This report presents in-depth analyses of the effects on inclusion rates to increase the participation of special needs students in NAEP. It also contains an analysis of selected technical characteristics of experiences of students with disabilities and LEP students who participated in the NAEP 1996 national assessments in mathematics and science. This study grew out of concerns about the underrepresentation of students with special needs in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments. In the 1996 NAEP assessment samples, 10 percent of fourth graders, 9 percent of eighth graders, and 5 percent of twelfth gradrs were identified by their schools as students with disabilities. In the same assessment year, 4 percent of fourth graders and 2 percent of eighth and twelfth graders were identified by their schools as students with limited English proficiency. Schools participating in NAEP have been permitted to exclude individuals they identify as special needs students from the assessment, in accordance with criteria provided by the program at that time. At least half of all special needs students were excluded from NAEP assessments in 1992 and 1994. This exclusion has raised concerns that some special needs students who could be meaningfully assessed are being excluded from NAEP. There is an additional concern that variations across locales in exclusion practices may introduce biases in NAEP results.
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