The Nation's Report Card: Geography, 2001.

In 2001, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) conducted a geography assessment of the nation's fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-grade students. This report presents the results of that assessment. Results in 2001 are compared to results of 1994's NAEP geography assessment, which was the preceding NAEP geography assessment and the only other geography assessment conducted under the current framework. Students' performance on the assessment is described in terms of average scores on a 0-500 scale and of percentage of students attaining three achievement levels: (1) basic; (2) proficient; and (3) advanced. Average geography scores for fourth and eighth graders were higher in 2001 than in 1994, while the performance of twelfth graders was not significantly different. At both grades 4 and 8, score increases occurred among the lower-performing students. The 2001 assessment showed that 21% of fourth graders, 30% of eighth graders, and 25% of twelfth graders performed at or above the proficient level for their respective grades. These levels are identified as those at which all students should perform. Both grades 4 and 8 showed an increase from 1994 to 2001 in the percentage of students at or above basic. No significant changes occurred in the percentage at or above "Proficient" at any grade. In addition to overall results, the report provides data on the performance of various subgroups of students and information about the contexts for learning by administering questionnaires to assessed students, their teachers, and their school administrators. The report contains six chapters, each of which includes extensive figures and tables. Appended are additional data and an overview of procedures used for the assessment. (BT)