Tommy’s Road Elementary School

2026–2027 Testing Transparency & Assessment Information for Families

Working Together to Understand Student Testing

At Tommy’s Road Elementary School, we believe families should have clear, understandable information about the assessments their children take throughout the school year.

Assessments provide teachers and families with information about student learning and help educators identify areas of strength and areas where additional instruction or support may be needed. State assessment results are only one source of information about a child's academic progress and should be considered along with classroom performance, teacher observations, and other available information.

This page provides families with an overview of the assessments included on the TRE 2026–2027 testing calendar.

2026–2027 TRE Testing Calendar at a Glance

What Do These Assessments Mean?

Beginning-of-Grade 3 Reading Assessment (BOG3)

The BOG3 Reading Test is a North Carolina assessment administered at the beginning of Grade 3. It provides a baseline measure of students' reading skills and is connected to the state's Read to Achieve program.

At TRE:

September 3, 2026 Grade: 3

The BOG3 can also play a role in determining whether a student has demonstrated reading proficiency appropriate for Grade 3 under Read to Achieve.

Grade 3 Reading Portfolio

The Grade 3 Reading Portfolio is an additional pathway associated with North Carolina's Read to Achieve program. A student who successfully completes a Grade 3 Student Reading Portfolio may satisfy the reading-proficiency requirement under the Read to Achieve program.

At TRE: September 21, 2026–May 14, 2027 Grade: 3

The TRE calendar notes that the portfolio must begin during the first semester.

Read to Achieve

North Carolina's Read to Achieve program is designed to help ensure that students are reading at or above grade level by the end of Grade 3.

The Read to Achieve assessment is a state-approved reading assessment. NCDPI reports that the assessment contains 40 multiple-choice questions and estimates approximately 120 minutes for most students, although students must be provided adequate opportunity to complete the assessment.

At TRE: October 21, 2026, for applicable students

Following the Grade 3 EOG Reading assessment, eligible students may have additional Read to Achieve opportunities. NCDPI's 2026 guidance also states that parents may choose not to have a student participate in a Grade 3 EOG reading retest or Read to Achieve test opportunity following the initial EOG.

NC Check-Ins 2.0

NC Check-Ins 2.0 are interim assessments developed by NCDPI. Their primary purpose is to provide detailed information about student performance on selected grade-level standards so teachers can use the information to guide instruction.

At TRE, NC Check-Ins are scheduled three times during the school year:

Check-In A

November 2 – Reading, Grades 3–5

November 3 – Math, Grades 3–5

November 4 – Physical Science, Grade 5

Check-In B

February 1 – Reading, Grades 3–5

February 2 – Math, Grades 3–5

February 3 – Earth Science, Grade 5

Check-In C

April 19 – Reading, Grades 3–5

April 20 – Math, Grades 3–5

April 21 – Life Science, Grade 5

NCDPI identifies NC Check-Ins 2.0 as formative resources and states that participation is voluntary for public school units.

NC Check-In results are designed to provide timely information that teachers can use to adjust instruction. NCDPI states that reports are typically available online the day after an administration.

Important: NC Check-In results are not the same as EOG achievement levels and should not be interpreted as an EOG score. NCDPI specifically states that students do not receive achievement levels for NC Check-Ins 2.0.

ACCESS for ELLs

ACCESS for ELLs is an annual English language proficiency assessment for students identified as English Learners.

At TRE: January 11–March 12, 2027 Grades: Eligible K–5 students

ACCESS assesses students' English language proficiency across language domains such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The results help educators understand students' English language development and plan appropriate support.

Students who are identified as English Learners are assessed annually.

Students who qualify for an alternate assessment may participate in Alternate ACCESS.

Cognitive Abilities Assessment

The TRE testing calendar includes a Cognitive Abilities assessment for Grade 3 during November 10–18.

This assessment is different from the North Carolina state achievement tests. Cognitive/aptitude assessments are generally designed to provide information about students' reasoning and problem-solving abilities rather than measuring mastery of a specific grade-level curriculum.

At TRE: November 10–18, 2026 Grade: 3

Because this assessment is part of the local/district testing plan rather than the NCDPI statewide testing calendar, families who have questions about the specific assessment used, testing time, scoring, or how results are used should contact TRE.

End-of-Grade (EOG) Assessments

End-of-Grade assessments measure student achievement of North Carolina grade-level academic standards.

At TRE, students in Grades 3–5 participate in EOG Reading/ELA and Mathematics assessments. Grade 5 students also take the EOG Science assessment. Eligible students participating in the NCEXTEND1 alternate assessment follow the appropriate alternate assessment schedule. NCDPI identifies EOG Reading and Mathematics as statewide assessments administered in Grades 3–8 and EOG Science as an assessment administered in Grades 5 and 8.

TRE EOG Schedule

Thursday, May 13, 2027 ELA/Reading – Grades 3–5 NCEXTEND1, as applicable

Friday, May 14, 2027 Mathematics – Grades 3–5 NCEXTEND1, as applicable

Monday, May 17, 2027 Science – Grade 5 NCEXTEND1, as applicable

The North Carolina EOG testing window is the final 10 instructional days of the school year.

What Is NCEXTEND1?

NCEXTEND1 is North Carolina's alternate assessment for eligible students with significant cognitive disabilities who meet the state's participation criteria.

The assessment is aligned with the North Carolina Extended Content Standards and is designed to measure academic performance using an assessment format appropriate for eligible students. NCEXTEND1 assessments are administered individually with teacher facilitation.

Students participate in NCEXTEND1 only when they meet the state's eligibility requirements.

How Are Testing Results Used?

Testing information can help:

identify areas where students are demonstrating proficiency;

identify standards or skills where additional instruction may be helpful;

monitor progress during the school year;

help teachers plan targeted instruction and interventions;

provide information to families about their child's academic progress; and

provide information required for state and federal accountability.

NCDPI emphasizes that state assessment scores are one indicator of student achievement and should be considered together with other information about a student's learning and progress.

How Will Parents Receive Results?

The timing and format of results depend on the assessment.

State Assessments

Individual Student Reports are provided for state assessments such as BOG3, EOG, NCEXTEND1, and Read to Achieve. These reports provide information about a student's performance and achievement level when applicable.

NC Check-Ins

NC Check-In results are primarily intended to provide timely formative information to teachers. NCDPI states that reports are typically available the day after testing. Public school units may provide individual reports to families, and NCDPI encourages schools to explain the purpose and use of the information with parents.

ACCESS

ACCESS results provide information about a student's English language proficiency and are used by educators to monitor English language development and plan services.

Can My Child Opt Out of Testing?

North Carolina law and testing requirements vary by assessment.

For required state testing, NCDPI states that North Carolina does not generally allow students to opt out of required state testing. NCDPI identifies limited exceptions related to significant medical circumstances.

There are different rules for some Read to Achieve retest opportunities, and NCDPI specifically states that a parent may choose not to have a Grade 3 student participate in an EOG reading retest or Read to Achieve test opportunity following the initial EOG.

Parents with questions about a particular assessment should contact Tommy's Road Elementary School before the testing window.

How Can Families Help?

Families can help children have a positive testing experience by:

making sure children get adequate rest;

encouraging students to eat breakfast and arrive at school on time;

reminding students to listen carefully to directions;

encouraging students to do their best without putting excessive pressure on them;

talking positively about testing;

asking children what they learned rather than focusing only on their score; and

reminding students that a test score represents one piece of information about their learning.

Families should also remind students that testing materials and questions are secure and should not be photographed, copied, posted, or shared. NCDPI emphasizes the importance of maintaining test security and protecting the integrity of state assessments.

Questions About Testing?

We welcome questions from our families.

If you have questions about:

your child's testing schedule,

a specific assessment,

testing accommodations,

your child's Individual Student Report,

Read to Achieve,

English Learner assessments,

NCEXTEND1, or

how assessment information is being used to support your child's learning,

please contact Tommy's Road Elementary School.

Families may also visit the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's Testing Information for Families page for additional explanations, sample reports, achievement-level information, and family resources.

NC DPI – Testing Information for Families

NC DPI – 2026–2027 Testing Calendar