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Colorado National Assessment of Educational Progress

National Assessment of Educational Progress Logo The Nation's Report Card

Relevant Websites

Contact

Collin Bonner
NAEP State Coordinator
Assessment Division
(303) 895-5750
Bonner_C@cde.state.co.us 

Important Announcements

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is beginning its assessments for the 2025-2026 school year. Please find below an outline of the upcoming assessment activities, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

In 2026, the following assessments will be administered:

Assessment / Subject

NAEP Mathematics and Reading 

Civics

U.S. History

Grade or Age Level

Grades 4, 8, 

Grade 8

Grade 8

Administration Window

January 26 – March 20, 2026

January 26 – March 20, 2026

January 26 – March 20, 2026

 

*Under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, Colorado district applications for Title I funds include an assurance that the district will participate in the biennial NAEP Mathematics and Reading assessments at grades 4 and 8. The  U.S. History, Civics, Long-Term Trend and international assessments are voluntary.

About The National Assessment of Educational Progress

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a.k.a. “the Nation’s Report Card,” is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in different subject areas. Its two major goals are to measure student achievement and to report change in performance over time. NAEP provides results for the nation as a whole and for the states separately.

Performance is reported by groups of students, e.g. by total, by gender, by racial and ethnic groups, and by participation in special programs such as those servicing students with special needs and limited English proficiency. Each of these assessments/studies is based on a representative sample of the student population of the state and the nation and none are designed to produce individual district, school or student data.

Beginning in 2003, participation in NAEP has been linked to Title I funding by the federal "No Child Left Behind Act" within Colorado. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), first passed in 1965. The ESEA Reauthorization of 2001 (No Child Left Behind) included language pertaining to participation in NAEP mathematics and reading at grades 4 and 8 for states and local districts that receive Title I funds.  ESSA did not make any changes to the law regarding the authorization of or participation in NAEP.  NAEP selects a sample of schools to participate as described here. Colorado and its schools selected for NAEP must participate in 4th and 8th grade assessments in reading and mathematics to receive state and district Title I funding.

NAEP has been transitioning to digital assessments for several years, initially using devices like Surface Pros and Chromebooks. The program is now shifting to a model where students take assessments on school-provided devices and internet access. This approach aims to create a more authentic testing experience by using the same laptops or tablets students already use for learning. It's a key step toward assessing students in a setting that reflects their day-to-day classroom environment.

Colorado 2025-2026 NAEP

Assessment window: January – March 20, 2026

Assessment Subjects/ Grades

Grades 4, 8 Mathematics, and Reading, 

Test Mode

Computer Based Assessment

25 students per session with NAEP Devices

50 students per session with School Devices

Approximate Test Time

90 minutes per session

Past NAEP Results

You can explore historical NAEP results for Colorado on the NAEP State Profile page. This resource provides a comprehensive overview of state performance, including trends, demographics, comparisons with other states, and detailed insights into student groups and achievement gaps.

NAEP Assessment Frameworks

NAEP frameworks provide the blueprint for the content and design of each NAEP assessment. 

For each framework, the NAEP Governing Board works with a committee of subject matter experts, practitioners, and members of the general public  including researchers, educators, business leaders, and policymakers to develop a rich and rigorous set of standards that define what students should know and be able to do in a particular subject.