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Overview of the 2006 NAEP Assessments

• Administered in January–March 2006

• National results for grades 4, 8, and 12

• Results by scale scores and achievement levels– Basic– Proficient– Advanced

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The 2006 U.S. History Assessment

• National samples:– 6,500 fourth-graders– 11,400 eighth-graders– 11,300 twelfth-graders

• Trend comparisons to 1994 and 2001 assessments

• Four themes:– Democracy– Culture– Technological and Economic Change– World Role

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Average Scale Scores

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2006.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994, 2001, and 2006 U.S. History Assessments.

• Scores higher in 2006 than in 1994 and 2001 at all three grades

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Scale Score Percentiles• At grade 4, lower-performing students make gains• At grades 8 and 12, students at all levels make gains

compared to 1994

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2006.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994, 2001, and 2006 U.S. History Assessments.

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Achievement-Level Results• Higher percentages at or above Basic at all three grades

• Higher percentages at or above Proficient at grades 8 and 12 since 1994

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2006.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994, 2001, and 2006 U.S. History Assessments.

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Results by Race/Ethnicity

NOTE: Black includes African American, Hispanic includes Latino, and Pacific Islander includes Native Hawaiian. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994, 2001, and 2006 U.S. History Assessments.

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Results by Race/Ethnicity─Score Gaps, Grade 4• Score gap narrows between White and Black

students at grade 4 compared to 1994• Score gap narrows between White and Hispanic

students at grade 4 compared to 1994

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2006. NOTE: Black includes African American, and Hispanic includes Latino. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin. Score gaps are calculated based on differences between unrounded average scores. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994, 2001, and 2006 U.S. History Assessments.

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Scale Scores by Theme• Students at all three grades make gains in

Democracy and World Role themes

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2006.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994, 2001, and 2006 U.S. History Assessments.

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What Do Students Know About Democracy?

• 46% of fourth-graders identified Lincoln’s position on slavery

• 78% of eighth-graders identified the interpretation of Gettysburg Address reference

• 67% of twelfth-graders identified an important Great Society idea

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What Do Students Know About Culture?

• 65% of fourth-graders identified why some early Native Americans built their homes in cliffs

• 49% of eighth-graders explained why people settled on the Western frontier

• 36% of twelfth-graders identified an immigration pattern and explained its causes

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What Do Students Know About Technological/Economic Change?

• 35% of fourth-graders explained how two inventions changed life in the U.S.

• 64% of eighth-graders identified an impact of the cotton gin

• 9% of twelfth-graders explained lifestyle changes between 1900 and 1928

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What Do Students Know About the U.S. World Role?

• 40% of fourth-graders identified time frame of Vietnam War

• 33% of eighth-graders identified the U.S. foreign policy positions related to Latin America

• 14% of twelfth-graders explained why the U.S. was involved in the Korean War

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The 2006 Civics Assessment

• National samples:– 7,000 fourth-graders

– 9,200 eighth-graders– 9,100 twelfth-graders

• Comparisons to 1998

• Results reported on a 0–300 scale

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The Content of the Civics Assessment

• Civic life, politics, and government

• Foundations of the American political system

• How the government established by the Constitution embodies the purposes, values, and principles of American democracy

• Relationship of the U.S. to other nations and to world affairs

• Roles of citizens in American democracy

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Average Scale Scores• Score increases only at grade 4

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2006.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 and 2006 Civics Assessments.

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Scale Score Percentiles

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2006.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 and 2006 Civics Assessments.

• Gains are made by lower-performing students at grade 4

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Achievement-Level Results

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2006.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 and 2006 Civics Assessments.

• Higher percentage of fourth-graders at or above the Basic level in 2006

• No significant change in achievement-level results at grades 8 and 12

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Results by Race/Ethnicity• At grade 4, White, Black, and Hispanic students score

higher in 2006• At grade 8, White and Hispanic students score higher

in 2006

‡ Reporting standards not met. Sample size is insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2006.NOTE: Black includes African American, Hispanic includes Latino, and Pacific Islander includes Native Hawaiian. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 and 2006 Civics Assessments.

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Results by Race/Ethnicity─Score Gaps, Grade 4

* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2006.NOTE: Black includes African American, and Hispanic includes Latino. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin. Score gaps are calculated based on differences between unrounded average scores.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 and 2006 Civics Assessments.

• White and Hispanic gap narrows• White and Black gap did not change significantly

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What Do Fourth-Graders Know?

• 75% knew that only citizens can vote in the U.S.

• 41% identified the level of government that signs peace treaties

• 14% recognized that defendants have a right to a lawyer

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What Do Eighth-Graders Know?

• 80% identified a notice for jury duty

• 63% determined an instance of abuse of power

• 15% interpreted a phrase fromthe Gettysburg Address

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What Do Twelfth-Graders Know?

• 72% analyzed a historical text on the importance of education

• 50% identified the outcome when state and national laws conflict

• 43% described the meaning of federalism in the U.S.

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Summary

At grade 4• Overall increases in both U.S. history and civics• Increases in both assessments for lower-performing

students

At grade 8• Overall increase in U.S. history and no significant

change in civics

At grade 12 • Overall increase in U.S. history and no significant

change in civics

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For more information: http://nationsreportcard.gov