Overhauling the Nation’s Report Card

Published May 18, 2022

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has been the gold standard of achievement testing for over 50 years. But getting it in shape for the next 50 years does not come without challenges. Chester Finn, Jr., explains why preserving the NAEP from today’s political battles will require several key changes.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it important to have an established national achievement testing standard?
2. What challenges is the National Assessment of Educational Progress facing?

Additional resources:

• Check out the book by Chester Finn, Jr., Assessing the Nation’s Report Card: Challenges and Choices for NAEP. Available here.
• Read “We’re Rewriting the Most Important Educational Test You’ve Never Heard Of,” by Chester Finn, Jr. Available here.
• Watch “Why Testing and Accountability Matter in K–12 Education” on PolicyEd. Available here.