Testing, Policy, and Operations

MISSION: It is the mission of the Testing, Policy, and Operations Section to implement the North Carolina Testing Program by developing and providing policies, guidelines, procedures, and ethical testing practices that meet federal and state requirements related to the area of securing tests, administering and scoring tests, reporting scores, and interpreting test results.

General Information

• North Carolina Test Coordinators’ Policies and Procedures Handbook: The purpose of the North Carolina Test Coordinators’ Handbook is to provide district and school test coordinators with a reference for implementing proper test administrations for the North Carolina Testing Program.

• Testing Security

• Testing Accommodations: Policies, procedures, and resources for testing accommodations available to eligible students in the North Carolina Testing Program.

• Achievement Level Ranges (Cut Scores) and Achievement Level Descriptors

• Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) Flexibility: On May 29, 2012, the United States Department of Education (USED) approved North Carolina’s flexibility waiver request from some of the requirements of No Child Left Behind as specified in the ESEA. In lieu of the reauthorization of ESEA by Congress, the waiver will remain in effect for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years. For additional information, visit the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) webpage in the NCDPI Federal Program Monitoring section.

• The North Carolina Graduation Project: Standards of Quality and Verification Process for High School Accountability (Published Fall 2018) 

• Procedural Guidelines for Implementing Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (August 2018) 

North Carolina Testing Program Assessment Charts

2019–20 North Carolina Testing Program Overview

2019–20 Required Tests for the North Carolina Testing Program

2019–20 North Carolina Testing Program Required Testing and Alternate Assessments

2019–20 Testing for Read to Achieve at Grade 3