[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 222 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 222

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                         March 9, 2009.
Whereas the National Assessment Governing Board (the Governing Board) is an 
        independent, bipartisan board created by Congress in 1988 to set policy 
        for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), commonly 
        known as ``The Nation's Report Card'';
Whereas the Governing Board is made up of 26 members, including Governors, State 
        legislators, local and State school officials, educators, researchers, 
        business representatives, and members of the general public;
Whereas when Congress established the Governing Board to oversee The Nation's 
        Report Card, it ensured that the NAEP would be conducted independently 
        and free from inappropriate influences and special interests;
Whereas in overseeing The Nation's Report Card, the Governing Board identifies 
        subjects to be assessed, determines the content and achievement levels 
        for each assessment, and approves all assessment questions;
Whereas The Nation's Report Card is conducted as a representative sample and 
        currently includes National NAEP assessments (which assess the 
        performance of students in grades 4, 8, and 12 in reading, mathematics, 
        writing, science, U.S. history, geography, and other subjects), State-
        by-State assessments (which are administered to students in grades 4 and 
        8 to access performance in reading, mathematics, writing, and science), 
        Trial Urban District assessments (which report on the achievement of 4th 
        and 8th grade students in 18 urban school districts that participate in 
        reading, mathematics, writing and science assessments), and long-term 
        trend assessments (which are administered nationally every 4 years to 
        students ages 9, 13, and 17 to assess performance in reading and 
        mathematics);
Whereas State participation in NAEP assessments is voluntary with the exception 
        of reading and mathematics assessments, which States are required to 
        administer to public school students in grades 4 and 8 every 2 years in 
        an effort to measure student performance in reading and mathematics;
Whereas all students who participate in NAEP do so on a voluntary basis and NAEP 
        is forbidden by law to maintain or report information on individual 
        students or schools;
Whereas the Governing Board works to inform the public about The Nation's Report 
        Card by communicating its results to a wide range of Americans, 
        including educators, the media, and elected officials and policymakers 
        at the National, State, and local levels; and
Whereas the Governing Board has served an important role in evaluating the 
        condition and progress of American education for 20 years: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates the National Assessment Governing Board on its 
        20th anniversary in measuring student academic achievement; and
            (2) recognizes past and present members of the National Assessment 
        Governing Board for their service to the Nation in improving elementary 
        and secondary education.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.