Private School Nationally Standardized Testing Requirement

Conventional Private Schools

In accordance with G.S. 115C-549, 550 and G.S. 115C-557, 558, each private school must administer a nationally standardized test or other nationally standardized equivalent measurement selected by the chief administrator to all students enrolled and regularly attending grades 3, 6, 9, and 11 each year. The nationally standardized test or other equivalent measurement selected by the chief administrator must measure achievement in the areas of English grammar, reading, spelling and mathematics in grades 3 and 6. For grade 9, the nationally standardized test or other equivalent measurement selected must measure either (a) achievement in the areas of English grammar, reading, spelling, and mathematics or (b) competencies in the verbal and quantitative areas.  The grade 11 test must measure competencies in the verbal and quantitative areas.  Non-public school law also requires that the test results be kept on file at the school's office for one year after the testing date for annual inspection by a DNPE staff representative.

Please remember that students receiving the NCSEAA Scholarships and Grants must be tested every year and there may be requirements to report aggregate scores for your school. Only certain companies can provide aggregate scoring.

Below are tests conventional private schools in North Carolina use most often; however, there are other tests which qualify which may not be on this list:

• ACT (Essay Optional)
• BASI
• Brigance
• CAT
• CLT
• CLT3-8
• CLT10  
• IOWA (ITBS)
• MAP
• OTHER
• SAT
• Stanford
• Star Renaissance 360
• Terra Nova
• Test Point
• WIAT
• Woodcock
• Johnson
• WRAT

The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) does not meet requirements for achievement testing in North Carolina.

• The PSAT and PreACT meet the verbal and quantitative areas requirements for testing in grade 9. These tests may also be used for the 11th Grade Competency Test according to G.S. 115C-550.

11th Grade Competency Requirements

Each private school should establish a minimum score on an achievement test to be administered on or before 11th grade which ensures students possess a minimum of skills for high school graduation. Educational best practices typically mean that this score be roughly equivalent to the National Percentile average score range for 8th/9th graders on a standardized achievement test.

This score should be published to inform students and parents well before the year of graduation. This scores should also be indicated on the annual report submitted to The Division of Non-Public Education.

§ 115C-550. High school competency testing.

To assure that all high school graduates possess those minimum skills and that knowledge thought necessary to function in society, each private church school or school of religious charter shall administer at least once in each school year, a nationally standardized test or other nationally standardized equivalent measure selected by the chief administrative officer of such school, to all students enrolled and regularly attending the eleventh grade. The nationally standardized test or other equivalent measurement selected must measure competencies in the verbal and quantitative areas. Each private church school or school of religious charter shall establish a minimum score which must be attained by a student on the selected test in order to be graduated from high school. For one year after the testing, all records shall be made available, subject to G.S. 115C-174.13, at the principal office of such school, at all reasonable times, for annual inspection by a duly authorized representative of the State of North Carolina. (1979, c. 505; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 2004-199, s. 30(b).)

Nationally Standardized Achievement Test Vendors

Listed below are some sources from which you may purchase nationally standardized achievement testing services.

This list is provided solely for your convenience in satisfying the North Carolina General Statutes' testing requirement for non-public school students. The information below (along with related links from it) does not constitute a recommendation or an endorsement by the Division of any one of these vendors or their other related services over any others not so listed.

Each vendor on this list has been providing standardized test services to the North Carolina non-public school community for more than five years.