The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports on the status and progress of educational achievement in the United States. Based on its surveys, "The Nation's Report Card" provides comprehensive information about what students in the United States can do in various subject areas. The framework for the 1990 mathematics assessment is organized according to mathematical abilities and content areas for grades 4, 8, and 12. This document describes the organization of the 1990 effort and the construction of the instrument. The mathematical abilities to be assessed are conceptual understanding, procedural knowledge, and problem solving. The section on "Content Areas" contains assessments on: (1) "Numbers and Operations"; (2) "Measurement"; (3) "Geometry"; (4) "Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability"; and (5) "Algebra and Functions." Abilities and subtopics are included under these headings. An appendix includes sample questions. (DC)