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“NAEP is central to any discussion of whether American students and the public schools they attend are doing well or badly. It has measured reading and math and other subjects over time. It is administered to samples of students; no one knows who will take it, no one can prepare to take it, no one takes the whole test. There are no stakes attached to NAEP; no student ever gets a test score. NAEP reports the results of its assessments in two different ways. • One is by scale scores, ranging from 0 to 500. Scale scores reflect what students know and can do. It is like a scale that tells you how much you weigh but offers no judgment about what you should weigh. • The other is achievement levels, in which the highest level is “advanced,” then “proficient,” then “basic,” and last “below basic.” Achievement levels are judgments set by external panels that determine what students should know and be able to do.” (Diane Ravitch, Reign of Error)