North Carolina ELA and Math Achievement Trends
ELA and math proficiency rates* for students in grades 3-8, 2014-2026.
STATE NOTE. Results reflect the state standardized assessment administered to grades 3-8 only; for ELA this included the End-of-Grade (EOG) Edition 4 assessment (2014-2019) and Edition 5 (2021-2026), with Grade 3 transitioning to Edition 5 in 2022, and for math this included the EOG Edition 4 (2014-2018) and EOG Edition 5 (2019-2026). The change to the EOG Edition 5 in 2019 and 2021 affects comparability over time, as the change reflects a new baseline; trends are included here for reference only. 2026 data accessed 9/2/26.
*PROFICIENCY. North Carolina currently reports 4 achievement levels: Not Proficient, Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5. Before the Edition 5 transitions, the state reported five levels (Levels 1-5); Levels 1 and 2 are now combined into Not Proficient. In this figure, we use the state's College-and-Career Ready (CCR) proficiency rate, which is defined as Achievement Levels 4 & 5 (top 2 levels); this is the narrower of the state's two rates and the one NCDPI leads with in its own reporting. Grade Level Proficiency (GLP), the state's broader rate, is defined as Achievement Level 3 and above and is also used in some reporting.
GRADE 8 MATH. Math results for Grades 3-8 follow NCDPI's own definition, which includes students in Grade 8 who take the NC Math 1 high school end-of-course exam in place of the Grade 8 math EOG.
2020 NOTE. State Education Agencies (SEAs) did not administer assessments in Spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (noted in figure).
DATE. This figure was published 9/3/26 by the Education Data Center (EDC).
Email [email protected] for questions.
*PROFICIENCY. North Carolina currently reports 4 achievement levels: Not Proficient, Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5. Before the Edition 5 transitions, the state reported five levels (Levels 1-5); Levels 1 and 2 are now combined into Not Proficient. In this figure, we use the state's College-and-Career Ready (CCR) proficiency rate, which is defined as Achievement Levels 4 & 5 (top 2 levels); this is the narrower of the state's two rates and the one NCDPI leads with in its own reporting. Grade Level Proficiency (GLP), the state's broader rate, is defined as Achievement Level 3 and above and is also used in some reporting.
GRADE 8 MATH. Math results for Grades 3-8 follow NCDPI's own definition, which includes students in Grade 8 who take the NC Math 1 high school end-of-course exam in place of the Grade 8 math EOG.
2020 NOTE. State Education Agencies (SEAs) did not administer assessments in Spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (noted in figure).
DATE. This figure was published 9/3/26 by the Education Data Center (EDC).
Email [email protected] for questions.