Updates to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2027 Data Collection

You might care about this because the Department of Education is making changes to how it plans to collect information for the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, in 2027. NAEP is a very important survey that measures what students know and can do in subjects like math, reading, and science. It covers students in grades 4, 8, and 12 across the country. The law requires NAEP to gather data about different student groups, including those by race, gender, income level, disability status, and English language ability. This helps ensure fair reporting of student achievement. This notice explains a revision to an already approved plan for collecting this information. It covers updates to the details of the data collection. The main goal of NAEP is to provide reliable information about student achievement for the nation, for individual states, and for specific groups of students. It also helps track progress over time. This particular update is called Amendment 1 to the NAEP 2027 plan. It focuses on minor adjustments since the original plan was approved. This ensures the ongoing accuracy and fairness of the national assessment. This specific update is interesting because it shows the ongoing fine-tuning involved in a large national assessment like NAEP. The Department of Education is openly sharing minor changes to its data collection plan. For example, there is a small increase in the estimated time burden for the people who will provide information. There is also a slight rise in the costs for the federal government. These changes come from small shifts in how schools are expected to participate. They also reflect the need for some schools to have an extra staff member help with the assessment. The document also points out updates to different parts of the plan. These include changes to committee members, communication materials, and the questionnaires given to students, teachers, and school administrators. There is even an update to the name of a specific assessment component. The "Trends in Urban Districts Assessment" is now called the "Trial Urban District Assessment." These detailed revisions show a commitment to transparency and accuracy in the assessment process. Several groups of people would find this legal document relevant. State, local, and tribal governments are directly involved because they manage the schools where NAEP assessments take place. They need to understand the requirements and any changes to the data collection process. Individuals and households are also important. This group includes students who take the NAEP tests. It also includes parents, teachers, and school administrators who help facilitate the assessments. Anyone interested in educational policy, student achievement data, or how federal agencies collect information will also find this notice useful. Researchers and policymakers who use NAEP data to understand educational trends will want to be aware of these administrative updates. The document outlines where and how the public can submit comments. This means anyone with an interest in education statistics or government data collection practices can provide feedback.