Testing and Accountability

CHSS Testing Calendar

DEC Testing Calendar

FFES Testing Calendar

FFMS Testing Calendar

FFHS Testing Calendar

KHES Testing Calendar

MES Testing Calendar

MMS Testing Calendar

MHS Testing Calendar

NHES Testing Calendar

Formative assessment is a planned, ongoing process used to monitor student learning, Formative assessment helps students identify their strengths and weaknesses in specific concepts, and enables them to target areas that need work. It also helps teachers identify areas where students are struggling and allows them to address learning gaps immediately. Formative assessment is typically informal and can include teacher observations, student participation, class discussion, and short quizzes. Teachers may generate their own tasks to see how well students understand new concepts. Data from these forms of assessment will drive teacher planning such as providing additional support or moving students to other topics if they are ready.

Interim assessment typically occurs three or four times a year. Interim assessments evaluate what students have learned in relation to (1) a set of standards or academic goals and (2) a specified time. These interim assessments may serve a variety of purposes, including to identify gaps in a student's learning, to evaluate a particular educational program or instruction, or to provide an early indicator of how students will perform on the statewide summative assessment. The NC Check-Ins, developed by the NC Department of Public Instruction and available for schools to use on a voluntary basis, are an example of an interim assessment. Public school units may administer different interim assessments created at the district level, or one that has been purchased from a testing vendor that may serve similar purposes at the school or district level.

Summative assessments provide information about students' achievement of academic content standards following a longer period of instruction, such as a unit of study, a semester of learning, or a school year. Examples of summative assessments include unit tests, final course exams developed by a teacher, and an end-of-year or end-of-course assessment administered by the state. State-developed summative assessments are administered in a standardized manner so that each student across the state can demonstrate their achievement under similar testing conditions. The NC Department of Public Instruction produces End-of-Grad (EOG), End-of-Course (EOC), and NCEXTEND1 assessments that measure grade- and course-level content standard expectations and give information on how well-prepared a student is for college and career.

Beginning-of-Grade 3 Reading Test

In response to Read to Achieve legislation, all third grade students take the Beginning-of-Grade 3 (BOG3) Reading
assessment each fall. Read to Achieve legislation aims "to ensure that every student read at or above grade level
by the end of third grade and continue to progress in reading proficiency so that he or she can read, comprehend,
integrate, and apply complex texts needed for secondary education and career success.” The BOG3 Reading
assessment provides baseline data of students' reading skills and satisfies the requirements of Read to Achieve
legislation. For more information on how the BOG3 is used, please visit the BOG3 webpage.

NCEXTEND1 Alternate Assessments

The North Carolina NCEXTEND1 Alternate Assessments are designed for students with the most significant
cognitive disabilities and the decision to participate must be documented in their current Individualized
Education Program (IEP).

REPORTING FOR EOG, EOC, AND NCEXTEND1 SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

Individual Student Reports (ISRs) provide information on how students performed on state-administered assessments such as EOG, EOC, and NCEXTEND1. The scores on these assessments are only one of many indicators of how students are progressing. Test scores should always be considered along with all other available information provided by the teacher about a student.

Achievement levels are predetermined performance standards that allow a student's performance to be compared to grade-level expectations.

• Four achievement levels (i.e., Not Proficient, Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5) are reported for EOG and EOC tests.
  • Levels 3 and above indicate a student's performance is on-grade level though some support may be needed at the next grade level.
  • Levels 4 and 5 indicate a student's performance is on track for career- and college-readiness expectations for EOG and EOC tests.
• Three achievement levels (i.e., Not Proficient, Level 3, and Level 4) are reported for NCEXTEND1 tests.
  • Levels 3 and above indicate a student's performance is on-grade level though some support may be needed at the next grade level.
  • Level 4 indicates a student's performance is on track for competitive employment and post-secondary education expectations for NCEXTEND1 tests.

Each student's scale score (how well the student performed) is given, as well as school, district, and state averages.

A percentile rank is also given. The percentile shows if a student performed the same or better than other students.

In North Carolina, teachers help develop and review all state-created assessments, like the NC Check-Ins interim
assessments, and the End-of-Grade (EOG), End-of-Course (EOC), and NCEXTEND1 summative assessments. Questions for these assessments are written and reviewed by NC teachers.

All questions are reviewed by various specialists and go through a rigorous process.

• Do the questions match the content standards for this grade level?
• Are the questions free of bias?
• Are the questions age-appropriate?

In addition, each question is evaluated to ensure that it is accessible for all students (eg, partially sighted students,
English Learner students). Accommodations, such as extended time or testing in a separate setting, are provided to
students with Individualized Education Programs, English Learners Plans, or Section 504 plans.

Before any question can count towards a student’s score, each question is field tested and evaluated to ensure it meets
these demands. If the data show that the question is not fair or reliable, it will not be used.

Beginning of the School Year

• What assessments will my student take this school year?
• What is the purpose of each assessment?
• How will you use the information gathered from the assessment to support my student?
• How should I expect to receive updates on my student’s progress?
• Are there areas where my student needs extra support or acceleration?
• What can we do at home to support my student?

During the School Year

• What can you tell me about my student’s learning?
• Has my student made progress this year?
• Is my student meeting grade-level expectations?
• What are my student’s strengths and needed areas of improvement?
• Can I see some examples of my student’s work?
• Based on my student’s classwork, can you share any other insights about my student’s progress?
• Which skills and concepts from this school year are important for my student’s success next school year?
• Is there any extra help or enrichment available for my student?
• What can I do to help my student outside of school?