Once the data have been collected, scored, and analyzed, NAEP publishes and disseminates the results. These scores are a device summarizing both the proficiency or level of understanding of a subject, and the nature of that understanding into a single number, reflecting a mean score, with corresponding standard deviation. Over the past three assessment cycles NAEP has developed scales for mathematics, reading, writing, science, civics, history, and geography. These scales allow NAEP to report comparable results across ages and across assessments. In addition, the scale scores allow NAEP to report the proportion of students at different proficiency levels in the various subject areas.
American students demonstrate at different levels of proficiency in a subject area.
Currently, NAEP is conducted every other year in even- numbered years. NAEP has been designed to produce a representative sample at the national level. Data were also collected from these students' principals and a sample of their teachers. In 1992, state level data were collected in fourth grade reading and mathematics and eighth grade mathematics. Special assessments in other educational areas such as health, energy, consumer math, and young adult literacy.