From Testing and Accountability: 

Northampton County Schools is committed to ensuring that our educators provide each student an education that properly prepares him or her for what comes next – whether that is the next grade level, an institution of higher learning, or life beyond school. A fundamental part of this process is being able to provide meaningful feedback to students, families, and educators about how teaching and learning are happening.

North Carolina Testing Program

The following tests will be given during the 2023-2024 school year. It is required that all students in Northampton County Schools participate in the state testing program.

Elementary and Middle School Grades 3-8

• Students in Grade 3 take the Beginning-of-Grade 3 English Language Arts/Reading Test to establish a baseline for growth throughout the school year. 

• Students in Grades 3 - 8 take End-of-Grade tests in English Language Arts/Reading and Mathematics during the last 10 days of the school year.

• Students in Grades 5 and 8 take an End-of-Grade test in Science during the last 10 days of the school year.

• Students in Grades 3 and 5 take a district-made Multiplication Assessment at the beginning, middle, and end of the year to monitor progress. 

• Students in Grades 5 take a district-made cursive writing assessment at the beginning, middle, and end of the year to monitor progress. 

• Students in Grades 3-8 take NC Check-Ins twice a year in English Language Arts/Reading and Mathematics.

•  Students in Grades 5 and 8 take NC Check-Ins twice a year in Science. 

• Students in Grades 3-8 take Mastery Connect Benchmark in English Language Arts/Reading and Mathematics in the Spring. 

• Students in Grades 5 and 8 take a Mastery Connect Benchmark assessment in Science in the Spring. 

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High School Grades 9-12

•  Students who are enrolled for credit in courses where End-of-Course (EOC) tests and North Carolina Final Exams are required shall take the appropriate End-of-Course test and NC Final Exam.

• End-of-Course tests are given during the last 5 days of the instructional period for semester-long courses, or the last 10 days of the instructional period for year-long courses.

•  Students in Grade 10 take the PreACT (curriculum-based educational and career planning assessment that measures achievement in English, Math, Reading, and Science) in October.

• Students in Grade 11 take the ACT (college admission and placement test evaluating learning in English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science) in March.

•  Students in Grade 12 who are identified as Career and Technical Education concentrators are required to take the WorkKeys assessments.

• For 2023-24, EOC tests are available for the following subjects: NC Math I, NC Math III, Biology, and English II.

• Students in End-Of-Course classes will take NC Check-Ins twice a semester. 

• Students in End-Of-Course classes will take the Mastery Connect Benchmark once a semester.

• Per State Board of Education policy and Northampton County Schools policy, schools are to use results from all End-of-Course, Career, and Technical Education State Assessments,  Performance Based Measurements, and teacher-made final exams as twenty percent (20%) of the student’s final grade for each respective course.

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English Language Proficiency

• Language minority students are identified with the Home Language Survey process. This form is used as a part of enrollment or transfer into in Yadkin County Schools.

• The state-identified English language proficiency test is administered to eligible students in kindergarten through grade twelve.

• The WIDA Screener Placement Test is administered to all initially enrolled language minority students within 30 calendar days of enrollment.

• All students identified as “Limited English Proficient” must be administered the ACCESS for ELLs assessment during the annual testing window.

• The Alternate ACCESS for ELLs is an assessment of English language proficiency for students in Grades 1-12 who are identified as language minority students and have significant cognitive disabilities.

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NCEXTEND1

• NCEXTEND1 is an alternate assessment designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

• The assessment process requires students to complete performance-based, multiple–choice items in the following subject areas; English Language Arts/Reading in Grades 3-8, 10, and 11, Mathematics in Grades 3-8, 10, and 11, and Science in Grades 5, 8, 10, and 11, during the designated testing windows.

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College and Career Readiness Alternate Assessment (CCRAA)

• College and Career Readiness Alternate Assessment is an alternate assessment for eligible students with disabilities who have Individual Education Plans (IEPs).

• This is an alternate assessment for participation in the PreACT for eligible students in Grade 10 administered in October.

• This is an alternate assessment for participation in the ACT for eligible students in Grade 11 administered in March.