WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on vocabulary skills and reading comprehension will be released on Dec. 6, 2012, via a live webinar. This first-of-its-kind report card on vocabulary results from the 2009 and 2011 NAEP reading assessments reveals how students' understanding of words relates to their reading comprehension. Webinar participants will learn about national- and state-level data showing how well students at grades 4, 8, and 12 use words to extract meaning from what they read, beyond merely recalling definitions. 

A distinguished panel of experts will discuss the report's findings and provide insights based on their experience and expertise. Webinar panelists include:

• Jack Buckley, Commissioner, National Center for Education Statistics
• Francie Alexander, Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Scholastic Inc.
• Brent Houston, Principal, Shawnee Middle School, Shawnee, Okla.
• Margaret McKeown, Senior Scientist, Learning Research and Development Center, and Clinical Professor, Department of Instruction and Learning, University of Pittsburgh School of Education
• Cornelia Orr, Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board (moderator)  

EVENT DETAILS:

What: Webinar event – More Than Words: Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension

When: Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, at 11 a.m. EST

How to register: Visit www.nagb.org/vocabulary-2009-2011

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.nagb.org/vocabulary-2009-2011   

The Nation's Report Card is the largest nationally representative, continuing evaluation of the condition of education in the United States and has served as a national yardstick of student achievement since 1969. Through the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), The Nation's Report Card informs the public about what America's students know and can do in various subject areas and compares achievement data among states and various student demographic groups.

The National Assessment Governing Board is an independent, bipartisan board whose members include governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives, and members of the general public. Congress created the 26-member Governing Board in 1988 to set policy for NAEP.

SOURCE National Assessment Governing Board