Contains the guide used by scorers of eighth grade informative writing in the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), samples of student responses at each of the six levels of performance, and a discussion of the scoring method. (Author/SLD)

Discusses the extent and availability of dance, music, theater, and visual arts instruction for eighth graders. Shows the availability of music and visual arts instruction, and the relative lack of dance and theater instructional programs. (Author/SLD)

Examines the relation between eighth graders' involvement in a variety of musical activities and their achievement in music using data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress 1997 Arts Assessment in Music. Data show the relationship between involvement and achievement. (Author/SLD)

Compares achievement data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress 1997 Arts Assessment for eighth graders in music, theater, and the visual arts by gender, race/ethnicity, and type of school attended (public or nonpublic). Data show that females outperformed males in every category of assessment for all three art forms assessed. (SLD)