HIGH SCHOOL COMPETENCY TEST OF READING AND MATHEMATICS

The North Carolina High School Competency Test is administered annually to all ninth-grade students who did not meet the standard of Achievement Level III or above on the grade 8 end-of-grade tests or who have not passed the screening on other approved measures in the public schools. Students who fail to attain the required minimum standard for graduation in the ninth grade shall be given remedial instruction and additional opportunities to take the test up to and including the last month of the twelfth grade. Students who fail to pass either of the tests shall be retested only on the test they fail.

The competency tests are aligned to the grade 8 end-of-grade tests. The year a student entered the ninth grade determines which edition of the competency test a student is required to take. For students who entered the ninth grade for the first time in 1994–95 through 2002–2003, the competency test for reading is based on the 1995 North Carolina English Language Arts Standard Course of Study at grade 8. For students who entered the ninth grade for the first time in 2003–2004, the competency test for reading is based on the 1999 North Carolina English Language Arts Standard Course of Study at grade 8. For students who entered the ninth grade for the first time 1994–95 through 2000–01, the competency test for mathematics is based on the 1989 North Carolina Mathematics Standard Course of Study at grade 8. For students who entered the ninth grade for the first time in 2001–02 and beyond, the competency test for mathematics is based on the 1998 North Carolina Mathematics Standard Course of Study at grade 8.

All public school students enrolled in the 9 th, 10 th, 11 th, and 12 th grades shall have at least one opportunity each school year to take the competency test. School systems should schedule administration dates of the competency tests during each testing cycle (summer, fall, spring).

Understanding the North Carolina Competency Test of Reading and Mathematics (pdf, 129kb)
Information on the competency standard for North Carolina, and how it is assessed

 

Options for Meeting the Competency Requirements (pdf, 23kb)
Information on the multiple options that students in North Carolina have after grade 8 to meet the competency standard

 

High School Competency Test Number of Items and Total Test Time (Minutes) (pdf)
Chart listing the number of items and administration time for the North Carolina High School Competency Test