The North Carolina End-of-Course (NCEOC) assessments evaluate student mastery in key high school subjects and contribute directly to school accountability and instructional planning. Results from these assessments help identify achievement levels, uncover learning gaps, and support targeted reteaching.
This article explains how NCEOC assessments are scored and how to interpret the results.
What You’ll See in NCEOC Assessments
The NCEOC assessments are administered in four high school subjects: Biology, English II, NC Math 1, and NC Math 3. Each assessment includes a combination of item types aligned to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. These item types may include:
- Multiple-choice questions
- Technology-enhanced items such as drag-and-drop, graphing, or matching
- Gridded response questions
- Other digital question formats
Item types vary by subject, but all contribute to the student’s final score.
How NCEOC Is Scored
Raw Score
The raw score is the total number of points earned based on correct responses to all item types. This score is not reported directly to students or families but is used internally to calculate the student's scale score.
Scale Score
The scale score adjusts for difficulty across different versions of the same test and ensures that results are consistent across administrations. Students receive this score on their Individual Student Report (ISR).
Typical scale score ranges by subject are:
- Biology: 200 to 300
- English II: 500 to 600
- NC Math 1: 500 to 600
- NC Math 3: 500 to 600
Achievement Levels
Each student’s scale score is categorized into one of five achievement levels, which describe how well the student meets grade-level standards:
- Level 5: Demonstrates superior command of subject matter and exceeds expectations.
- Level 4: Demonstrates solid command and consistent mastery of content.
- Level 3: Demonstrates sufficient command and is considered proficient (on grade level).
- Levels 1–2: Demonstrates limited or inconsistent understanding and is not yet proficient.
Students scoring at Level 3 or higher are considered proficient according to state benchmarks.
Best Practices
- Prioritize support for students close to the proficiency threshold—helping a student move from Level 2 to Level 3 can have a significant academic impact.
- Use Performance Level Descriptors to align reteaching with specific skill expectations at each level.
- Incorporate MasteryPrep’s NCEOC-aligned resources to build foundational and high-impact skills needed to progress through Levels 3, 4, and 5.
Summary
NCEOC scoring offers a consistent, standards-based view of student achievement across core high school subjects. By understanding how raw scores are converted into scale scores and categorized by achievement level, educators can use this data to tailor instruction and monitor academic progress.
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