Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in various subjects.

Program Overview

NAEP, also known as “The Nation’s Report Card,” is a program of the US Department of Education that provides information on state and national student achievement. It also provides information on how student achievement has changed over time. NAEP conducts state and large-district assessments in grades four and eight and national assessments in grades four, eight, and twelve. Results are based on a representative sample of students, and individual student or school results are not provided. In California, district-level results are available only for Fresno Unified School District (USD) through 2019, Los Angeles USD, and San Diego USD.

NAEP – CalEdFacts provides a more detailed overview of the test.

Resources and Communication Materials

General Resources

NAEP COVID-19 Protocols External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) External link opens in new window or tab.

An Introduction to NAEPExternal link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Overview of NAEPExternal link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Visión General de NAEPExternal link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Parents and Student Resources

NAEP Brochure for ParentsExternal link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

What Every Parent Should Know About NAEP External link opens in new window or tab.

Lo que cada padre debe saber acerca de NAEPExternal link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Introducing NAEP to Students External link opens in new window or tab.

District and School Resources

NAEP 2024 Facts for Districts External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

NAEP State Assessment Sample Design FAQsExternal link opens in new window or tab.

Introducing NAEP to Teachers External link opens in new window or tab.

NAEP Sampling Fact SheetExternal link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Test Administration

Schedule of AssessmentsExternal link opens in new window or tab.

Digitally Based AssessmentsExternal link opens in new window or tab.

Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and English LearnersExternal link opens in new window or tab.

Scores and Results Reporting

California NAEP Results

The Nation’s Report CardExternal link opens in new window or tab.

NAEP Data ExplorerExternal link opens in new window or tab.

Laws, Regulations, and Requirements

NAEP is guided by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 and the NAEP Authorization Act (part of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002) as well as by policies External link opens in new window or tab. enacted by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB). These laws require that states and districts receiving Title 1 federal funding participate in NAEP reading and mathematics assessments in grades four and eight. Assessments in other subjects, and in grade twelve, are optional.

The exact wording of ESSA of 2015 can be found in Public Law 114-95 External link opens in new window or tab.(PDF). The exact wording of the NAEP Authorization can be found in Public Law 107-219 External link opens in new window or tab.(PDF).

The NAGB is an independent, bipartisan group whose members include governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives, and members of the general public. Congress created the 26-member Governing Board in 1988 to set policy for NAEP.

Technical Documents

NAEP Technical Documentation External link opens in new window or tab.


Assessment Spotlight web page contains archives of all previous Assessment Spotlight emails. Send a blank email to subscribe-caaspp@mlist.cde.ca.gov to receive regular updates on the latest information about the statewide assessment system.

Questions:   California NAEP Office | calnaep@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0408
Last Reviewed: Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Recently Posted in Testing
  • Assessment Spotlight, Issue 298 (added 04-Nov-2024)
    California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) email update, November 1, 2024.
  • Assessment Spotlight, Issue 295 (added 29-Oct-2024)
    California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) email update, October 4, 2024.
  • Assessment Spotlight, Issue 296 (added 29-Oct-2024)
    California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) email update, October 11, 2024.
  • Assessment Spotlight, Issue 297 (added 29-Oct-2024)
    California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) email update, October 18, 2024.
  • 2024 Assessment Data Release FAQs (added 11-Oct-2024)
    Frequently asked questions related to the release of 2024 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) and English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) statewide results.