Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations
About Wisconsin’s Standardized Tests for 3rd – 8th, and 10th Grades
Are your children preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations, known WKCE? WKCE tests measure the progress of students from third to eighth grade, as well as tenth grade. Wisconsin WKCE results provide actionable data that helps parents, teachers, and students improve academic performance in reading, language arts, writing, math, science, and social studies. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WI DPI) also uses WKCE scores in evaluating each school’s Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
Time4Learning and Time4Writing—two online services that teach many of the WKCE test skills—offer this page to support your research on the best ways to help your kids with WKCE practice and preparation.
WKCE at a Glance
Wisconsin public school students take the following WKCE tests:
WKCE Tests: 3rd – 8th Grades, and 10th Grade
WKCE tests are aligned to the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards. These Wisconsin state standards define what Wisconsin students should learn in every grade. The annual WKCE testing is administered as follows:
WKCE Reading: 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 10th grades.
WKCE Math: 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 10th grades.
WKCE Language Arts and Writing: Fourth, eighth, and tenth grades
WKCE Science: 4th, 8th, and 10th grades
WKCE Social Studies: 4th, 8th, and 10th grades
WKCE is also called WKCE-CRT because the exams are criterion-referenced tests (CRT). Thus, your child will only compete against him or herself, rather than be compared against other test takers, as with norm-referenced tests.
How WKCE Tests Are Scored
WKCE test scores measure how well students have mastered grade-level content and skills, as specified by the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards. Student achievement in each subject is reported by one of four levels:
4. Minimal Performance
Achieving proficient or advanced levels is considered passing the WKCE tests. WKCE results are factors in determining grade promotion, but passing WKCE is not a graduation requirement. If your child is struggling with WKCE testing, be proactive. Contact the school and find out what you can do to support learning at home.
Other Wisconsin Standardized Tests
The Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS) includes alternate assessments that promote learning for all students. The Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities (WAA-SwD) is designed to measure the progress of students with severe cognitive disabilities who need special accommodations. Students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) take the take the ACCESS for ELLs® tests, which measure progress in English language acquisition.
NAEP in Wisconsin
Wisconsin also participates annually in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the Nation’s Report Card, where a sampling of students (from grades 4, 8, and/or 12) are tested in several content areas as part of a nationally representative assessment of student performance.
Preparing for the Wisconsin WKCE
For general tips on test preparation, please visit our standardized test overview page.
The real preparation for WKCE, or any standardized test, begins with your commitment to your children’s education throughout their school years. Devote time and effort to helping your children learn. Start by making sure your kids do their homework and read every day. Many families also employ tutors or an online learning program, such as Time4Learning, to build fundamental skills.
When preparing for standardized tests, students often benefit from test prep programs and books, which offer guidance and practice with test formats, time restrictions, test-taking strategies (when to guess, when not to), and different types of questions. For instance, when a reading passage is followed by comprehension questions, many test prep programs teach students to scan the questions first in order to know what areas of the passage require close reading. Time4Learning is not a test prep program, it is a program that builds the skills that will be tested.
Time4Learning is a new approach that takes advantage of today’s technology. It’s a convenient, online home education program that combines learning with fun educational teaching games.
The online language arts and math curriculum comprise a comprehensive program for preschool, elementary school, and middle school. Science and social studies programs are provided as a free bonus for most grades.
Time4Writing provides highly effective, 8-week writing courses online that help elementary, middle and high school students build writing skills through one-on-one interaction with a certified teacher.
Kids like using the computer to learn and to develop their skills. Time4Learning’s educational teaching games give students independence as they progress at their own pace.
Parents like that it tracks progress and helps kids advance by teaching through individualized learning paths that assure mastery of the skills and concepts that makes kids succeed.
Have a child with math and language arts skills at different grade levels? No problem, just tell us in the online registration process.
Time4Learning is proven effective, has a low monthly price, and provides a money-back guarantee so you can be sure that it works for your family, risk free!
For more information and resources on Wisconsin Education, visit:
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WI DPI)
Wisconsin Homeschooling Information