. If further collapsing was required after all levels of race/ethnicity strata were collapsed, cells with the most similar urbanicity classification were combined. Any further collapsing occurred across census region strata but never across affiliations.
Last updated 07 January 2026 (SK)