Skip navigation
Skip Navigation
small header image
Click for menu... About NAEP... Click for menu... Subject Areas... Help Site Map Contact Us Glossary NewsFlash
Sample Questions Analyze Data State Profiles Publications Search the Site
U.S. History
The Nation's Report Card (home page)

The NAEP U.S. History Achievement Levels

NAEP assessment results provide information about what students know and can do (see the NAEP U.S. history scale). Additionally, NAEP provides information about what students should know and be able to do. This information comes from the NAEP achievement levels, which are intended to measure how well students' actual achievement matches the achievement desired of them in different subjects assessed by NAEP.

The National Assessment Governing Board, as directed by the NAEP legislation, has been developing achievement levels for NAEP since 1990. A broadly representative panel of teachers, education specialists, and members of the general public help define and review achievement levels. As provided by law, the achievement levels are to be used on a trial basis and should be interpreted and used with caution.

There are three achievement levels for each grade assessed by NAEP (4, 8, and 12): Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. The following definitions apply to all subjects and all grades assessed by NAEP:

Achievement-Level Policy Definitions
Basic Partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade.
Proficient Solid academic performance for each grade assessed. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real-world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject matter.
Advanced Superior performance.

Explore how the achievement levels were used to describe history performance at all three grades.

The National Assessment Governing Board site provides a reference booklet (762K PDF) with descriptions of the NAEP U.S. history achievement levels, cut scores, and sample questions with illustrations of student knowledge and skills required within each achievement level.


Last updated 18 April 2007 (FW)
1990 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006, USA
Phone: (202) 502-7300 (map)