This overview includes information to help you prepare for the North Carolina Foundations of Reading test. You’ll find details about the exam format, content areas, registration, costs, testing options, scores, retakes, study strategies, and sample practice questions.
Test CodeFoundations of Reading (890) | Questions100 multiple-choice and 2 written assignments |
Testing Time4 hours, plus tutorial and break time | Passing Score233 |
What Is the North Carolina Foundations of Reading Test?
The North Carolina Foundations of Reading test is used as part of the educator licensure process for certain teaching areas. The exam evaluates whether a candidate understands evidence-based reading development, reading comprehension, assessment, and instruction.
The current test code is 890. This code replaced test code 190 beginning September 1, 2025. The code change did not alter the test framework or the content being assessed.
Key point: educator licensure requirements depend on the candidate’s license area, preparation program, and individual circumstances. Confirm your testing requirements before registering.
Test Overview
The exam contains a multiple-choice section and an open-response section. Each section measures both subject knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge to reading instruction.
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Content Areas
The test is organized into four major content areas. The first three areas are measured through multiple-choice questions. The final area is measured through two written assignments.
Foundations of Reading Development
This area measures knowledge of how students develop essential early reading skills and how educators can provide systematic, explicit, evidence-based instruction.
Topics to Review
- Oral language and emergent literacy
- Phonological and phonemic awareness
- Concepts of print
- The alphabetic principle
- Letter-sound relationships
- Systematic and explicit phonics instruction
- High-frequency words
- Decoding and encoding
- Syllable types and syllabication
- Morphemes, roots, prefixes, and suffixes
- Orthographic patterns and spelling
- Reading accuracy, rate, automaticity, and prosody
Development of Reading Comprehension
This area measures knowledge of vocabulary, academic language, comprehension strategies, literary texts, informational texts, and methods for helping students analyze increasingly complex material.
Reading Assessment and Instruction
Candidates should understand why different assessments are used, how to interpret student data, and how to select instruction that responds to identified strengths and needs.
Assessment and Instruction Checklist
- Screening and entry-level assessment
- Formative assessment and progress monitoring
- Diagnostic and summative assessment
- Criterion-referenced and norm-referenced tests
- Reliability, validity, and potential assessment bias
- Informal reading inventories and student work samples
- Interpreting phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension data
- Using assessment results to plan instruction
- Differentiated instruction and flexible grouping
- Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
- Interventions, extensions, and progress monitoring
Written Assignments
The exam includes two written assignments. Candidates are generally expected to produce an organized response of approximately 150 to 300 words for each assignment.
One assignment focuses on foundational reading skills. The other focuses on reading comprehension. Each prompt may provide assessment information, student work, or a description of reading performance that must be analyzed.
A strong response identifies a student strength and need, supports the analysis with evidence from the prompt, recommends an appropriate instructional strategy, and explains why that strategy should be effective.
Testing Options and Timing
Candidates may test at an approved computer-based testing center or through online proctoring. The testing rules and appointment structure differ slightly by delivery method.
Registration and Cost
Registration is completed online through the North Carolina Licensure Assessments system. Candidates create an account, select Foundations of Reading (890), pay the testing fee, and choose an available appointment.
Alternative Testing Arrangements
Candidates who require testing accommodations should submit the required request and supporting documentation before scheduling an appointment that requires those arrangements.
Approved arrangements may include additional testing time, assistive equipment, or other modifications. Certain comfort aids may be permitted without prior approval, but candidates should review the current testing policies before test day.
What to Expect on Test Day
Test-Day Checklist
- Review your appointment confirmation before test day.
- Arrive or begin the online check-in process at the required time.
- Bring an acceptable, unexpired form of identification.
- Make sure the name on your identification matches your registration.
- Do not bring notes, study materials, calculators, or unauthorized electronics.
- Follow all test-center or online-proctor instructions.
- Use the optional break before beginning the written assignments.
- Remember that you cannot return to the multiple-choice section after the break.
Scores and Passing Requirements
Foundations of Reading scores use a scaled range from 100 to 300. North Carolina candidates must earn a scaled score of at least 233 to meet the testing requirement.
The total score reflects performance across the multiple-choice questions and both written assignments. There are no separate passing scores for the individual content areas.
Incorrect multiple-choice answers do not receive an additional penalty. Answer every question, even when you need to make an educated guess.
Retaking the Test
Candidates who do not pass may register to take the test again. A new registration is required for each attempt.
North Carolina Foundations of Reading Sample Questions
Try these original sample questions to review several skills measured by the test. Answer each question before opening the explanation.
1. A teacher asks students to say the individual sounds in the word ship. Which response is correct?
- /s/ /h/ /i/ /p/
- /sh/ /i/ /p/
- /shi/ /p/
- /sh/ /ip/
Show Answer and Explanation
Answer: B. /sh/ /i/ /p/
The letters s and h form the digraph sh, which represents one phoneme. The word ship contains three phonemes.
2. Which activity most directly develops phonemic blending?
- Identifying the number of words in a sentence
- Combining /m/, /a/, and /p/ to say map
- Matching uppercase letters with lowercase letters
- Clapping the syllables in a student’s name
Show Answer and Explanation
Answer: B. Combining /m/, /a/, and /p/ to say map
Phonemic blending requires combining individual phonemes to produce a complete spoken word.
3. A student reads a passage accurately but very slowly and without expression. Which area should instruction target most directly?
- Phonemic segmentation
- Reading fluency
- Concepts of print
- Letter recognition
Show Answer and Explanation
Answer: B. Reading fluency
Fluency includes accuracy, rate, and prosody. The student’s accuracy is adequate, but the slow rate and lack of expression indicate a fluency need.
4. Which assessment would be most useful for identifying the specific phonics patterns a beginning reader has not mastered?
- A student-interest survey
- A phonics inventory
- A statewide writing assessment
- A vocabulary self-rating scale
Show Answer and Explanation
Answer: B. A phonics inventory
A phonics inventory directly measures a student’s ability to recognize and apply specific letter-sound patterns.
How to Prepare for the Test
Preparation should combine reading-content review, application practice, timed multiple-choice work, and written-response practice.
Study Checklist
- Review the differences among phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, phonics, and the alphabetic principle.
- Study systematic and explicit phonics instruction.
- Review syllable types, morphology, orthography, and multisyllable-word analysis.
- Practice identifying fluency needs involving accuracy, rate, and prosody.
- Review vocabulary and academic-language instruction.
- Practice analyzing literary and informational texts.
- Study screening, diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments.
- Practice using assessment results to select instruction and interventions.
- Write timed responses that identify a student strength, need, evidence, and instructional strategy.
- Complete full-length practice sessions under realistic time limits.
- Review every missed question and identify why the selected answer was incorrect.
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Foundations of Reading and National Evaluation Series are trademarks or names associated with Pearson Education, Inc. Study Guide Zone, Mometrix, and Test Prep Review are not affiliated with or endorsed by Pearson Education, Inc., the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, or the North Carolina State Board of Education.
