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NAEP Technical DocumentationSpiraling and Bundling Booklets

     
 

Number of Spiral Types for the 2018 Assessment

Number of Spiral Types for the 2017 Assessment

Number of Spiral Types for the 2016 Assessment

Number of Spiral Types for the 2015 Assessment

Number of Spiral Types for the 2014 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2013 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2012 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2011 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2010 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2009 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2008 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2007 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2006 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2005 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2004 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2003 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2002 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2001 Assessment

Number of Bundle Types for the 2000 Assessment

The NAEP paper-based and digitally based booklets are spiraled according to patterns dictated by item development and provided to the materials processing staff in the form of bundle maps.

The booklets from various subject areas must be handed out in the field according to a booklet distribution map. Spreading the booklets for each subject area across all of the schools both increases the efficiency of the sampling and simplifies the weighting processes. However, in an assessment year in which there are two or three operational assessments, pilot tests, and special studies, the spiral plan becomes quite complex. If a subject area has an unequal number of blocks in their booklet design, they also have different numbers of booklets. To achieve appropriate sample sizes for each subject area, the spiral must be assembled so that the booklets are delivered at precise intervals.

For the paper-based assessments, the materials processing staff uses the bundle maps to create a unique bundle slip or header sheet for each bundle. Printed on each bundle slip is the bundle type description, a bundle number, a unique bar code, and the first three digits of each booklet type needed for a particular spiral or bundle. A unique bar code is applied to each assessment booklet before bundling begins. The materials processing staff gather the booklets listed on the bundle slip and put them in the order shown.  The bundle slip bar code and booklet bar codes are scanned to capture the booklets (bar codes) assigned to the bundle and for quality control. A report will indicate if the correct booklets are in the bundle and in the order listed.

Once all bundles pass the bundle quality control process, each bundle is shrink-wrapped and flagged on the system as ready for distribution. Information from the bundle quality control file is then uploaded to the mainframe computer system and used to assign the bundles to each paper-based session.

For the digitally based assessments, the materials processing development staff create virtual bundles using the bundle maps provided by the item development staff. Virtual bar codes are also created for each booklet type. Materials processing development testers and validation staff verify the correct booklets are assigned to each virtual bundle. The bundles are then assigned to each digitally based session.

The bundle and bar code assignment for the paper-based and digitally based sessions are sent to the sampling and design contractor who upload the assigned booklets into their electronic administration form which is used by their administrators during the assessment.



Last updated 04 November 2022 (SK)