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 eligible for the free and reduced-price lunch program.

TUDA began in 2002 with six urban districts participating in the NAEP reading and writing assessments. In 2009, 18 districts participated in mathematics, reading, and science. Twenty-one districts participated in 2011, 2013, and 2015. Twenty-seven districts participated in 2017 and 2019. Twenty-six districts participated in 2022.

Growth of TUDA Participation by Year

Year district started participation
District	Joined
Albuquerque Public Schools	2011
Atlanta Public Schools	2002
Austin Independent School District	2005
Baltimore City Public Schools	2009
Boston Public Schools	2003
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	2003
Chicago Public Schools	2002
Clark County (NV) School District	2017
Cleveland Metropolitan School District	2003
Dallas Independent School District	2011
Denver Public Schools	2017
Detroit Public Schools	2009
District of Columbia Public Schools	2002
Duval County Public Schools	2015
Fort Worth Independent School District	2017
Fresno Unified School District Did not participate in 2022	2009
Guilford County (NC) Schools	2017
Hillsborough County (FL) Public Schools	2011
Houston Independent School District	2002
Jefferson County Public Schools (Louisville, KY)	2009
Los Angeles Unified School District	2002
Miami-Dade County Public Schools	2009
Milwaukee Public Schools Did not participate in 2015	2009
New York City Department of Education	2002
San Diego Unified School District	2003
School District of Philadelphia	2009
Shelby County (TN) Schools	2017
District that joined in the selected assessment year.

District that joined in the selected assessment year. State with participating district(s). State with no participating district(s).

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 2022 Reading 2022 Science 2009 Writing 2007

Special Analysis of TUDA & Parent State

Explore the 2022 average scores for fourth- and eighth-grade NAEP mathematics and reading, by state, district, and the rest of the parent state after removing students assessed in the district. The analysis is available for download via Excel file at the button below.

When reviewing the data, note that the differences between a district, the entire state, and the remainder of the state cannot be used to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between the jurisdictions and achievement. Many factors may influence the performance estimates, and may change over time and vary across jurisdictions.

2022 Special Analysis Click to open Excel.

2019-2022 State and District Summary Data Tables

View technical summary tables for state and district sample size, target population, participation rate, full-time remote rate, and refusal rate in the 2019 and 2022 NAEP mathematics and reading assessments.

Data Tables Click to open Excel.

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 snapshots of district performance in the most recent assessments, including 2022 mathematics and reading, 2009 science, and 2007 writing.

2022 Mathematics Grades 4 and 8 2022 Reading Grades 4 and 8 2009 Science Grades 4 and 8 2007 Writing Grade 8

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 2024 (DS)