***NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF***

***EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS***

***Volume 1***

***SUPPORTING STATEMENT***

***FOR***

***WAVE 1 OF 2009 SUBMITTAL***

***(PART OF 2008--2010 SYSTEM CLEARANCE PROPOSAL***

***OMB# 1850-0790)***

> **Student Grade 4 Operational Core Questions**
>
> **Student Grade 4 Operational Reading Questions**
>
> **Student Grade 4 Operational Mathematics Questions**
>
> **Student Grade 8 Operational Core Questions**
>
> **Student Grade 8 Operational Reading Questions**
>
> **Student Grade 8 Operational Mathematics Questions**
>
> ![](media/image1.png){width="1.2763888888888888in"
> height="1.4597222222222221in"}

March 12, 2008

**Explanation and Burden Information for This Submittal**

This document contains supplemental information pertaining to the
2008--2010 NAEP System Clearance proposal. The System Clearance package
was submitted in January 2007 and approved in May 2007 with OMB \#
1850-0790. The terms of clearance for OMB approvals state that each
subsequent submittal activity under the System Clearance is to be
submitted to OMB.

This submittal contains burden information and the actual background
questionnaires for the following components of the 2009 assessments:

-   Student Grade 4 Operational Core

-   Student Grade 4 Operational Reading

-   Student Grade 4 Operational Mathematics

-   Student Grade 8 Operational Core

-   Student Grade 8 Operational Reading

-   Student Grade 8 Operational Mathematics

    These specific questionnaires are the first group (Wave 1) of
    questionnaires submitted for approval for usage in 2009. Two
    additional groups of questions (Waves 2 and 3) will be submitted as
    parts of the overall 2009 OMB submittal package.

    Wave 2 will include questions for student operational science
    (grades 4, 8, and 12); student operational reading and mathematics
    at grade 12; student pilot civics, U.S. history, and geography
    (grades 4, 8, and 12); and student pilot reading and mathematics
    (grades 4, 8, and 12).

    Wave 3 will include questions for student special studies, including
    the National Indian Education Study (grades 4 and 8) and the
    Extended Background Questions for the socioeconomic status study
    (grades 4, 8, and 12). Questionnaires for Teachers (grades 4 and 8),
    Schools (grades 4, 8, and 12), and Students with Disability and
    English Language Learners (SD-ELL) will also be part of the Wave 3
    submittal.

**[2009 Wave 1 Burden Information]{.underline}**

The Wave 1 submittal contains the core (demographic) and
subject-specific student background questions for the grades 4 and 8
operational reading and mathematics assessments.

Student response burden is .25 hours (15 minutes) for the total
background question sections. At grade 4, the estimated total number of
students for the reading and mathematics operational assessments is
344,000 resulting in 86,000 hours of student burden. At grade 8, the
sample sizes for both reading and mathematics will be the same as at
grade 4. Thus, the estimated total number of students for the grade 8
reading and mathematics operational assessments is 344,000 resulting in
86,000 hours of student burden. The estimated total number of students
participating in the grades 4 and 8 operational reading and mathematics
assessments is 688,000 with a resulting student burden of 172,000 hours.

(Note that the Core questions are separate for the OMB submission, but
their burden is not computed separately. All students take core
questions which are part of the overall 15 minute background question
burden. The core questions were approved in the System Clearance
submittal in 2007 but are included in the Volume II questionnaires
because they will be administered in 2009.)

See the following table for a summary of Wave 1 burden estimates.

**[Wave 1]{.underline}**

**Estimated Burden for NAEP 2009 Assessments Contained in This
Submittal**

**by Grade Level**

  ---------------- ------------- ------------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ---------- -------------- ---------- -------------
  **Components**   **\# of       **Student     **\# of      **Teacher   **\# of     **School   **SD/ELL (# of **SD/ELL   **Total
                   Students**    Burden (in    Teachers**   Burden**    Schools**   Burden**   school         Burden**   Burden**
                                 hours)**                                                      personnel)**              

                                                            **(in                   **(in                     **(in      **(in
                                                            hours)**                hours)**                  hours)**   hours)**

  **Grade 4        ** **         ** **                                                                                   ** **
  Students**                                                                                                             

  \*Core                                                                                                                  

  Reading          170,625       42,656                                                                                  42,656
  Operational                                                                                                            

  Math Operational 173,375       43,344                                                                                  43,344

  **Totals**       **344,000**   **86,000**                                                                              **86,000**

  ** **                                                                                                                   

  **Grade 8        ** **         ** **                                                                                   ** **
  Students**                                                                                                             

  \*Core                                                                                                                  

  Reading          170,625       42,656                                                                                  42,656
  Operational                                                                                                            

  Math Operational 173,375       43,344                                                                                  43,344

  **Totals**       **344,000**   **86,000**                                                                              **86,000**

  ** **                                                                                                                   

  ** Totals**      **688,000**   **172,000**   ** **        ** **       ** **       ** **      ** **          ** **      **172,000**

                                                                                                                         
  ---------------- ------------- ------------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ---------- -------------- ---------- -------------

\* NOTE: Core questions are separate for the OMB submission, but their
burden is not computed separately. All students take core questions
which are part of the overall 15 minute background question burden. The
core questions were approved in the System Clearance submittal in 2007
but are included in the Volume II questionnaires because they will be
administered in 2009.

Refer to [Appendix A](#appendixa) for a chart with the estimated burden
for all three Waves (by grade level) of the 2009 submittals.

**Overview of NAEP** **2008--2010 Assessments**

The following broad overview of the 2008--2010 NAEP assessments was
included as part of the initial systems clearance submittal. The
National Assessment Governing Board (the Governing Board) determines
NAEP policy and assessment schedule, and future Board decisions may
result in changes to some aspects of an assessment (e.g., which subjects
are assessed in which years). However, overall methodology and
assessment process will remain constant. In the 2009 assessment year,
questionnaires will be administered to students at grades 4, 8, and 12;
to teachers at grades 4 and 8; and to school administrators at grades 4,
8, and 12.

The [2009]{.underline} assessments consist of the following:

-   Operational assessments in reading, mathematics, and science in
    grades 4, 8, and 12;

-   Pilot assessments for civics, U.S. history, and geography at grades
    4, 8, and 12; pilot assessments in reading and mathematics at grades
    4, 8, and 12; and

-   Special studies, including (1) American Indian/Alaska Native
    students, at grades 4 and 8, as part of the National Indian
    Education Study; and (2) a pilot of extended background questions as
    part of the development of a new socioeconomic status variable at
    grades 4, 8, and 12.

> **How, by Whom, and for What Purpose the Data Will be Used**

In the original request for system clearance, NCES asked for approval of
the instruments to be used to gather data from the 2008--2010 national
and state assessments. This submittal applies to the first set of
questionnaires that will be submitted for the 2009 assessments. This
first set of questions contains student core questions (grades 4, 8, and
12), and student reading and mathematics subject-specific questions
(grades 4 and 8).

Given that the purpose of NAEP is to gather data on the achievement of
students in the subject areas assessed for use in monitoring education
progress, and because of the program\'s increasing visibility, it is
incumbent on the program to develop the most reliable and valid
instruments possible. To do so, NAEP has employed four strategies in
recent assessment cycles:

A.  Small-scale pilot testing of new materials and test administration
    techniques;

B.  Pilot testing items to determine which items best measure the
    constructs under consideration;

C.  Field testing[^1] of operational assessments to accommodate the
    mandated six-month reporting; and

D.  Full-scale operations.

    Background questionnaire development follows the same pattern as
    that of cognitive item development, although we tend to pilot fewer
    items with less duplication and use the resulting data to refine the
    questions. Guidance for what is asked is provided by the Governing
    Board. NCES develops the questionnaires, which the Governing Board
    then approves for submission to OMB in a two-stage process: (1)
    prior to pilot testing, and (2) again after NCES and its contractors
    make selections for the operational assessment based on pilot data.
    The questions are designed to provide

-   the information for disaggregating data according to categories
    specified in the legislation,

-   contextual information that is subject specific (e.g. reading,
    mathematics) and has an impact and known relationship to
    achievement, and

-   policy relevant information specified by the Governing Board.

    In all assessment years, questionnaires are generally administered
    to students at grades 4, 8, and 12; teachers at grades 4 and 8; and
    school administrators at grades 4, 8, and 12. SD/ELL (Students with
    Disabilities/ English Language Learner) questionnaires are completed
    by teachers or administrators of students identified as learning
    disabled or as English Language Learners.

> **Development Information for the 2009 Components Contained in Wave 1
> Submittal**

**[Operational Reading and Mathematics: Grades 4 and 8]{.underline}**

Wave 1 contains the subject-specific background questions for the
operational reading and mathematics assessments at grades 4 and 8. Both
the reading and mathematics assessments are structured to fit the common
booklet model. At each grade the assessment will use two 25-minute
cognitive item blocks followed by two sections of background questions.
Assessment accommodations will be allowed at each grade. The reading and
mathematics assessments will be administered at the national/state level
at grades 4 and 8.

Development activities for the reading student questionnaires primarily
entailed developing new items to capture the issues associated with the
new assessment frameworks. Student reading items were also converted
into student mathematics items to achieve comparability across subject
areas and address gaps in issue coverage. The 4th- and 8th-grade student
reading items were also assessed according to the results of the 2007
pilot test of these questionnaires. Item performance determined any
changes made to items. The 4th- and 8th-grade student reading
questionnaires are proposed as final for the 2009 operational
administration of NAEP.

Development activities for the mathematics student questionnaires at
grades 4 and 8 entailed updating dated technology items and modifying
newly developed student reading items. Student reading items were
converted into student mathematics items to achieve comparability across
subject areas and address gaps in issue coverage. The 4th- and 8th-grade
student mathematics items were assessed according to the results of the
2007 pilot test of these questionnaires. Item performance determined any
changes made to items.

The final selection of background items for 2009 reflects the mandate
that the background questionnaires meet the requirements of the
Governing Board's policy, particularly with regard to the overall time
burden involved for respondents.

**APPENDIX A**

[]{#appendixa .anchor}**2009 Overall Burden Estimate Chart (3 Waves)**

**by Grade Level**

<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 21%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 10%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td rowspan="2"><strong>Subjects</strong></td>
<td rowspan="2"><strong># of Students</strong></td>
<td rowspan="2"><strong>Student Burden (in hours)</strong></td>
<td rowspan="2"><strong># of Teachers /</strong></td>
<td><strong>Teacher Burden</strong></td>
<td rowspan="2"><strong># of Schools</strong></td>
<td><strong>School Burden</strong></td>
<td rowspan="2"><strong>SD/ELL (# of school personnel)</strong></td>
<td><strong>SD/ELL Burden</strong></td>
<td><strong>Total Burden</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><strong>(in hours)</strong></td>
<td><strong>(in hours)</strong></td>
<td><strong>(in hours)</strong></td>
<td><strong>(in hours)</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><p><strong>4th Grade</strong> –</p>
<p><em>Wave 1</em>-Operational (Mathematics &amp; Reading)</p></td>
<td>344,000</td>
<td>86,000</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td><strong>86,000</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><em>Wave 2</em> - Operational (Science); Pilot (Civics, History,
Geography, Reading, Mathematics)</td>
<td>163,375</td>
<td>40,844</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td><strong>40,844</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><em>Wave 3</em> <strong>-</strong> <u>Student</u> Special
Studies*(NIES, EBQ); <u>Teacher</u> (Operational &amp; Pilot);
<u>School</u> (Operational and Pilot); SD-ELL Questionnaires</td>
<td>11,300</td>
<td>1,575</td>
<td>27,299</td>
<td>9,009</td>
<td>9,100</td>
<td>4,550</td>
<td>18,154</td>
<td>5,991</td>
<td><strong>21,124</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><strong>4th Grade Totals</strong></td>
<td>518,675</td>
<td>128,419</td>
<td>27,299</td>
<td>9,009</td>
<td>9,100</td>
<td>4,550</td>
<td>18,154</td>
<td>5,991</td>
<td><strong>147,968</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><p><strong>8th Grade</strong> –</p>
<p><em>Wave 1</em>-Operational (Mathematics &amp; Reading);</p></td>
<td>344,000</td>
<td>86,000</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td><strong>86,000</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><em>Wave 2</em> <strong>-</strong> Operational (Science); Pilot
<strong>(</strong>Civics, History, Geography, Reading, Mathematics)</td>
<td>164,375</td>
<td>41,094</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td><strong>41,094</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><em>Wave 3</em> <strong>-</strong> <u>Student</u> Special Studies*
(NIES, EBQ); <u>Teacher</u> (Operational &amp; Pilot); <u>School</u>
(Operational and Pilot); SD-ELL Questionnaires</td>
<td>11,000</td>
<td>1,500</td>
<td>27,336</td>
<td>9,021</td>
<td>9,112</td>
<td>4,556</td>
<td>18,178</td>
<td>5,999</td>
<td><strong>21,075</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><strong>8th Grade Totals</strong></td>
<td>519,375</td>
<td>128,594</td>
<td>27,336</td>
<td>9,021</td>
<td>9,112</td>
<td>4,556</td>
<td>18,178</td>
<td>5,999</td>
<td><strong>148,169</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><strong>12th Grade</strong> -<em>Wave 1</em></td>
<td>NA</td>
<td>NA</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td><strong>NA</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><p><em>Wave 2</em>-Operational (Mathematics, Math Trend, state math,
Reading, Rdg Trend, state reading,Science); Pilot (Reading and
Math,Civics, Hist, Geog)</p>
<p><u>Spec Studies</u> ( Sc. Hot/ICT, )</p></td>
<td>118,667</td>
<td>29,667</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td><strong>29,667</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><em>Wave 3</em> - <u>Student</u> Special Studies* (EBQ for SES);
<u>School</u> (Operational and Pilot); SD-ELL Questionnaires</td>
<td>7,500</td>
<td>625</td>
<td>395</td>
<td>130</td>
<td>132</td>
<td>66</td>
<td>4,416</td>
<td>1,457</td>
<td><strong>2,278</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><strong>12th Grade Totals</strong></td>
<td><strong>126,167</strong></td>
<td><strong>30,292</strong></td>
<td><strong>395</strong></td>
<td><strong>130</strong></td>
<td><strong>132</strong></td>
<td><strong>66</strong></td>
<td><strong>4,416</strong></td>
<td><strong>1,457</strong></td>
<td><strong>31,945</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><strong><sup>1</sup> HSTS (</strong>High School Transcript
Study)</td>
<td><strong> </strong></td>
<td><strong> </strong></td>
<td><strong> </strong></td>
<td><strong> </strong></td>
<td><strong> </strong></td>
<td> 388</td>
<td><strong> </strong></td>
<td><strong> </strong></td>
<td><strong> </strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><strong><sup>2</sup> E-Filing (</strong>Electronic
Filing<strong>)</strong></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td>6,970</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><strong>Grand Totals</strong></td>
<td><em><strong>1,164,217</strong></em></td>
<td><em><strong>287,304</strong></em></td>
<td><em><strong>55,029</strong></em></td>
<td><em><strong>18,160</strong></em></td>
<td><em><strong>18,343</strong></em></td>
<td><em><strong>16,530</strong></em></td>
<td><em><strong>40,748</strong></em></td>
<td><em><strong>13,447</strong></em></td>
<td><em><strong>335,441</strong></em></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

\* Note: The burden estimates for students in Wave 3 are comprised of 15
minutes for NIES questions and 5 minutes for EBQ questions.

**^1^ HSTS -** A subset of the sample of schools will also be sampled to
participate in the HSTS.

**^2^ E-Filing** - A subset of the sample of schools where school
personnel complete e-filing activities.

[^1]: ^\*^ Based on the results of recent assessment cycles, field
    testing to accommodate 6-month reporting may no longer be needed.