Do the CSTs and NAEP for the same grade and subject test the same content?
No. While there may be some overlap in the content tested on selected CSTs and NAEP assessments for the same grade and subject, the two assessments have been developed independently and for different purposes. This has resulted in a number of distinct and important differences in the description, selection, organization, and weighting of content standards within each assessment. Any analysis of results from these two tests should begin with a thorough examination of the content covered on each test. The CST blueprints and the NAEP frameworks, which can be accessed from the Web pages provided at the end of this document, outline the content standards targeted by grade and subject.
