You are here

National NAEP & International Assessments

International Assessments 

International Activities Program: In addition to administering the National Assessment of educational progress (NAEP), the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) supports a variety of activities to provide statistical data for cross-national comparisons of education through the International Activities Program. On behalf of the United States, NCES participates in the International Indicators of Education Systems (INES), a program of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organization of 35 member countries. NCES conducts the following international assessments and surveys in the United States:

  • PISA: an international assessment that measures 15-year-old students' reading, mathematics, and science literacy.  Administered every 3 years based on its own framework.
  • PIRLS: An international comparative assessment that measures student learning in reading. PIRLS documents worldwide trends in the reading knowledge of 4th-graders as well as school and teacher practices related to instruction. Administered every 5 years based on its own framework.
  • TIMSS: A mathematics and science assessment that compares achievement of U.S. 4thand 8th grade students to 4thand 8th grade students in other countries. Administered every 4 years based on its own framework.
  • ICILS: A computer-based international assessment of 8th-grade students' capacities "to use information communications technologies (ICT) productively for a range of different purposes, in ways that go beyond a basic use of ICT."  Administered every 5 years based on its own framework.
  • TALIS: The Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) is a survey about teachers, teaching, and learning environments. Sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), TALIS is composed of two questionnaires—one for teachers and one for their principals—that ask questions about their backgrounds, work environments, professional development, and beliefs and attitudes about teaching. TALIS is unique because it is the only comparative international education study that collects data on nationally representative samples of teachers.

These international assessments have no direct relationship to Colorado Academic Standards and cannot be compared to our CMAS state assessment.  No individual, school, district, or state level results are available for any of these assessments.

National NAEP

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only assessment that measures what U.S. students know and can do in various subjects across the nation, states, and in some urban districts. Also known as The Nation’s Report Card, NAEP has provided important information about how students are performing academically since 1969.

NAEP is a congressionally mandated project administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

NAEP is given to a representative sample of students across the country in 10 different subject areas

NAEP Assessment Schedule

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) maintains the schedule for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments and the release of assessment results to the nation, states, and districts.

All assessments take place between January and March, except for long-term trend (LTT) assessments. LTT assessments take place from October to May when administered.


2025 Assessment Schedule 

Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)

  • March– April 2025


Results

Most Recent Results for:

2023 Long-Term Trend Age 13

  • The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) administered the NAEP long-term trend (LTT) reading and mathematics assessments to 13-year-old students from October to December of the 2022–23 school year. The average scores for 13-year-olds declined 4 points in reading and 9 points in mathematics compared to the previous assessment administered during the 2019–20 school year. Compared to a decade ago, the average scores declined 7 points in reading and 14 points in mathematics.
  • Highlights
  • Results

2022 U.S. History Grade 8

  • In 2022, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) U.S. history assessment was administered to a nationally representative sample of eighth-grade students. The assessment was delivered on tablets. It assessed students’ knowledge of U.S. history and historical thinking skills across four major themes: Change and Continuity in American Democracy (Democracy); The Gathering and Interactions of Peoples, Cultures, and Ideas (Culture); Economic and Technological Changes and Their Relationship to Society, Ideas, and the Environment (Technology); and The Changing Role of America in the World (World Role). Students also answered survey questions about their opportunities to learn and their engagement with U.S. history inside and outside of school.
  • Highlights
  • Results

2022 Civics  Grade 8

  • In 2022, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) civics assessment was administered to a nationally representative sample of eighth-grade students. The assessment measured students’ knowledge and skills in democratic citizenship, government, and American constitutional democracy. Students also answered survey questions about their opportunities to learn and their engagement with civics in and outside of school.
  • Highlights
  • Results

2022 NAEP Long-Term Trend Reading and Mathematics Assessments at Age 9 

  • Since the 1970s, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has monitored the academic performance of 9-, 13-, and 17-year-old students with what have become known as the long-term trend (LTT) assessments.

  • Results

2020 NAEP Long-Term Trend Reading and Mathematics Assessments at Age 13

  • Since the 1970s, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has monitored the academic performance of 9-, 13-, and 17-year-old students with what have become known as the long-term trend (LTT) assessments.

  • Results

2019 Science Grades 4, 8, and 12

  • Approximately 88,200 fourth, eighth, and twelfth grade Results are compared to those from 2015 and previous science assessments back to 2009.

2019 NAEP High School Transcript Study

  • The 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) High School Transcript Study (HSTS) collected and analyzed transcripts from a representative sample of America’s public and private high school graduates. The study examines the types of courses 2019 high school graduates took during high school, how many credits they earned, and the grades they received. The 2019 HSTS also explores the relationships between high school coursetaking patterns and graduates' achievement based on their performance on the NAEP Grade 12 mathematics and science assessments.
  • Highlights
  • Results

2018 History Grade 8 

  • Approximately 16,400 eighth-grade students participated in the 2018 U.S. history assessment. The 2018 results are compared to those from 2014 and to previous U.S. history assessments dating back to 1994.
  • Highlights
  • Results

2018 Civics Grade 8 Results

  • Approximately 13,400 eighth-grade students participated in the 2018 civics assessment. The 2018 results are compared to those from 2014 and to previous civics assessments back to 1998.
  • Highlights
  • Results

2018 Geography Results

  • Approximately 12,900 eighth-grade students participated in the 2018 geography assessment. Results are compared to those from 2014 and the previous geography assessments back to 1994.
  • Highlights
  • Results

 Past National NAEP Results