Due to the growing importance of technology and engineering in the educational landscape, and to support America's ability to contribute to and compete in a global economy, the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) initiated development of the first NAEP Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL) Assessment. Relating to national efforts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, the 2014 NAEP Technology and Engineering Literacy Assessment measures the "T" and "E" in STEM, augmenting long-standing NAEP assessments in science and mathematics. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), otherwise known as The Nation's Report Card, informs the public about the academic achievement of elementary and secondary students in the United States. Report cards communicate the findings of NAEP, a continuing and nationally representative measure of achievement in various subjects over time. To create the new assessment, the NAGB sought a framework of technological literacy knowledge and skills that identifies the understandings and applications of technology principles that are important for all students. The TEL assessment is designed to measure three interconnected areas of technology and engineering literacy: (1) Technology and Society; (2) Design and Systems; and (3) Information and Communication Technology. In all three areas of technology and engineering literacy, students are expected to be able to apply particular ways of thinking and reasoning when approaching a problem. These types of thinking and reasoning are referred to as "practices." The framework specifies three kinds of practices that students are expected to demonstrate when responding to test questions: (1) Understanding Technological Principles; (2) Developing Solutions and Achieving Goals; and (3) Communicating and Collaborating. The 2014 NAEP Technology and Engineering Literacy Assessment will provide important results and information that can be used to determine whether the nation's students have the essential knowledge and skills needed in the technology and engineering areas. Policymakers, educators, and the public can use data from the initial assessments as tools for monitoring certain aspects of student achievement in technology and engineering literacy over time.