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2014 NAT Overview

Dr. Nelia V. Benito, CESO IV Director III DepED-NETRC
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

1. What is the NAT?

The National Achievement Test (NAT) is a Philippine-made standardized test designed to determine pupils/students achievement level, strengths and weaknesses in five key curricular subject areas at the end of the school year.

2. What is the purpose of the NAT?

The NAT was developed to measure what pupils/students in Grade Three, Grade Six and Fourth Year know and can do in five subject areas: Science, Mathematics, English, Filipino, and HeKaSi (Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika) in elementary and Araling Panlipunan in secondary level. Specifically, the test aims to:

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provide empirical information on the achievement level of pupils/students to serve as guide for policy makers, administrators, curriculum planners, supervisors, principals and teachers in their respective courses of action.

2. identify and analyze variations on achievement levels across the years by region, division, school and other variables 3. determine the rate of improvement in basic education with respect to individual schools within certain time frames.

3. Who are the target clienteles of the NAT in 2014?

Grade 3 - public schools (census) - Madrasah schools Grade 6 - public and private schools (census) Year 4 - public and private schools (census)

4. What is the coverage of the NAT and how many test items does it comprise?
TEST NAT G3 NAT G6 1. Science NAT Y4 1. Science

Subject Area Coverage 1. Science

2. Mathematics
3. English 4. Filipino

2. Mathematics
3. English 4. Filipino 5. HeKaSi

2. Mathematics
3. English 4. Filipino 5. Araling Panlipunan Critical Thinking Skills (20 items)

Number of Items Per Subject

Total Number of Items 5

15- Sci, Math 30-Eng, Fil

90 items

40
200

60 (Except for Math, 50)

310

Test Development Process

5. How is the NAT developed?

Planning the Test Developing the Table of Specifications Item Writing Test Assembly and Review of Test Items

Test Development Process

Pilot Testing or Try Out of the Test (at least 2 forms of the final test) Item Analysis

Reject

No

Items Useful Yes

Validity / Reliability

Organize final form of the test Norming

Preparation of the Test Manual / Examiners Handbook

6. What features characterize the NAT?

A multiple-choice test A sampling of competencies intended for the whole year coverage A standardized test with mostly moderately difficult items Anchored on Blooms Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives / Dimensions High-Ordered Thinking Skills (HOTS) The performance of an examinee is compared to the performance of a national populace. The rating is expressed in percentage score or percent of correct responses.
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7. What is the rationale of DepEd in administering the NAT in Grade Three, Grade Six and Fourth Year?
The NAT is a system-based assessment specifically designed to gauge learning outcomes across target levels in identified periods of basic education. NAT-Grade Three - Pursuant to Every Child a Reader Program (ECARP), it serves as midassessment of elementary education. NAT-Grade Six - It serves as terminal exit assessment of elementary education and as measurement of incoming first year students readiness for high school (pursuant to DepED Order No. 5, s. 2005). NAT-Fourth Year - It serves as exit assessment of the secondary level of basic education (pursuant to DepED Order No. 5, s. 2005).
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8. What information is derived from the NAT Certificate of Rating (NAT-COR)? Raw scores obtained by an examinee five subjects are reported in a table alongside with the percentage scores.
Total test scores for raw and percentage scores are revealed at the bottom part of the table. A quartile distribution of the obtained of mean percentage scores is provided to guide end-users in interpreting test results.

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Percentage of Correct Responses (PCR) per learning competency by subject area is likewise presented to have a glimpse on the performance of the pupil/student in every skill measured in the test.
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Facsimile of the COR for NAT-G6

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School Certificate of Rating (COR)

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Division Office Certificate of Rating (COR)

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Regional Office Certificate of Rating (COR)

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9. How are the NAT scores reported and interpreted to each examinee?

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The NAT results are interpreted in quartile distribution of Mean Percentage Scores (MPS) to indicate the percentage of correctly answered items in a test or subject area proficiencies. It is also used in classifying test performances of schools, divisions, regions and the total country. For example: Performance of School X School X has overall Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of 52%. It is classified as upper average in school performance. School X has MPS of 80% in English. It has superior performance in English.
Quartile Distribution 76-100% 51-75% 26-50% 15 0-25% Descriptive Equivalent Superior Upper Average Lower Average Poor

10. How is the Mean Percentage Score (MPS) interpreted?

The MPS indicates the ratio between the number of correctly answered items and the total number of test questions or the percentage of correctly answered items in a test.

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For instance, a 50 MPS in one subject area would mean that an examinee correctly answered 20 out of 40 test items (NAT-Grade 6).

On the other hand, a 60 MPS for a total score means that an examinee correctly answered 6 out of 10 questions in the test.

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11. Is there a passing score in the NAT? None.

It uses the MPS to indicate the percentage of correctly answered items in a test.
The computation of grades in school, however, is done very differently from the NAT. (Refer to DepED Order No. 73, s. 2012, Guidelines on the Assessment and Rating of Learning Outcomes under the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum; www.deped.gov.ph)

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12. Does an MPS below 75 mean that the examinees failed the test?
No. An MPS below 75 would mean that the examinees test performance does not belong to the upper average of the total number of test-takers.

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The standard criterion set by the Department in terms of achievement level is 75% which is the national target.

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Test Results Dissemination

A useful, effective and cost-efficient technological avenue of disseminating data to DepED agencies, field personnel, end-users and the public

NETRC Website:
netrc.sysportal.net

Homepage:
http://netrc.sysportal.net/HomePage.aspx

Log In Page for Divisions and Schools:

http://netrc.sysportal.net/signin.aspx