Shelby Public School District #14

____________________________________________________________________________________________

1010 Oilfield Ave ~ Shelby, MT 59474

www.ShelbyPublicSchools.org
Phone: (406) 434-2622 ~ Fax: (406) 434-2959
1/16/2014

Dear Parent or Guardian:

We are pleased to notify you that Shelby Public Schools has been selected to represent schools across
the nation by participating in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). First administered
in 1969, NAEP is the largest nationally representative assessment of what students know and can do in
various subject areas. It is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S.
Department of Education. NAEP is different from state assessments because it provides a common
measure of student achievement across the country. The results of NAEP are released as The Nation's
Report Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents, policymakers,
and the public.
In our schools, the NAEP assessment will be given on the following dates:
Shelby Elementary January 29th, 2015 for fourth graders,
Camrose Colony February 6th, 2015 for eighth graders, and
Shelby Junior High February 26th, 2015 for eighth graders.
Students will take the assessment for about 90 minutes, which includes transition time and instructions.
NAEP 2015 will include mathematics, reading, and science. Students have been selected for the
assessment, and your child is part of the sample. Students will be tested in only one subject consisting of
two 25 minute subject area sections. In addition to assessing subject-area achievement, NAEP collects
information that serves to fulfill reporting requirements of federal legislation and to provide a context for
reporting student performance. The educational context of the test consists of two student question
sections which take about five minutes each to complete. Students are asked questions about their
school experience, background, and the material covered in their classrooms. Students are not asked
about personal beliefs or attitudes and students may skip any question or part of the assessment that
they do not wish to answer. If you would like to view sample subject area and student questions, please
visit The Nation's Report Card.
All assessment responses are confidential (in accordance with the Confidential Information
Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347) and no results will be reported to
or about individual students or schools. This means that the names of students who participate in
NAEP are not recorded on the materials that leave the school, and your childs grades or progress in
school will not be affected in any way by his or her participation. Students with Individual Educational
Plans (IEPs) or Section 504 Plans will be given accommodations.

Elliott Crump
Superintendent

Melit Flynn
District Clerk

Brian Aklestad
Chairman of the Board

Shelby Public School District #14

____________________________________________________________________________________________

1010 Oilfield Ave ~ Shelby, MT 59474

www.ShelbyPublicSchools.org
Phone: (406) 434-2622 ~ Fax: (406) 434-2959

We encourage and appreciate the participation of each selected student. NAEP data are often used by
educators and policy makers for decisions about education, so your students performance will help
measure educational progress in the United States and Montana. Students who participate in NAEP will
also gain valuable test-taking experience.

The Nation's Report Card can be found at http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/

NAEP sample subject area questions can be found at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nqt/

NAEP student contextual questions can be found at

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/bgquest.asp

NAEP results can be found at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/

Montana NAEP information can be found at http://www.opi.mt.gov/Reports&Data/NAEP.html

There is no need to study in preparation for NAEP. We do ask, however, that you encourage your child to
do his/her best and get plenty of rest the night before the assessment. A brochure that explains what
participation in NAEP means for you and your child is available at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/parents/2012469.pdf. Should you have questions, or if you would
like a copy of the brochure, please contact us at the emails listed below.
If you prefer to not have your child participate in the assessment, please contact Peggy Taylor or Jeni
Mason, in writing, by January 23th, 2015.
We are excited that our school will be participating in NAEP and pleased that your child has been
selected. We know that Shelby Public Schools students will help us show what our nations students
know and can do.
Sincerely,
Peggy Taylor peggy.taylor@shelby.k12.mt.us Shelby Elementary Principal
Jeni Mason jeni.mason@shelby.k12.mt.us Shelby JH/HS Principal

Elliott Crump
Superintendent

Melit Flynn
District Clerk

Brian Aklestad
Chairman of the Board