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| | | NAEP Achievement Levels |  |
This is important because some people believe the NAEP achievement levels are unrealistic:
- May 3, 2007 - A Test Everyone Will Fail - The world of education is a world of tests these days. But why should tests be only for students? Here's one for policymakers, politicians and adults in general. Bet you don't pass, Washington Post.
The following information was extracted from the linked pages, December 2007.
The achievement levels are cumulative. Therefore, students performing at the Proficient level also display the competencies associated with the Basic level, and students at the Advanced level also demonstrate the skills and knowledge associated with both the Basic and the Proficient levels. For each achievement level listed, the scale score that corresponds to the beginning of that level is shown in parentheses.
| Achievement Level Policy Definitions |
| Basic |
This level denotes partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade. |
| Proficient |
This level represents solid academic performance for each grade assessed. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject matter. |
| Advanced |
This level signifies superior performance. |
October 2007 - How the Governing Board Guides the Assessment, National Center for Educational Progress.
NAEP Achievement Levels by Grade
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ReadingMathWritingReading
In reading, the scale ranges from 0 to 500 for each grade. The reading data are scaled separately by the two contexts for reading (reading for information and reading for literary experience) for grade 4, and the three contexts for reading (reading for information, reading for literary experience, and reading to perform a task) for grades 8 and 12, resulting in two or three separate subscales at each grade. The composite scale is a weighted combination of these subscales.
NAEP Reading Framework
| Three different contexts for reading were assessed: |
Students were assessed on four different aspects of reading: |
- Reading for literary experience: Readers explore events, characters, themes, settings, plots, actions, and the language of literary works by reading novels, short stories, poems, plays, legends, biographies, myths, and folktales.
- Reading for information: Readers gain information to understand the world by reading materials such as magazines, newspapers, textbooks, essays, and speeches.
- Reading to perform a task: Readers apply what they learn from reading materials such as bus or train schedules, directions for repairs or games, classroom procedures, tax forms (grade 12), maps, and so on.
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- Forming a general understanding: The reader must consider the text as a whole and provide a global understanding of it.
- Developing interpretation: The reader must extend initial impressions to develop a more complete understanding of what was read.
- Making reader/text connections: The reader must connect information in the text with knowledge and experience.
- Examining content and structure: This requires critically evaluating, comparing and contrasting, and understanding the effect of such features as irony, humor, and organization.
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(NCES, Reading Framework)
Specific definitions of the Basic, Proficient, and Advanced achievement levels for grades 4, 8, and 12 are presented in the tables that follow (NCES, Reading).
Grade 4
Basic
(208) |
Fourth-grade students performing at the Basic level should demonstrate an understanding of the overall meaning of what they read. When reading text appropriate for fourth-graders, they should be able to make relatively obvious connections between the text and their own experiences and extend the ideas in the text by making simple inferences. |
Proficient
(238) |
Fourth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should be able to demonstrate an overall understanding of the text, providing inferential as well as literal information. When reading text appropriate to fourth grade, they should be able to extend the ideas in the text by making inferences, drawing conclusions, and making connections to their own experiences. The connection between the text and what the student infers should be clear. |
Advanced
(268) |
Fourth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should be able to generalize about topics in the reading selection and demonstrate an awareness of how authors compose and use literary devices. When reading text appropriate to fourth grade, they should be able to judge text critically and, in general, to give thorough answers that indicate careful thought. |
Grade 8
Basic
(243) |
Eighth-grade students performing at the Basic level should demonstrate a literal understanding of what they read and be able to make some interpretations. When reading text appropriate to eighth grade, they should be able to identify specific aspects of the text that reflect overall meaning, extend the ideas in the text by making simple inferences, recognize and relate interpretations and connections among ideas in the text to personal experience, and draw conclusions based on the text. |
Proficient
(281) |
Eighth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should be able to show an overall understanding of the text, including inferential as well as literal information. When reading text appropriate to eighth grade, they should be able to extend the ideas in the text by making clear inferences from it, by drawing conclusions, and by making connections to their own experiences—including other reading experiences. Proficient eighth-graders should be able to identify some of the devices authors use in composing text. |
Advanced
(323) |
Eighth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should be able to describe the more abstract themes and ideas of the overall text. When reading text appropriate to eighth grade, they should be able to analyze both meaning and form and support their analyses explicitly with examples from the text; they should be able to extend text information by relating it to their experiences and to world events. At this level, student responses should be thorough, thoughtful, and extensive. |
Grade 12
Basic
(265) |
Twelfth-grade students performing at the Basic level should be able to demonstrate an overall understanding and make some interpretations of the text. When reading text appropriate to twelfth grade, they should be able to identify and relate aspects of the text to its overall meaning, extend the ideas in the text by making simple inferences, recognize interpretations, make connections among and relate ideas in the text to their personal experiences, and draw conclusions. They should be able to identify elements of an author’s style. |
Proficient
(302) |
Twelfth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should be able to show an overall understanding of the text which includes inferential as well as literal information. When reading text appropriate to twelfth grade, they should be able to extend the ideas of the text by making inferences, drawing conclusions, and making connections to their own personal experiences and other readings. Connections between inferences and the text should be clear, even when implicit. These students should be able to analyze the author’s use of literary devices. |
Advanced
(346) |
Twelfth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should be able to describe more abstract themes and ideas in the overall text. When reading text appropriate to twelfth grade, they should be able to analyze both the meaning and the form of the text and explicitly support their analyses with specific examples from the text. They should be able to extend the information from the text by relating it to their experiences and to the world. Their responses should be thorough, thoughtful, and extensive. |
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Math
In math, the scale ranges from 0 to 500 for grades 4 and 8, and from 0 to 300 at grade 12. The 2005 mathematics framework focuses on two dimensions: mathematical content and complexity. The mathematics data are scaled separately by the content areas. The composite scale is a weighted combination of these subscales. The mathematics framework specifies the percentage of questions devoted to each content area by grade.
Specific definitions of the Basic, Proficient, and Advanced achievement levels for grades 4, 8, and 12 are presented in the tables that follow (NAEP, Math).
Grade 4
Basic
(214) |
Fourth-grade students performing at the Basic level should show some evidence of understanding the mathematical concepts and procedures in the five NAEP content areas.
Fourth-graders performing at the Basic level should be able to estimate and use basic facts to perform simple computations with whole numbers, show some understanding of fractions and decimals, and solve some simple real-world problems in all NAEP content areas. Students at this level should be able to use—though not always accurately—four-function calculators, rulers, and geometric shapes. Their written responses will often be minimal and presented without supporting information. |
Proficient
(249) |
Fourth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should consistently apply integrated procedural knowledge and conceptual understanding to problem solving in the five NAEP content areas.
Fourth-graders performing at the Proficient level should be able to use whole numbers to estimate, compute, and determine whether results are reasonable. They should have a conceptual understanding of fractions and decimals; be able to solve real-world problems in all NAEP content areas; and use four-function calculators, rulers, and geometric shapes appropriately. Students performing at the Proficient level should employ problem-solving strategies such as identifying and using appropriate information. Their written solutions should be organized and presented both with supporting information and explanations of how they were achieved. |
Advanced
(282) |
Fourth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should apply integrated procedural knowledge and conceptual understanding to complex and nonroutine real-world problem solving in the five NAEP content areas.
Fourth-graders performing at the Advanced level should be able to solve complex and nonroutine real-world problems in all NAEP content areas. They should display mastery in the use of four-function calculators, rulers, and geometric shapes. The students are expected to draw logical conclusions and justify answers and solution processes by explaining why, as well as how, they were achieved. They should go beyond the obvious in their interpretations and be able to communicate their thoughts clearly and concisely. |
Grade 8
Basic
(262) |
Eighth-grade students performing at the Basic level should exhibit evidence of conceptual and procedural understanding in the five NAEP content areas. This level of performance signifies an understanding of arithmetic operations—including estimation—on whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and percents.
Eighth-graders performing at the Basic level should complete problems correctly with the help of structural prompts such as diagrams, charts, and graphs. They should be able to solve problems in all NAEP content areas through the appropriate selection and use of strategies and technological tools—including calculators, computers, and geometric shapes. Students at this level also should be able to use fundamental algebraic and informal geometric concepts in problem solving.
As they approach the Proficient level, students at the Basic level should be able to determine which of the available data are necessary and sufficient for correct solutions and use them in problem solving. However, these eighth-graders show limited skill in communicating mathematically. |
Proficient
(299) |
Eighth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should apply mathematical concepts and procedures consistently to complex problems in the five NAEP content areas.
Eighth-graders performing at the Proficient level should be able to conjecture, defend their ideas, and give supporting examples. They should understand the connections between fractions, percents, decimals, and other mathematical topics such as algebra and functions. Students at this level are expected to have a thorough understanding of Basic level arithmetic operations—an understanding sufficient for problem solving in practical situations.
Quantity and spatial relationships in problem solving and reasoning should be familiar to them, and they should be able to convey underlying reasoning skills beyond the level of arithmetic. They should be able to compare and contrast mathematical ideas and generate their own examples. These students should make inferences from data and graphs, apply properties of informal geometry, and accurately use the tools of technology. Students at this level should understand the process of gathering and organizing data and be able to calculate, evaluate, and communicate results within the domain of statistics and probability. |
Advanced
(333) |
Eighth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should be able to reach beyond the recognition, identification, and application of mathematical rules in order to generalize and synthesize concepts and principles in the five NAEP content areas.
Eighth-graders performing at the Advanced level should be able to probe examples and counterexamples in order to shape generalizations from which they can develop models. Eighth-graders performing at the Advanced level should use number sense and geometric awareness to consider the reasonableness of an answer. They are expected to use abstract thinking to create unique problem-solving techniques and explain the reasoning processes underlying their conclusions. |
Grade 12
Basic
(141) |
Twelfth-grade students performing at the Basic level should be able to solve mathematical problems that require the direct application of concepts and procedures in familiar situations.
Students at grade 12 should be able to perform computations with real numbers and estimate the results of numerical calculations. These students should also be able to estimate, calculate, and compare measures and identify and compare properties of two- and three-dimensional figures, and solve simple problems using two-dimensional coordinate geometry.
At this level, students should be able to identify the source of bias in a sample and make inferences from sample results; calculate, interpret, and use measures of central tendency; and compute simple probabilities. They should understand the use of variables, expressions, and equations to represent unknown quantities and relationships among unknown quantities. They should be able to solve problems involving linear relations using tables, graphics, or symbols, and solve linear equations involving one variable. |
Proficient
(176) |
Twelfth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should be able to select strategies to solve problems and integrate concepts and procedures.
These students should be able to interpret an argument, justify a mathematical process, and make comparisons dealing with a wide variety of mathematical tasks. They should also be able to perform calculations involving similar figures including right triangle trigonometry. They should understand and apply properties of geometric figures and relationships between figures in two and three dimensions.
Students at this level should select and use appropriate units of measure as they apply formulas to solve problems. Students performing at this level should be able to use measures of central tendency and variability of distributions to make decisions and predictions, calculate combinations and permutations to solve problems, and understand the use of the normal distribution to describe real-world situations. Students performing at the Proficient level should be able to identify, manipulate, graph, and apply linear, quadratic, exponential, and inverse functions (y = k/x); solve routine and non-routine problems involving functions expressed in algebraic, verbal, tabular, and graphical forms; and solve quadratic and rational equations in one variable and solve systems of linear equations. |
Advanced
(216) |
Twelfth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the mathematical concepts and procedures represented in the framework.
Students should be able to integrate knowledge to solve complex problems and justify and explain their thinking. These students should be able to analyze, make and justify mathematical arguments, and communicate their ideas clearly. Advanced level students should be able to describe the intersections of geometric figures in two and three dimensions, and use vectors to represent velocity and direction. They should also be able to describe the impact of linear transformations and outliers on measures of central tendency and variability, analyze predictions based on multiple data sets, and apply probability and statistical reasoning in more complex problems. Students performing at the Advanced level should be able to solve or interpret systems of inequalities and formulate a model for a complex situation (e.g., exponential growth and decay) and make inferences or predictions using the mathematical model. |
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Writing
In writing, the scale ranges from 0 to 300 for each grade. To give meaning to the levels of the scale, NAEP created an "item map" to represent the skills and abilities demonstrated by students at various levels of the writing scale.
Specific definitions of the Basic, Proficient, and Advanced achievement levels for grades 4, 8, and 12 are presented in the tables that follow (NAEP, Writing).
Grade 4
Basic
(115) |
Students performing at the Basic level should be able to:
- demonstrate appropriate response to the task in form, content, and language;
- use some supporting details;
- demonstrate organization appropriate to the task; and
- demonstrate sufficient command of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization to communicate to the reader.
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Proficient
(176) |
Students performing at the Proficient level should be able to:
- create an effective response to the task in form, content, and language;
- demonstrate an awareness of the intended audience;
- use effective organization appropriate to the task;
- use sufficient elaboration to clarify and enhance the central idea;
- use language appropriate to the task and intended audience; and
- have few errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization that interfere with communication.
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Advanced
(225) |
Students performing at the Advanced level should be able to:
- create an effective and elaborated response to the task in form, content, and language;
- express analytical, critical, and/or creative thinking;
- have unity of form and content in response to the task;
- demonstrate an awareness of the intended audience;
- use effective organization appropriate to the task;
- show proficient use of transitional elements;
- elaborate and enhance the central idea with descriptive and supportive details;
- use language appropriate to the task and intended audience; and
- enhance meaning through control of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.
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Grade 8
Basic
(114) |
Students performing at the Basic level should be able to:
- demonstrate appropriate response to the task in form, content, and language;
- use some supporting details;
- demonstrate organization appropriate to the task; and
- demonstrate sufficient command of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization to communicate to the reader.
|
Proficient
(173) |
Students performing at the Proficient level should be able to:
- create an effective response to the task in form, content, and language;
- express analytical, critical, and/or creative thinking;
- demonstrate an awareness of the purpose and intended audience;
- have logical and observable organization appropriate to the task;
- show effective use of transitional elements;
- use sufficient elaboration to clarify and enhance the central idea;
- use language (e.g., variety of word choice and sentence structure) appropriate to the task; and
- have few errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization that interfere with communication.
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Advanced
(224) |
Students performing at the Advanced level should be able to:
- create an effective and elaborated response to the task in form, content, and language;
- express analytical, critical, and/or creative thinking;
- have well-crafted, cohesive organization appropriate to the task;
- show sophisticated use of transitional elements;
- use varied and elaborated supporting details in appropriate, extended response;
- begin to develop a personal style or voice;
- demonstrate precise and varied use of language;
- use a variety of strategies such as analogies, illustrations, examples, anecdotes, and figurative language; and
- enhance meaning through control of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.
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Grade 12
Basic
(122) |
Students performing at the Basic level should be able to:
- demonstrate appropriate response to the task in form, content, and language;
- demonstrate reflection and insight and evidence of analytical, critical, or evaluative thinking;
- show evidence of conscious organization;
- use supporting details;
- reveal developing personal style or voice; and
- demonstrate sufficient command of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization to communicate to the reader.
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Proficient
(178) |
Students performing at the Proficient level should be able to:
- create an effective response to the task in form, content, and language;
- demonstrate reflection and insight and evidence of analytical, critical, or evaluative thinking;
- use convincing elaboration and development to clarify and enhance the central idea;
- have logical and observable organization appropriate to the task;
- show effective use of transitional elements;
- reveal personal style or voice;
- use language appropriate to the task and intended audience; and
- have few errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization that interfere with communication.
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Advanced
(230) |
Students performing at the Advanced level should be able to:
- create an effective and elaborated response to the task in form, content, and language;
- show maturity and sophistication in analytical, critical, and creative thinking;
- have well-crafted, cohesive organization appropriate to the task;
- show sophisticated use of transitional elements;
- use illustrative and varied supportive details;
- use rich, compelling language;
- show evidence of a personal style or voice;
- display a variety of strategies such as anecdotes, repetition, and literary devices to support and develop ideas; and
- enhance meaning through control of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.
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