No more aggregate NAEP studies? [editorial].

Abstract

This editorial reviews recent studies of accountability policies using National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data and compares the use of aggregate NAEP data to the availability of individual-level data from NAEP. While the individual-level NAEP data sets are restricted-access and do not give accurate point-estimates of achievement, they nonetheless provide greater opportunity to conduct more appropriate multi-level analyses with state policies as one set of variables. Policy analysts using NAEP data should still look at exclusion rates and the non-longitudinal nature of the NAEP data sets.