INFORMATIONAL

  The Department has received multiple copies of "Report in
  Brief: NAEP 1994 Trends in Academic Progress."  This "brief"
  report is based on a more extensive technical report that
  was released in October, 1996 which allows comparisons of
  scale scores and achievement levels in the four academic
  areas of science, mathematics, reading, and writing between
  1994 and the first year in which each of these National
  Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) measures was
  administered.  Copies of both the brief report and the
  500-page, technical report may be found on the Internet at
  http://www.ed.gov/NCES/NAEP/.

  A hard copy of the brief report is enclosed for your
  information and reference.  A summary of highlights from the
  report is also attached.  

  If you have questions concerning this information, please
  contact Dr. Marcia Perry at the Department.  She is
  Virginia's NAEP coordinator and may be reached at
  804/225-2102.

  jc

  Enc:    Report in Brief: NAEP 1994 Trends in Academic Progress
          Highlights of Report in Brief

          This memo and its enclosure will be sent to the
          superintendent's office.