The Terra Nova is a norm-referenced, standardized test used by many schools across the United States.
Offered in several formats including Common Core, Multiple Measures, Basic Battery and Survey, the Terra Nova is a esteemed measure of student achievement. Designed to be comparable to the public school state assessments, the Terra Nova is widely used by private schools as a summative assessment each spring and is also used in whole or part by specialty programs in public schools as an entrance measure for candidates wishing to attend a program such as Rapid Learner or GATE.
Terra Nova Common Core
The newest form of the Terra Nova, the Common Core Assessment, measures student understanding of the National Common Core standards for grades three through eight. Subjects evaluated include reading, math, English language arts, science and social studies. Reflective of the standards it measures, this assessment, while still including traditional multiple-choice questions, also us multiple-response formats such as constructed response, extended constructed response and performance tasks
Terra Nova Multiple Assessments
Schools not seeking to measure Common Core Standards mastery may choose this comprehensive assessment as an alternative. Targeted for grades one through 12, the Multiple Assessments test uses norms from 2011 and measures both higher-order critical thinking skills as well as student achievement in reading, math, language, science and social studies. Student responses include constructed response and selected response. With a highlight on using data to drive instruction, results are shared as norm-referenced achievement scores as well as performance levels and criterion-referenced objective mastery scores.
Terra Nova Complete Battery
For those looking for a more traditional test, the Complete Battery offers norm-referenced scores assessing student mastery in the same subjects as does the Multiple Assessments test. However, unlike the Multiple Measures test, the Complete Battery focuses on evaluating fundamental and practical skills rather than critical thinking. To aid in understanding demonstrated student learning, a variety of diagnostic tools are offered through the reports available to school administrators, staff and parents.
Terra Nova Survey
This version of the Terra Nova is the most abbreviated and is similar to the Complete Battery in all areas excluding length. Designed to be a quick diagnostic, this assessment is completed solely with selected response and can be scored quickly and efficiently to quantify student learning in reading, language, math, science and social science.