Third graders in CMS participate in a variety of system and state mandated tests, in addition to classroom assessments. Here you will find a brief explanation of the different tests your child will be required to take over the coming year.
NC READY Beginning-of-Grade 3 English Language Arts/Reading Test [BOG] The North Carolina READY Beginning-of-Grade 3 (BOG3) English Language Arts/Reading Test is linked to the Read to Achieve Program and is aligned to the NC Standard Course of Study. It establishes a baseline measure of beginning third-grade students’ English Language Arts/Reading skills. Students who score Achievement Level 3 or higher on the BOG3 English Language Arts/Reading Test demonstrate reading proficiency appropriate for third-grade students, which satisfies the requirements of the Read to Achieve legislation. Students take the BOG3 assessment between the 11th & 15th day of school. The BOG3 is administered in paper-and-pencil format. The estimated time allotted for the BOG3 English Language Arts/Reading Test is 90 minutes. However, students who need more than the estimated time to complete the test may be allowed an additional 90 minutes to work. The assessment contains 42 total multiple-choice test items. Students read authentic selections and then answer questions related to the selections. The reading selections are comprised of literary and informational selections based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Knowledge of vocabulary is assessed indirectly through application and understanding of terms within the context of the selection and questions. Students are given two 3-minute stretch breaks during the regular test administration. [Source: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/accountability/policyoperations/assessbriefs/bog3ab14b.pdf]
MCLASS: READING 3D This testing will provide information on reading skill development and your child's guided reading level [as determined by their progress on the TRC]. The use of mClass; Reading 3D is mandated by North Carolina's Department of Public Instruction, as part of a state-wide effort to ensure that students in every public school across the state are reading by the end of third grade and have reading skills to succeed in school college, and the workforce. This assessment helps to determine your child's reading level and strengths and weaknesses as a reader. It reveals your child's development in grade-appropriate foundational reading skills. The different components of this testing are administered in a one-on-one setting. In third grade the TRC portion of this testing is done by each student's teacher of record. Teachers use the results to focus teaching around your child's specific needs. There are three assessment windows each year. After each you will receive a letter detailing your child's specific assessment results and progress as a reader. If the results indicate that a child is at risk of performing below grade-level in key areas, additional assessments (known as progress monitoring) will be administered periodically to more closely monitor the progress each student is making. Occurring every 2 - 4 weeks for at-risk students, progress monitoring will allow a teacher to see that the changes in instruction are working for each student. In addition, students who are on grade-level will be progress monitored once per grading period to ensure their continued progression. [Source: http://www.gcs.k12.nc.us/Page/13557]
NWEA MAP Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) is a state-aligned computerized adaptive assessment program testing students in grades K - 8 three times per year (Sept/Dec/Mar) in math, reading, and language usage. Student MAP testing results are reported in RIT scores (short for Rasch Unit). The RIT scale is an equal-interval scale much like inches and feet on a yardstick. A RIT score is an estimation of a student's instructional level and also measures student progress or growth. It is important to understand that the MAP test is one test at one point in time. It does not measure intelligence or a student's capacity for learning. We expect RIT scores to increase over time. Typically, younger students show more growth in one year than older students. Students who test above grade level often show less growth. Sometimes RIT scores may decline from one test to the next. Evaluating growth over time is a better measure of students' learning. Anticipated growth goals for students are based on national norms and should be viewed as "typical" growth, not "expected" growth. The goal of this testing is to allow teachers to use the data to differentiate and adjust instruction so that all students grow at levels appropriate for each individual. [Source: http://acps.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles]
NC End-of-Grade [EOG] Testing in Reading & Math The NC EOGs are standardized tests used to measure the progress of students in 3rd grade. Results from the NC EOG tests provide actionable data that will help parents, teachers, and students improve academic performance in reading and math. The NC End-of-Grade tests are aligned to North Carolina State Standards, which define what students should learn each year. The NC EOG reading test and NC EOG math test are given to students to measure how well they are meeting grade-level expectations. The North Carolina EOGs are standards-based, criterion-referenced tests. Students compete only with themselves and are measured by how well they have mastered grade-specific skills. The NC End-of-Grade tests are scored on five performance levels, with Level 1 being the lowest and Level 5 the highest. Students scoring at or above Level 3 are considered to be proficient. Students must score at a level 4 or 5 to meet the College & Career Readiness Standard. [Source: https://www.time4learning.com/testprep/index.php/north-carolina-standardized-test-prep/]
Find more information about NC End-of-Grade Testing at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website below: