FW: NAEP Writing Assessment 2011

[George Sheridan <learn@jps.net>]

Dear fellow educator,

ACT is currently working under the direction of the National Assessment
Governing Board to develop a new writing framework (or "blueprint") for the
U.S. Department of Education's National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP).  Also known as the Nation's Report Card, NAEP is the only
nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's
students know and can do in various academic subjects at grades 4, 8, and
12.

The NAEP Writing Assessment is being redesigned for 2011 to reflect current
best practice in writing instruction and assessment and to begin a new
trend line that will be the basis for the assessment through the early
2020's.  In addition, the 2011 NAEP will be designed to assess 12th grade
students' preparedness for writing expectations in college, the workplace,
and the military.

Writing is an important part of successful performance in most school and
college subjects and in most careers.  We would like to offer you, as
educators in English, math, science, social sciences, history, humanities,
and in languages other than English, an opportunity to read and evaluate
the initial recommendations for the writing framework.  Your participation
will help ensure that the assessment is designed to best assess the writing
abilities students need to succeed in their school subjects and once they
have graduated from high school.

The initial recommendations for the content and design of the writing
framework are available online for your review and commentary.  Please
visit www.act.org/naepwriting to offer feedback that will be used to guide
the development of the writing framework.


Carly Bonar, Assistant Project Director--NAEP Writing 2011
Writing Test Specialist
Assessment Innovations
ACT, Inc.





In the education of children there is nothing like alluring the interest 
and affection, otherwise you only make so many asses laden with books. - 
Montaigne