Parents' Frequently Asked Questions About NAEP (continued)

Learn more about why your participation in NAEP is important.

What types of questions are asked on NAEP?

A NAEP assessment is divided into two sections: subject-specific test questions and questions about student backgrounds and educational experiences.

• Test questions are asked to measure fourth-, eighth-, twelfth-graders' knowledge and skills in a variety of subjects, including reading, mathematics, writing, science, U.S. history, geography, civics, and the arts. For 2006, a new assessment measured twelfth-graders' knowledge and skills in economics. Each of these subjects is tested periodically, and students are asked questions on only one subject per assessment.

• Background questions are asked to get information about students' gender, race and ethnicity, and other topics. The questions are required by Congress to provide a more informative picture of how different groups of students are performing. NAEP is prohibited by law from asking about personal or family beliefs and attitudes.

The questions are either multiple choice, where the students choose from a few possible answers, or open-ended format, where the students write their own responses. By law, all NAEP questions are secular, neutral, and non-ideological.

To see background questions and examples of test questions previously asked on NAEP, view the sample questions booklets. A sample questions booklet will be provided to the school if it was selected to participate. Also, more than a thousand sample test questions are available in the NAEP Questions Tool.

Additional information is collected from the principals and teachers at participating schools. Information about classroom practices, teacher training, school environment, and other topics provide a better understanding of the environment in which students learn. You can view all background questions for the most recent assessment available on the NAEP website or in your child's school if it was selected to participate.

Does my child have to answer all of the questions?

No. Children do not have to answer any question on NAEP with which they are uncomfortable, and can stop taking the assessment at any time. NAEP does not ask about personal or family beliefs and attitudes.

Will my child's answers be kept confidential?

Yes. Your child's name will not be associated with the completed assessment booklet. After students complete the assessment, their names are physically removed from the booklets and are never associated with the booklet or a test score.

The assessment is confidential. It is against federal law to identify any student participating in NAEP. The law specifies severe penalties for anyone revealing the identity of the children taking NAEP. In its 30-year history, that security has never been broken.

Will taking NAEP affect my child's grade?

No. NAEP does not calculate individual students' scores. Just as the government does not have access to information about how your child performs on NAEP, neither does your school, nor your child's teacher.

Will I get to see the results of my child's test?

No. There are no individual student results. Instead, NAEP combines all student responses to provide information on the performance of groups of students. NAEP reports overall results for the nation, the states, and for groups of students, such as males and females.

Find out how your state performed by clicking on your state in the NAEP State Profiles. If you'd like to explore the results in more detail, either visit the major results pages for mathematics, reading, and other subjects, or use the NAEP Data Explorer.

How long does the NAEP assessment take?

From beginning to end, NAEP assessments take less than 90 minutes. This includes setting up, taking the assessment, and getting back to instructional activities.

Will my child have to leave the classroom to take NAEP?

In schools where all students are included in the assessment, NAEP is given in the classroom. In other schools, NAEP works with school officials to find the most appropriate place to give the assessment.

Will my child's teacher spend class time helping students get ready for NAEP?

No. Special preparation is not necessary or expected. There are no scores for individual students or schools, so teachers do not have an incentive to help students practice for any NAEP test.