TESTING

What are testing requirements under NCLB?

Beginning in 2004-05, the English I End-of-Course assessments and the Grade 10 Writing Assessments were used to determine Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in reading/language arts at the high school level. The Algebra I End-of-Course assessments were used to determine AYP in mathematics at the high school level. Reading and mathematics end-of-grade tests for Grades 3-8 are used to assess student progress for AYP purposes. Science assessments will be added for Grades 5 and 8 in spring 2007, but current U.S. Department of Education guidelines indicate those scores will not be a part of AYP calculations. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) sample testing for Grades 4 and 8 will continue.

Does this mean no students will take the High School Comprehensive Tests of Reading and Mathematics for Grade 10, which previously determined AYP at the high school level?

Some students will still take the High School Comprehensive Tests of Reading and Mathematics for Grade 10. These tests will be used to assess students who are following a course of study that does not require them to take the English I or Algebra I End-of-Course assessments, or the Grade 10 Writing Assessments.

Do different assessments determine AYP than determine a high school’s status in the ABCs?

Now that AYP at the high school level will be determined, for the most part, by students taking the English I, Algebra I and Grade 10 Writing assessments, there is some overlap between AYP and ABCs assessment criteria. Assessments determining high schools' ABCs status include end-of-course assessments in: English I, Algebra I, Algebra II, Biology, Chemistry, Geometry, Physical Science, and Physics for 2004-05. The Civics and Economics and the U.S. History End-of-Course assessments were field tested in 2004-05 and will be fully operational in 2005-06. This means that most high school students will not have to take separate assessments to determine a school’s AYP status, which will drastically reduce the number of assessments administered at the high school level and make those assessments that are administered, more meaningful.

What tests are required for the elementary and middle school grades?

For Grades 3-8, the same reading and mathematics end-of-grade tests that are used to determine AYP status are used to determine ABCs status. In addition, local school districts test students in grades 4 and 7 in writing.

What does National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) sample testing include?

The NAEP, also known as the "Nation's Report Card," assesses students across the nation in Grades 4, 8, and 12 every two years. The NAEP provides the best data for comparing the performance of students in North Carolina to that of their peers across the nation. The academic subjects assessed by NAEP, which vary from year to year, include reading, mathematics, science, writing, history, geography, and the arts. In North Carolina in 2003, approximately 5,000 fourth grade students were assessed in mathematics and in reading and approximately 4,000 eighth grade students were assessed in mathematics. The sampling process is designed to ensure that reliable state-level data is obtained regarding student achievement. The NAEP allows exclusions for some students with disabilities when specified by students' individualized education programs (IEPs).

What is an individualized education program (IEP)?

An IEP is a written statement for a student with a disability that is developed, at least annually, by a team of professionals knowledgeable about the student and the parent(s). The plan describes the strengths of the child and the concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child, and when, where, and how often services will be provided. The IEP is required by federal law for all exceptional children and must include specific information about how the student will be served and what goals he or she should be meeting.

When are tests taken?

Tests are taken during the last 10 days of school or the equivalent for alternative schedules.

Must all students be tested?

At least 95 percent of students in each group must be tested for the group to make Adequate Yearly Progress. Whenever a student group does not meet the 95 percent tested standard, participation rates for that group for the past two or three years are averaged, depending upon available data. If the group has less than an average of 95 percent participation, then it doesn't make AYP.

Students with serious medical situations can be exempt from taking the state assessments without affecting the participation rates of the respective schools. The State Board of Education requires schools that have students with these medical situations to request approval from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

Must all students take a grade-level test?

Up to 1 percent of a district's students, those with the most significant cognitive disabilities, can be counted as proficient when tested against alternate achievement standards. An example of an alternate achievement standard would be a sixth grader taking the third grade End-of-Grade test. Students taking standard or alternate assessments, three or more years below grade level may be counted as proficient as long as that number of students does not exceed 1 percent of the students tested at the district level. The 1 percent cap is calculated based on the number of students enrolled in the district in the grade(s) tested. A district may request an exception to the 1 percent cap from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Does the 1 percent cap mean that 99 percent of students must take the standard test on grade level?

No. Students can be assessed through standard test administration, standard test administration with accommodations/modifications, or the state-designed alternate assessments. The 1 percent cap does not affect the number of students who may be administered alternate assessments, only the number that may be assessed against alternate achievement standards and be determined proficient when calculating AYP. New alternate assessments for some Students With Disabilities will be used for 2005-06, pending U.S. Department of Education approval.

What is the NC Standard Course of Study?

The North Carolina Standard Course of Study, the state-adopted curriculum, defines what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. Assessments are aligned to the curriculum and measure student achievement toward the defined standards.

Do all students' test scores count toward a school making or not making AYP?

Limited English proficient students who score below a certain standard on the reading section of the language proficiency test in their first year may be excluded from AYP calculations for that first year.

What accommodations are available to students in taking tests?

For students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency, test accommodations can include: 1) modified test formats, i.e., Braille edition, one test item per page; 2) assistive technology devices/special test arrangements, i.e., dictation to a scribe, interpreter, keyboarding devices; and/or 3) a different test environment, i.e., hospital/home testing, multiple testing sessions, scheduled extended time. Accommodations must be documented in the student's individualized education program (IEP) or section 504 plan. Accommodations are designed to provide access to demonstrate students' true abilities, not solely to enhance student performance.

Note: Testing calculation and analysis issues are addressed under the "AYP" section of this document.

For more information on the N.C. testing program, access the Web at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/parents/testingfaq.html.