The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) continuously monitors the knowledge, skills, and performance of the nation's children and youth in a variety of academic subjects. Data from the NAEP 1996 Long-Term Trend Science Assessment show mixed results since the first assessment. Scores for all three age groups fell and then rose. Both 9- and 13-year-olds showed an overall increase, but 17-year-olds showed an overall decline. Scores for white students were higher than for blacks and hispanics for all three age groups, although scores for 9- and 13-year-old black students did improve, both absolutely and in comparison with white students. Thirteen-year-old and 17-year-old male students had higher scores than female students. (ASK)