Technical Information for State Tests

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's Accountability Services Division designs and manages statewide assessments that are administered to students enrolled in public and charter schools in grades 3–12. These assessments serve several purposes for the schools, the state, and federal guidelines. The following outlines essential technical evidence that ensure the design, development, and uses of state assessments are valid.

Technical Information

Tab/Accordion Items

End-of-Grade and End-of-Course Tests (November 2015)

In September, 2014 the NCDPI commissioned the Wisconsin Center for Education Research to conduct an in-depth, independent study of the alignment of the state’s newly developed end-of-grade (EOG) and end-of-course (EOC) assessments for mathematics, reading and science to the content standards. North Carolina hosted a content analysis workshop as part of the alignment study in January 2015 in Raleigh. Subject-based teams of content analysts were formed from active North Carolina teachers and other content specialists and trained to conduct independent analyses of assessment forms for mathematics, reading, and science for all assessed grades.

NCEXTEND1 Alternate Assessments (April 2016)

The Wisconsin Center for Education Research was commissioned to conduct an in-depth, independent study of the alignment of the state’s NCEXTEND1 alternate assessments for English language arts/reading and mathematics at grades 3-8, science at grades 5 and 8, and high school grade 10 English II, Math I and biology. The NCEXTEND1 alternate assessment, which is available for students with significant cognitive disabilities, is aligned to the North Carolina Extended Content Standards.