How to Choose an Achievement Test

Many parents have questions about which achievement test would best fit their students. There have been several factors to take into consideration, but today, there is a new one: Do you want the test to be aligned to the Common Core? If you do not want a test aligned to the Common Core, then choose a test that was designed and normed before 2009.

Below I have listed the tests according to the reasons people choose each test. (This list is not exhaustive but has the most common tests used in NC.) All of the tests mentioned meet NC yearly testing requirements as a nationally standardized achievement test.

Tests not aligned to the Common Core:
BASI (Gr 3-12)—paper and computer versions
Iowa Tests (Gr K-12)—Form A (not the newer Form C), paper
PASS Tests (Gr 3-8)—paper, standardized but not nationally normed
Stanford-10 Tests (Gr K-12)—paper
Stanford-10 Online (Gr 3 spring-12)—computer, can be done in home or testing center
TerraNova2 Tests Complete Plus (Gr K-12) or Survey Plus (Gr 2-12)—paper, substitute for California Achievement Tests (CAT)
Woodcock-Johnson, III (preschool-adult)—paper and oral

Tests aligned to the Common Core:
ACT—only through www.act.org
Iowa-Form C—only through BJU
Brigance-2010 (for children developmentally seven years or younger)

These lists are arranged according to other considerations.

Untimed tests:
PASS Tests (Gr 3-8)—paper
Stanford-10 (Gr K-12)—paper
Stanford-10 Online (Gr 3 spring-12)—computer
Woodcock-Johnson, III (all grades)—mostly untimed, paper and oral

Tests for testing in a group or with multiple grades together:
Iowa (Gr 3-8, 9-12)—paper
Stanford-10 (Gr 3-4, Gr 5-8, Gr 9-12)—paper
Stanford-10 Online (Gr 3 spring-12)—computer
TerraNova2 Complete Plus (Gr 4-5, Gr 6-8, Gr 9-12)—paper
TerraNova2 Survey Plus (Gr 6-8, Gr 9-12)—paper

Tests that give quick results:
BASI Online (Gr 3-12)—immediate results
Iowa (Gr K-12)—hand scored, results usually in one week
Stanford-10 Online (Gr 3 spring-12)—immediate computerized results, in home or testing center
TerraNova2 Complete Plus or Survey Plus (Gr K-12)—hand scored, results usually in one week

Tests you can give at home that do not require a BA degree:
Brigance (for developmentally seven years or younger)
PASS Tests (Gr 3-8)—paper
Stanford-10 Online (Gr 3spring-12)—computer with immediate results, Note: You do not have to have a BA degree or training for the Stanford-10 Online because the testing center is proctoring the online test.
TerraNova2 Complete Plus or Survey Plus (Gr K-12)—paper

Shortest achievement tests
A survey version of any test if available
Woodcock-Johnson, III (all ages and grades)—approximately 75 minutes, done by a trained WJ provider
TerraNova2 Complete Plus (Gr K)—95 minutes
Iowa (Gr 1 Level 6)—163 minutes
TerraNova2 Survey Plus (Gr 2-8)—215 to 235 minutes
Stanford-10 (Gr 9-12)—230 minutes, can be administered untimed
BASI (Gr 3-12)—2 hours

Least expensive tests:
Stanford-10 (Gr K-12)
CAT tests (Gr K-12)—old norms

Test that produce achievement scores for National Honor Society:
Iowa (Gr K-12)
Stanford-10 (Gr K-12)
Stanford-10 Online (Gr 3 spring-12)
ACT

Test most often used in NC public schools:
Iowa (Gr K-12)

Test most often used in NC private schools:
Stanford-10 (Gr K-12)

Paper tests that can be given at home:
BASI (Gr 3-12)
Iowa (Gr K-12)
PASS (Gr 3-8)
Stanford-10 (Gr K-12)
TerraNova2 Complete Plus (Gr K-12) or Survey Plus (Gr 2-12)

Computerized test that can be given at home with immediate report:
Stanford-10 Online (Gr 3 spring-12)

One-on-one test:
Woodcock-Johnson, III (all ages and grades)

• partly oral, listening and writing
• not fill-in-the-bubble
• allows the child to test as low as they need to but also as high as they can
• mostly untimed
• immediate report
• comes with a consultation;
• gives a little purer grade equivalency

Tests for a special needs child:
Brigance (children developmentally 7 years or younger)
Iowa, Stanford or TerraNova—paper version of the lowest level available

Tests year-normed, newest unaligned to the Common Core:
(The versions of tests carried by test companies varies.)
BASI, (Gr 3-12)–paper and online, in a testing center, 2003
Iowa Tests for Gr K-12 Form A—paper, 2005
Stanford-10 Tests (Gr K-12)—paper, 2007
Stanford-10 Online (Gr 3 spring-12)—in home or a testing center, 2007
TerraNova2 Complete Plus (Gr K-12) or Survey Plus Tests (Gr 2-12)—paper, 2005
Woodcock-Johnson, III (preschool-adult)—paper, 2007

Requirements to administer the tests:
BASI—none, online in a testing center
Brigance—none when used as a life skills checklist
Iowa Tests—BA degree
Stanford-10 Tests, paper version—BA degree and some training (A free eight minute training video is on the TEA website under “Testing Resources.”)
Stanford-10 Online Tests—none
TerraNova2 Complete Plus or Survey Plus Tests—none
Woodcock-Johnson, III—specially trained tester