2019-2020 Testing Information
Announcements
- EOG & EOC Reading Test results will be delayed at the end of the 2019-2020 school year as NC develops scoring criteria for the new tests.
- PCMS students will be taking all assessments online this year unless a paper/pencil test is specifically identified.
EOG Testing
All students in grades 3-8 are required to take the NC End of Grade Reading & Math tests at the end of the school year.
All students in grade 5 & 8 are required to take the NC End of Grade Science test at the end of the school year.
A small number of students will take the Reading, Math & Science Alternate Assessment at the end of the school year.
EOC Testing
All students enrolled in the following courses will take the End of Course assessment at the end of the semester.
- English 2
- Biology
- Math 1
- Math 3
NCFE Testing
All students enrolled in the following courses will take the NCFE assessment at the end of the course.
- English 1, 3 & 4
- America History - all courses
- Physical Science, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science
- Math 2, Adv. Functions & Modeling, Pre-Calculus
Students enrolled in the following courses may be required to take a NCFE assessment at the end of the course
- Social Studies: Grade 6-8
- Science: Grade 6 & 7
Alternate Assessments
A small number of students will not be able to access the standard assessments and will assessed on the NCExtend1 version of the required NC tests.
All students taking the NCExtend 1 Alternate Assessment must meet the eligibility criteria and be instructed in the Extended Content Standards for their grade level.
Testing Students with Disabilities
NC has very specific rules and responsibilities for testing student with disabilities. The goal is for all students to have equal access to an assessment that accurately measures their knowledge of the curriculum.
Testing Students identified as English Learners
When new students are enrolled in Polk County Schools, they must complete the Home Language Survey (HLS). If anything other than English is indicated on the HLS, the students' English Proficiency must be assessed on the WIDA Screener.
Student's not demonstrating English proficiency on the WIDA Screener will be identified as English Learners (EL) and provided extra services from our EL teachers.
At the end of each year, all EL students' English Proficiency will be assessed on the ACCESS test. When students meet the Comprehensive Objective Composite (COC) they are no longer identified as EL students, but Monitored Former English Learners instead.
Testing Links
Testing Students Identified as English Learners
NC also uses an Alternate ACCESS test to measure a small number of EL students' English Proficiecy annually.
Testing Accommodations
Students may qualify for testing accommodations if they have an IEP, 504 Plan, EL Plan, or a Transitory impairment.
The goal of an accommodation is to ensure all students have equal access to the test. Accommodations should not be used to give eligible students an advantage over the other students.
After each assessment, the students' use of accommodations if evaluated on the Review of Accommodations form.
REad To Achieve
The NC General Assembly passed the Read to Achieve (RTA) law to ensure all students meet reading proficiency by grade 3.
Students can show reading proficiency in a variety of ways, including passing the BOG/EOG test, scoring proficient on the iStation assessments, passing the RTA test.
A third grade student scoring an overall reading ability score of 258 on the Istation ISIP ER, meets the Lexile level equivalency of the EOG (725L) and demonstrates Read to Achieve proficiency.
Other Assessments
NC students take a number of other assessments during the school year.
- ACT Test
- Pre-ACT: Grade 10
- ACT: Grade 11
- WorkKeys: Grade 12
- Cognitive Abilities Test
- College & Career Readiness Alternate Assessment