Arthur N. Applebee

Judith A. Langer

Ina V. S. Mullis

This summary report from The Nation's Report Card offers a synthesis of findings from recent national assessments of American education for 9-, 13-, and 17-year-old students in a variety of subject areas. Areas covered include reading, writing, mathematics, science, American history, literature, and computer competence. Trends in academic achievement, levels of learning, and factors related to achievement are discussed. Since 1969, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has conducted regular surveys of student proficiency in a range of subjects, each involving a national sample of students; about 1.4 million students from a cross-section of grade levels have participated in the assessments to date. Findings from recent NAEP assessments provide evidence of progress in students' academic achievement. Results from the 1984 and 1986 assessments indicate that, on the average, students' proficiency in reading has improved; proficiency in writing, mathematics, and science has improved in recent assessments following earlier declines. Equity is being approached between minority students and their white peers. Student achievement gains are associated with time spent on homework, course rigor, participatory teaching, and supportive home environments. The findings also indicate a lack of significant advancement in the area of innovative and thoughtful application of knowledge. Descriptions of proficiency levels (levels 150, 200, 250, 300, and 350) for reading, mathematics, and science are appended in the form of sample test items. (TJH)

A Summary of Findings

Crossroads in American Education

The National Assessment of Educational Progress' (NAEP) 1992 reading assessment was administered to nationally representative samples of fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-grade students attending public and private schools, and to state representative public-school samples of fourth graders in 43 jurisdictions. Nearly 140,000 students were assessed in all. Data were summarized on the NAEP reading proficiency scale ranging from 0 to 500, and results were reported according to three achievement levels at each grade--basic, proficient, and advanced. Major findings were that (1) 59% of the fourth graders, 69% of eighth graders, and 75% of twelfth graders reached the basic level or beyond; (2) 25%, 28%, and 37% of grade 4, 8, and 12 students met or exceeded the proficient level, respectively; (3) from 2% to 4% of students at any of the grade levels achieved the "advanced" performance level; (4) fourth graders within the basic level generally understood simple narratives; (5) eighth graders reading within the basic level demonstrated literal understanding of passages; (6) twelfth graders within the basic level were able to interpret aspects of the passages they read and make connections between their reading and their own knowledge; (7) students attending private schools had higher average reading proficiency than students at public schools; (8) considerable variation in performance existed within and across participating states; (9) females had higher average reading proficiency than males at all three grade levels; and (10) fourth graders appeared to be learning reading through varied instructional approaches. (Contains 67 tables and 9 figures of data; a detailed description of anchoring the achievement levels, an overview of procedures, state contextual background factors, and reading passages are attached.) (RS)

Data from the National and Trial State Assessments

NAEP 1992 Reading Report Card for the Nation and the States

Discusses "friendly fire" casualties in combat. Attention on this problem was focused by the recent Persian Gulf War, in which 24 percent of U.S. combat fatalities were due to "friendly fire". U.S. combat losses as a whole from this cause are estimated to be 10% of the total. Makes recommendations on how this can be avoided in future combat situations. Graphs, drawings, b/w photos.

Ina V. S. Mullis

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