NAEP Technical DocumentationScience Assessment Estimation Variables for 2015

Variables used in the population structure model for the science 2015 assessment are listed and described below.

Variables used for main effects and interactions in the population structure model:

DSEX – School-reported gender. This variable has three levels: male, female, and missing.

DRACE10 – Student-reported race. This variable has eight levels: White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, multiracial, and missing.

SRACE10 – School-reported race. This variable has eight levels: White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, and missing.

SCHTYPE – Type of school. This variable has six levels: public, private, Catholic, Bureau of Indian Education, Department of Defense, and missing.

CENSREG – Regions as defined by the Census Bureau. This variable has five levels: Northeast, Midwest, South, West, and missing.

UTOL4 – Type of location. This variable has five levels: city, suburb, town, rural, and missing.

PARED – Parent education level. Information for this variable is collected from students in grades 8 and 12 only. It has six levels: did not graduate from high school, high school graduate, some education after high school, college graduate, unknown, and missing.

SLUNCH1 – School-reported free or reduced-price school lunch. This variable has four levels: eligible, not eligible, not available, and missing.

EL3 – English learner. This variable has four levels: yes, no, formerly, and missing.

SD3 – School-reported student with disability. This variable has four levels: Yes–IEP, Yes–504, No–not SD, and missing.

ACCOM2 – Accommodations. This variable has three levels: accommodated, not accommodated, and missing.

CHRTRPT – Charter school flag. This variable has three levels: yes, no, and missing.

Two-way interactions included in the population structure model: All main effects listed above were used to examine two-way interactions.

Main effects not used in interactions:

UTOL12 – Type of location. This variable has 13 levels: large city, midsize city, small city, large suburb, midsize suburb, small suburb, fringe town, distant town, remote town, fringe rural, distant rural, remote rural, and missing.

MODAGE – Modal age of sample. This variable has four levels: below modal age, at modal age, above modal age, and missing.

SLUNCH – School lunch. This variable has seven levels: not eligible, reduced-price lunch, free lunch, information not available, school refused to provide information, not participating, and missing.

Additional Accommodations Variables – Each of the following variables is scored as yes/missing: bilingual dictionary, Braille presentation, Braille response, breaks, cue to stay on task, directions read aloud in English, directions read aloud in Spanish, extended time, large-print booklet, magnification device, one-on-one, read aloud (all), read aloud (occasional), read aloud in Spanish, school staff administers, scribe, Sign language presentation, Sign language response, small group, Spanish-English booklet, and special equipment.

CENSDIV – Census division. This variable has 10 levels: New England, Middle Atlantic, East North Central, West North Central, South Atlantic, East South Central, West South Central, Mountain, Pacific, and missing.

SENROLx – Number of enrolled students for each grade. This variable has six levels: five categories of enrollment sizes and missing.

PCTWHTC – Percentage of White students. This variable has six levels: 0, 1–5, 6–25, 26–50, 51+, and missing.

PCTBLKC – Percentage of Black students. This variable has six levels: 0, 1–5, 6–25, 26–50, 51+, and missing.

PCTHSPC – Percentage of Hispanic students. This variable has six levels: 0, 1–5, 6–25, 26–50, 51+, and missing.

PCTASNC – Percentage of Asian students. This variable has six levels: 0, 1–5, 6–25, 26–50, 51+, and missing.

PCTINDC – Percentage of American Indian students. This variable has six levels: 0, 1–5, 6–25, 26–-50, 51+, and missing.

FIPS – Federal Information Processing Standards. This variable is defined for public school students in participating states.

Variables obtained from survey questionnaires:

All categorical student, school, and teacher survey questions are also included in the model.
Student questionnaire (PDFs) – Grade 4 (363K), Grade 8 (523K), and Grade 12 (437K).
School questionnaire (PDFs) – Grade 4 combined Mathematics, Reading, and Science (346K), Grade 8 (347K), and Grade 12 (372K).
Teacher questionnaire (PDFs) – Grade 4 combined Mathematics, Reading, and Science (323K), and Grade 8 (270K).

Last updated 30 November 2021 (ML)