This digest describes the organization of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and what is included in a typical NAEP assessment. The way in which the NAEP selects students for assessments and how the assessments are used are discussed. The NAEP is a congressionally mandated project of the National Center for Education Statistics. The operational contract for 1990 and 1992 has been awarded to the Educational Testing Service and its subcontractor; the policy guidelines are formulated by the National Assessment Governing board. NAEP objectives for each assessment take the form of frameworks or matrices for content and process areas such as reading and mathematics. Students are selected through detailed sampling procedures. In 1990, approximately 87,000 students participated in the national assessment and another 100,000 students participated in the state assessments of eighth-grade mathematics. The NAEP estimates that in 1992, the assessments will involve 419,000 students in 12,000 schools. Data are collected by trained administrators to reduce the burden on participating students and schools. The assessment instruments, which are generally administered in group settings, include a variety of multiple-choice and open-ended items. The NAEP results are presented in the Nation's Report Card, which describes relationships between achievement and a variety of background characteristics. A two-item list of additional reading materials is included. (SLD)