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NAEP Sample Design → Sample Design for the 2000 Assessment → State Assessment Sample Design in 2000 → School Sample Selection for the 2000 State Assessment → Sparse State Sample Option for the 2000 State Assessment

NAEP Technical DocumentationSparse State Sample Option for the 2000 State Assessment

			Effect of Sparse State Sample Option on Jurisdictions in the 2000 State Assessment

Jurisdictions with student populations largely concentrated in small schools find standard NAEP sample design requirements burdensome. These jurisdictions have to select large numbers of schools to reach the required student sample sizes. They bear a large burden in school recruitment and assessment administration, but they do not qualify for reductions in student sample sizes. The Sparse State Sample Option addresses these problems while maintaining adequate sampling standards for representation and precision.

Any participating jurisdiction with at least 120 schools selected in the full school sample qualifies for the Sparse State Sample Option. This option selects a proportional sample of schools that reduces both school and student sample sizes. The new sample meets the following criteria:

• The number of selected schools equals at least 115.

• The number of selected schools for each assessment subject equals at least 80.

• The sampling probability of each school equals at least half of its probability in the full sample.

• The sample retains the jurisdiction's largest schools and their student sample sizes.

The last two conditions imply retaining all of a jurisdiction's large schools and at least half of its small schools. In practice, jurisdictions exercising this option see their school samples drop to 115 schools. Student samples within the schools retain at least half, and often more, of their original sizes.

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