Blazers take National Assessment of Educational Progress test

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) administered the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to 122 randomly selected upperclassmen on Thursday, March 18 to test their math and reading skills in order to gather information for the "nation's report card."

According to NAEP Representative Ronald Dobberstein, Congress set up the program in the late 1960s to track student improvement nationwide.

Dobberstein said that the main point of Thursday's testing, which was partially funded by the No Child Left Behind Act, was to focus on improving learning for high school students and to improve teaching techniques nationally. "The main emphasis is to focus on our weaknesses and strengths [in order] to help improve the educational system," he said.

According to Dobberstein, there were three different tests administered: math, reading and a combination of both. There were also 15 questions at the end regarding personal demographics, such as language spoken at home and hours spent on homework each night.

Blair was one of five high schools tested in Maryland. Blair's results will be compared to public and private schools in other districts to generate Maryland's overall results.

Blair's scores will be sent to Montgomery County next year, but individual student scores will not be released.

Blazers were selected randomly from a large pool of students who would be 17 between certain dates.

Upperclassmen had different opinions on the testing. Some Blazers felt that the testing was a good opportunity to prove Blair. "I felt important because I was able to represent hundreds of students throughout the state of Maryland," says junior Phuson Hulamm.

Other students felt that the test was a waste of time. "It was really boring, and I'd rather be in class learning," said junior Shahla Ashrafi.

Students who completed the test were given a certificate to get two slices of free pizza during lunch.

More information about the NAEP can be found here. Information about the NCES can be found here.