About

Working Together to create a modern assessment

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a group of states working together to develop a modern assessment that replaces previous state standardized tests. It provides better information for teachers and parents to identify where a student needs help, or is excelling, so they are able to enhance instruction to meet individual student needs.

The PARCC test helps ensure that all students, regardless of income, family background or geography, have equal access to a world-class education that will prepare them for success after high school in college and/or careers.  New state standards set consistent expectations in English and mathematics for every student, and PARCC provides a valid and reliable evaluation of each student’s progress toward them.

The PARCC states lead the work and make all major test design and policy decisions. The test is aligned to what students are learning in the classroom and measures real-world skills, such as problem solving and critical thinking. It is only one measure of a student’s achievement.

In addition to the Governing Board, made up of the state superintendents and commissioners, several working groups and committees oversee details of the work. The Advisory Committee on College Readiness  works with colleges and universities to accept assessment results as an indicator of readiness for first-year college courses. Higher education has been actively involved in multiple ways in designing the tests. Parcc Inc., a nonprofit organization, manages the assessment development and implementation on behalf of the PARCC states.