This paper presents arguments in favor of adding reading achievement at age seven to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Progress in reading is developmental. At age seven, most children are in the midst of the crucial stage of beginning reading; by age nine, those making normal progress have moved beyond this stage. Much of what is involved in mature reading is developed during the beginning stage of reading. There is a substantial gap in NAEP's evaluation of reading progress because of the lack of early testing. At age seven (unlike at later ages) important aspects of reading proficiency can be isolated and tested separately. Thus, more than one single scale of overall reading proficiency can be provided. At this age, there is still a wide range of proficiency in certain pre-reading skills that are important predictors of reading ability. Assessment of these skills would provide precise information concerning children who are relatively poor readers. The validity of differing interpretations of the results of recent NAEP assessments, as well as other hypotheses, can be tested with data collected at age seven. (LMO)