Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) provides an essential measurement of student achievement in the United States. In mathematics, reading, science, and writing, academic achievement is reported for selected urban districts as well as for the nation and the states.

In 2001, after discussion among the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the National Assessment Governing Board (Governing Board), and the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), Congress appropriated funds for a district-level NAEP assessment on a trial basis. A primary goal of TUDA is to focus attention on urban K-12 education and academic achievement in urban districts. In collaboration with NCES and CGCS, the Governing Board invites districts that meet certain selection criteria to volunteer to participate in TUDA. Selection criteria are based on district size, percentages of African American or Hispanic students, and percentages of students identified as economically disadvantaged.

TUDA district data collection began in 2002 with six districts participating and has expanded to twenty-eight districts participating over the years.

INTERACTIVE

Participating TUDA Districts by Year

Map Table

Year joined	Participating district

LEGEND

Participating District

District did not participate in the selected year

participating districts in 2024

1 district did not participate in 2015: Milwaukee Public Schools

District Results

Explore the most recent TUDA results in mathematics, reading, science, and writing.

TUDA districts can monitor their progress over time in the selected subject areas at grades 4 and 8. In addition to comparing to the national public results, TUDA district results are also compared to results from large cities (territory inside an urbanized area and inside a principal city with population of 250,000 or more) nationwide. Districts can also examine and compare information about their students' learning experiences in and out of the classroom, which is collected via NAEP survey questionnaires.

District-level NAEP assessments are not designed to provide scores for individual students or at the school level. Results are reported for populations of students (e.g., fourth-graders) and diverse student groups (e.g., male students, Hispanic students, etc.).

Mathematics 2024 Reading 2024 Science 2009 Writing 2007

School and Student Selection

The sample of schools drawn for the TUDA assessment is representative of all students in the district. From each sampled school, a random sample of students is selected. The sample of students in participating TUDA school districts is an extension of the state and national samples selected for NAEP. These extended samples allow reliable reporting of student groups within these districts. Results for students in the TUDA samples are also included in state and national samples with appropriate weighting.

The numbers of students assessed vary across the districts. Students with disabilities and English learners are included in the assessments as much as possible, and the most commonly used accommodations are always available.

TUDA Eligibility TUDA School and Student Selection Number of Students Assessed

Snapshots

How is Your District Performing?

District Snapshots See one-page Snapshot reports of how students in your Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) district or state/jurisdiction have performed in NAEP. Results include score trends over time and comparisons to other districts, highlights of student experiences for lower- and higher-performers, and district performance on NAEP cognitive items.

Explore District Snapshots

Outline of the U.S. map with statistical iconography

District Performance Use the district profiles tool to compare results of districts/jurisdictions.

District Profiles Tool

Assessment Content

Each NAEP assessment is based on an organizing framework, similar to a blueprint, that is developed by education and assessment experts. Frameworks provide information about the content to be assessed in each subject and what knowledge and skills are appropriate for students being assessed in those subjects. The frameworks also offer insights about how to measure skills in innovative ways. Survey questionnaires, administered to students, teachers, and school administrators who participate in an assessment, are used to collect and report contextual information about students' learning experience in and out of the classroom. NAEP is administered as a digitally based assessment. Read the frameworks below for mathematics, reading, science, and writing, and explore survey questionnaires.

Mathematics Framework Reading Framework Science Framework Writing Framework Survey Questionnaires

Sample Questions

Explore sample questions from the mathematics, reading, science, and writing assessments. You can also see scorer comments, the percentage of students nationwide who answered each question correctly, and how students' performance on a given question corresponds to their overall scores.

Mathematics

Reading

Science

Writing

Last updated 22 April 2026 (MB)