Getting the Message Out: An Evaluation of NAEP Score Reporting Practices With Implications for Disseminating Test Results1

Abstract

How a testing agency approaches score reporting can have a significant impact on the perception of that assessment and the usefulness of the information among intended users and stakeholders. Too often, important decisions about reporting test data are left to the end of the test development cycle, but by considering the audience(s) and the kinds of information that they find useful earlier in the process, the agency can capitalize on that knowledge and increase the likelihood that test scores are used as intended and are regarded positively. To that end, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is “The Nation's Report Card,” charged with making available “reliable information about the academic performance of American students in various learning areas,2” and the purpose of this evaluation of NAEP was to review NAEP score reporting efforts with respect to this charge. The research questions guiding the study focused on the utility of Web-based reporting resources, the understandability and accessibility of current NAEP data displays, and reporting interests of NAEP stakeholders. Findings provided considerable information about the depth and breadth of users' experiences with NAEP reporting, and led to our recommendations for enhancing NAEP reports, and strategies for evaluating score reporting practices.