National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2018 Assessment Delivery Study

National Center for Education Statistics

National Assessment of Educational Progress

Appendices

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

2018 Assessment Delivery Study

OMB# 1850-0803 v.203

August 2017

Table of Contents

Appendix A: School Division Notification Letter 1

Appendix B: School Notification Letter 2

Appendix C: Parent/Legal Guardian Notification Letter 4

Appendix D: School Contact Script for eNAEP on NAEP Chromebooks 5

Appendix E: School Contact Script for TestNav and eNAEP on School Equipment 9

Appendix A: School Division Notification Letter

TO: Certain Division Superintendents

FROM: Steven R. Staples

Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT: National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

For more than 30 years, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has served American educators as an information resource, providing reliable profiles of what students know and can do in key subject areas. NAEP owes much of its success to the support of local educators whose schools are chosen to participate in NAEP according to a representative state or national sample of the student population in grades 4, 8, and 12. The Commonwealth of Virginia is proud of its continued participation in the NAEP assessments.

The NAEP Assessment Delivery Study will be conducted January 29, 2018, through March 9, 2018. This study will investigate the feasibility of using school-based equipment versus NAEP provided equipment and will be conducted on NAEP provided laptops or school-based computers using either eNAEP or TestNav. Students in grades 4, 8, and 12 take assessments in mathematics and answer survey questions about their educational experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom. The results of the study will be used to prepare for future assessments.

Attached is a list of the selected school(s) in your division, including the grade level, mode of assessment, approximate number of students to be assessed, and the testing window. Schools participating in the study will be notified of their assessment date.

To ease the burden on schools, representatives employed by a NCES contractor will administer the assessments in participating schools. The NCES contractor staff will work with the schools to minimize disruption as much as possible. Schools will be expected to work with the NCES contractor staff on the logistics of the test administration including how to assess students with disabilities and English Learner (EL) students.

Please note that NCES has strict confidentiality requirements. The following confidentiality pledge is required in all communication to school division staff, school staff, parents, and students:

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). Students’ responses may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151).

Information concerning NAEP can be found at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard//.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Wendy Geiger, NAEP state coordinator, at wendy.geiger@doe.virginia.gov or call (804) 786-1939.

Thank you in advance for your continued support of the NAEP assessment program.

Attachments: List of school(s) selected for NAEP 2018

NAEP 2018 Facts for Districts

cc: Division Director of Testing

Appendix B: School Notification Letter

NOTE: This will be sent as an email to principals of the NAEP Assessment Delivery Study.

<Insert principal name>, Principal, <insert school name>, <insert school division name>

I am pleased to inform you that <insert school name> has been chosen to participate in the 2018 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Assessment Delivery Study. This study will investigate the feasibility of using school-based equipment versus NAEP provided equipment. For this study, students take assessments in mathematics and answer survey questions about their educational experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom. The results of the study will be used to prepare for future assessments. Your division superintendent has been notified of your selection for NAEP.

NAEP is used to monitor what American students know and can do in key subject areas at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and provides reliable student achievement profiles to American educators and citizens. NAEP, known as the Nation’s Report Card, is the only ongoing project to chart trends in student achievement at national and state levels.

You are being notified of the selection now so the assessment can be included on the school calendar for the 2017-2018 school year. Your scheduled assessment date is Day, Month XX, 2018. Please let me know as soon as possible if this date needs to be revised to an alternate date within the testing window of January 29, 2018, through March 9, 2018. Please note that grade X schools should consider avoiding conflicts with the Virginia English: Writing Standards of Learning grade X assessment when requesting date changes.

Please keep in mind that the NAEP Assessment Delivery Study:

• provides the school a $200 gift card to an office supply store (e.g., Staples or Office Depot);

• protects the anonymity of the participating students and school staff;

• will not produce individual state, school division, school, or student data;

• is administered on NAEP provided computers OR on school-based equipment using TestNav OR on school-based equipment using eNAEP;

• is administered by trained contractor staff (Westat) who work with the designated school coordinator;

• requires one to two testing sessions of 120 minutes (will be determined in December); and

• is administered to approximately 50 randomly selected grade X students.

I will contact you again in the fall regarding the required parental notification and contact information for your designated school coordinator for this assessment. Please note that NAEP has strict confidentiality requirements. The following confidentiality pledge is required in all communication to school division staff, school staff, parents, and students:

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). Students’ responses may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151).

You may visit the NAEP Web site (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/schools.asp) for more information about NAEP.

I look forward to working with you and your staff to ensure the success of the NAEP 2018 administration. Please contact me at Wendy.Geiger@doe.virginia.gov or (804) 786-1939, if you have any questions or concerns.

c: DDOT, Division Director of Testing

Wendy Geiger, Ed.D.

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) State Coordinator

Office of Test Administration, Scoring, and Reporting

Division of Student Assessment and School Improvement

Virginia Department of Education

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 2120

Richmond, VA 23218-2120

Physical Address

101 N. 14th Street

James Monroe Bldg. Floor 18

Richmond, VA 23219

Phone:

(804) 786-1939 Direct Number

(804) 371-8978 Fax

(804) 225-2102 Office Receptionist

Wendy.Geiger@doe.virginia.gov

Appendix C: Parent/Legal Guardian Notification Letter

NAEP 2018 PARENT/LEGAL GUARDIAN NOTIFICATION LETTER

NAEP Assessment Delivery Study

(School Letterhead)

<Insert Date Here>

Dear Parent or Legal Guardian:

<School name> will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2018 Assessment Delivery Study on <date>. NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subjects. It is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), within the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is different from our state assessment because it provides a common measure of student achievement across the country. The results from this study will be used to prepare for future assessments.

Your child <will/might> take an assessment in mathematics. In addition to subject area questions, NAEP survey questionnaires are voluntarily completed by students. The questionnaires provide valuable information about participating students’ educational experiences and opportunities to learn both in and out of the classroom. More information is available at https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/parents under the section “What Questions Does NAEP Ask?”

The assessment takes about 110 minutes for most students.

The information collected is used for statistical purposes only.

• Your child’s grades will not be affected.

• Students may be excused for any reason, are not required to complete the assessment, and may skip any question.

• While the assessment is voluntary, NAEP depends on student participation to help policymakers improve education. However, if you do not want your child to participate, please notify me in writing by <date>.

There is no need to study in preparation for NAEP, but please encourage your child to do their best. A brochure that explains what participation in NAEP means for you and your child is available at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/parents/2012469.pdf. Contact <name> at <telephone number> or at <email address> if you have any questions.

We are excited that our school is participating in NAEP. We know that <school name>'s students will show what our nation’s students know and can do.

Sincerely,

School Principal

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct NAEP by the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. §9622) and to collect students’ education records from education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). Students’ responses may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151).

Appendix D: School Contact Script for eNAEP on NAEP Chromebooks

NAEP 2018 Assessment Delivery Study

School Contact Script for eNAEP on NAEP Chromebooks

Note: Information in grey boxes is not to be read; rather, these are instructions to the NAEP staff.

Hello, _________________________ <name of school coordinator>. My name is __________________, and I represent the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP. As you know, NAEP will be conducting the NAEP Assessment Delivery Study with your <fourth, eighth, twelfth>-grade students. I’m calling today to confirm the testing day logistics. This call should just take about 5 minutes; is now a good time?

1. I see that we have scheduled _____________ <date> to conduct the study in your school. Does this date still work for you?

	Yes	 Continue.
	No	 If possible, arrange a new date. New date: _______________________  If no mutually convenient date can be determined, schedule a callback and contact your field manager as soon as possible. Callback date: _______________________ Time: ________________

2. Now I’d like to confirm the method by which you’ll be selecting the students to participate.

What is this school’s sampling method, according to the NAEP State Coordinator?
	Random sample of 50 from entire 4th, 8th, or12th grade class	 Confirm method with school coordinator. If he/she has any questions about the sampling process and/or line numbers, refer him/her to the NAEP State Coordinator.
	School selects 50 grade 4, 8, or 12 students	 Confirm method with school coordinator. If he/she has any questions about what type of class to select, refer him/her to the NAEP State Coordinator.

We’ll be testing the selected students in two groups, and I’ll discuss the logistics of those two groups with you in just a minute. When I arrive at your school on the morning of the study, please provide me with a list of the selected students, split up into two groups by how you’d like them tested. We’ll discuss the start time of each group next.

3. Now let’s discuss the testing logistics. As I mentioned, the testing will occur in two groups. Each group will take about 2 hours. We’ll need space to set up 25 Chromebooks, and we would prefer a space where we would not have to move our equipment between groups.

IF TESTING TIMES INDICATED BY THE NAEP STATE COORDINATOR:

My records indicate that you would like the first group to start at ______ <time>. At what location can we test that group?

And my records indicate that you would like the second group to start at ______ <time>. At what location can we test that group?

IF TESTING TIMES NOT INDICATED BY THE NAEP STATE COORDINATOR:

Let’s talk about what time we can begin each group and the location.

Group A	Time: _____________	Location: _________________
Group B	Time: _____________	Location: _________________

My team and I will need about an hour before the first group is scheduled to begin to set up and prepare. So, if we arrive at the school at ______ <time>, is that okay? And may we have access to __________________ <Group A testing location> at that time?

4. Now, let’s review the status of parent/legal guardian notification. Have the parents and legal guardians been notified?

	Yes	 Continue
	No	 Skip to question 5.

Please keep a copy of the letter. I will be collecting it on the morning when I arrive at the school.

Were notifications sent to only the parents and legal guardians of the selected students or to the parents and legal guardians of all the students in the <fourth, eighth, twelfth> grade?

	Parents/legal guardians of selected students only	 Skip to question 6.
	Parents/legal guardians of all students in the grade.	On the morning of the study, if any of the selected students are absent, we’d like to substitute another <fourth, eighth, or twelfth>- grade student in their place so that we can test as many students as possible.
		 Skip to question 6.

5. As a reminder, the parents and legal guardians of the selected students must be notified before the study can take place. I’d like to call you back to confirm the letter has been sent. When is a good time for me to make that call?

 Callback date: _______________________ Time: ________________

Also, I’ll need a copy of the letter for my records, which I’ll collect from you on the morning of the study.

Do you plan to notify the parents/legal guardians of only the selected students or the parents and legal guardians of all the students in the <fourth, eighth, or twelfth>- grade?

	Parents/legal guardians of selected students only	 Skip to question 6.
	Parents/legal guardians of all students in the selected grade.	On the morning of the study, if any of the selected students are absent, we’d like to substitute another <fourth, eighth, or twelfth>- grade student in their place so that we can test as many students as possible.

6. I have just a few other logistical questions to ask you, so that the study runs as smoothly as possible.

The NAEP assessment system is entirely self-contained; it uses a local NAEP-provided network to communicate between the devices we bring into your school. Your school’s networks and internet will not be used in any way. Does your school use any type of wireless blocker that would prevent the NAEP-provided network to connect to the NAEP devices?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When my team and I arrive at your school on the morning of the study, where should we park?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We will wear our NAEP identification badges and check in at the main office. Are there other procedures or protocols specific to your school that we need to follow?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Is there anything scheduled that might interrupt the session, such as a fire drill or assembly?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Once the session has begun, students arriving late can be admitted to the session if a device is available. If no device is available, how should we handle students who arrive too late?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

What is your policy regarding restroom breaks during testing? Do students who leave the testing room need a hall pass or need to be accompanied by school staff?

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

How should we contact the office from the testing location if we need assistance in the case of an emergency?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Those are all of the questions I have for you at this time. Do you have any questions for me?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you have any questions before the tryout date, I can be reached at <telephone number> or this email address <email address>. Please add my email address to your address book to avoid the spam blocker. You can also call the NAEP Help Desk at 1-800-283-NAEP (or -6237). Thank you for your time.

Appendix E: School Contact Script for TestNav and eNAEP on School Equipment

NAEP 2018 Assessment Delivery Study

School Contact Script for TestNav and eNAEP on School Equipment

Note: Information in grey boxes is not to be read; rather, these are instructions to the NAEP staff.

Hello, __________________ <name of school coordinator>. My name is _____________, and I represent the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP.

As you know, NAEP will be assessing your <fourth/eighth/twelfth>-grade students on ________________ <assessment date>. I am calling today to schedule a date and time for our pre-assessment visit. This should just take about 5 minutes; is now a good time?

Now, let’s set a date and time for the pre-assessment visit. I will be in your area on _____________ <date> at ________ <time>. Will that work for you?

Continue suggesting dates/times until a mutually convenient schedule is established.
Pre-assessment visit date: __________________________

I will need to access the computers in your school during the visit to ensure the assessment delivery system will work as expected on the assessment day. It would be best if we met briefly then again after the computers are tested.

Pre-assessment visit arrival time: __________________

(This is the time you will arrive at the school.)

Computer location(s) and time frame available : __________________

Additional details: _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Is there someone knowledgeable about the school’s computers and network settings that can be available during my visit?

Name and Title of Network Specialist: _________________________________

Those are all of the questions I have for you at this time. Do you have any questions for me?

If you have any questions before the study date, I can be reached at <telephone number> or this email address <email address>. Please add my email address to your address book to avoid the spam blocker. You can also call the NAEP Help Desk at 1-800-283-NAEP (or -6237). Thank you for your time.