Suspension of all NSCAS Assessments

The NDE is suspending summative statewide assessment (NSCAS) for the 2019-2020 school year. This includes NSCAS – General, Alternate, and ACT. The NDE intends to pursue federal waivers for testing, accountability, and reporting requirements. The NDE is working with ACT to determine if all public high school third-year cohorts who would normally take the ACT as part of the statewide assessment may have the opportunity to take the ACT free-of-charge at a later date.

NDE is working with ACT and NWEA to provide more detailed directions about returning assessment materials. Please look for these specific emails over the next couple of days.
For AQuESTT Accountability and ESSA Designations, NDE will work closely with school district leaders, the State Board of Education, and the U.S. Department of Education to pursue policy adjustments.