New Hampshire Practice Tests
New Hampshire Practice Books and Flashcards
New Hampshire's State Tests at a Glance
In grades 3 through 8, New Hampshire students take the New Hampshire Statewide Assessment System (NH SAS) in English language arts and math every year, plus science in grades 5 and 8. Testing happens each spring. The tests are given on a computer, and paper tests are an accommodation only for students who qualify. The reading and math tests are computer adaptive. NH SAS is not timed: the times below are the state's scheduling estimates, and the state says the average test time for each subject is about one hour.
English Language Arts
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 3, 4 and 5 | Online; a Reading session that is computer adaptive and includes listening; a Writing session with one essay (narrative, informative/explanatory, or opinion) | Untimed; estimated 2 hours for Reading and 2 hours for Writing | Reading literary text (37 to 47% of items), reading informational text (37 to 47%), language (8 to 14%), listening (up to 8%), and writing (about 23% of the test's points) |
| Grades 6, 7 and 8 | Online; a Reading session that is computer adaptive and includes listening; a Writing session with one essay (argumentative or informative/explanatory) | Untimed; estimated 2 hours for Reading and 2 hours for Writing | Reading literary text (37 to 47% of items), reading informational text (37 to 47%), language (8 to 14%), listening (up to 8%), and writing (about 23% of the test's points) |
Students must finish both the Reading and Writing sessions to get an ELA score. The two sessions may be taken in either order, and the state recommends giving them on separate days. The writing prompt is assigned at random, and the essay is scored with a ten-point rubric. Language and listening count toward the score but are not reported as separate categories.
Mathematics
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | Online; computer adaptive; no calculator | Untimed; estimated 2 hours | Operations and algebraic thinking (29 to 38%), numbers and operations in base ten and fractions (38 to 47%), measurement and data and geometry (24 to 29%) |
| Grade 4 | Online; computer adaptive; no calculator | Untimed; estimated 2 hours | Operations and algebraic thinking (24 to 32%), numbers and operations in base ten and fractions (44 to 53%), measurement and data and geometry (24 to 29%) |
| Grade 5 | Online; computer adaptive; no calculator | Untimed; estimated 2 hours | Operations and algebraic thinking (24 to 32%), numbers and operations in base ten and fractions (41 to 50%), measurement and data and geometry (26 to 32%) |
| Grade 6 | Online; computer adaptive; a no-calculator segment, then a calculator segment (basic calculator) | Untimed; estimated 2 hours | Ratios and proportional relationships and the number system (38 to 47%), expressions and equations (29 to 38%), geometry and statistics and probability (24%) |
| Grade 7 | Online; computer adaptive; calculator on calculator-allowed items (basic or scientific) | Untimed; estimated 2 hours | Ratios and proportional relationships and the number system, expressions and equations, geometry, statistics and probability (24 to 29% each) |
| Grade 8 | Online; computer adaptive; calculator on calculator-allowed items (scientific or graphing) | Untimed; estimated 2 hours | Expressions and equations and the number system (29 to 38%), functions (24 to 29%), geometry and statistics and probability (38 to 47%) |
Where a calculator is allowed, the test has one built in, and students may use an approved hand-held calculator instead; calculators on phones and tablets are not allowed. The math test can be given in Spanish.
Science
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 | Online; groups of related questions plus stand-alone questions; basic calculator allowed | Untimed; estimated 2 hours | Physical science, life science, earth and space science (equal shares), from the grades 3 to 5 science standards |
| Grade 8 | Online; groups of related questions plus stand-alone questions; scientific or graphing calculator allowed; periodic table | Untimed; estimated 2 hours | Physical science, life science, earth and space science (equal shares), from the grades 6 to 8 science standards |
The science test can be given in Spanish.