Introduction & General Questions

Why assess?

The COVID pandemic has had a drastic impact on many social sectors, including religious institutions, but research on religious disaffiliation prior to the pandemic is equally concerning. Between 2007 and 2014, we saw an increase of about 19 million religiously unaffiliated adults in the U.S. bringing the total number to approximately 56 million, according to Pew Research Center (2015). In their most recent study (2022), it is projected that Christians will be the minority in the U.S. by 2070 if the trend continues. 

Disaffiliation comes in different guises and for different reasons, but the data shows that the median age is 13 among those leaving their respective faith traditions. During the past several years, we have seen unprecedented school closures and dwindling Church attendance. Based on the work of Springtide Research Institute, one in three of our young people feel completely alone much of the time. Additionally, only 16 percent see their faith community as a place they can turn to in times of uncertainty.  

 

Resource Support

Does NCEA Rise offer resource support for dioceses, schools and parishes?

Yes! NCEA offers training to assist dioceses in interpreting results for actionable steps to improve your religious education programs. We also host a large archive of printed materials, publications, webinars, podcasts, blogs, etc. to support our users in response to reports. In addition, recommended courses follow your IFG for Adults assessment results based on your report. This can assist in providing necessary professional development for any identified gaps. These come at a reasonable cost of $5.00 per user.
 
More information can be found on the NCEA Rise Resource page for each assessment.

 

Getting Started

Where can I view a demo of the NCEA Rise assessments? Can I see the questions in advance?

We encourage leaders in dioceses, schools, and parishes to view a demonstration of our assessments. For the IFG Adult Survey and ACRE for Youth, click on the ACRE or IFG tab at the top of this page tab and click the link under "Sign Up My School or Parish" to demo the online assessments.

For a demonstration of the Belonging Index go to:

  1. Belonging Index for Students: https://s.pointerpro.com/studentnceademo

  2. Belonging Index for Families: https://s.pointerpro.com/familynceademo

  3. Belonging Index for Faculty & Staff: https://s.pointerpro.com/facultystaffnceademo

Belonging Indices ask a variety of questions and styles, rooted in proprietary research, in order to arrive at the metric of the students’ experience of belonging, so questions are not available in advance.

Administering the Assessments Online

Can users take the NCEA Rise assessments online?

  • Administering the assessments online is the easiest method, yielding the fastest results.
  • The Belonging Index is only offered online.
  • For IFG/ACRE users, after placing an order for an online assessment, the purchaser will receive emailed instructions and class codes to administer the assessment.
  • When an online class is closed for grading, the reporting contact will be notified as soon as reports are ready to view online.
  • For the Belonging Index, you need to enter information into the "course" at least two weeks before you want to launch the survey.
  • Once we receive your information, you'll be sent a link.
  • After your families, faculty/staff, and/or students have completed the survey, return to the "course" and inform us that you are ready for your results.
  • After completing that process, you will receive your results within two weeks.

 

Administering the Assessments Offline

Can users take the IFG and/or ACRE assessments offline?

Yes. You can purchase answer sheets from the online store for both the IFG and ACRE. Test booklets are digitally included with your purchase. Links to the booklet are provided in two places - via a direct link received in the instructions email after your purchase is completed or, after logging into your account, via the Library shown under the Resources tab.

Offline materials will be sent to your organization by CFT. When the answer sheets are returned, they are scored and results can be viewed online. Our goal is to have results posted within two business days of receiving the answer sheets. During peak testing windows, results may be delayed. The Belonging Index is only offered online.

 

Registering / Ordering / Purchasing

I’m ready to order NCEA Rise materials – where do I start?

All materials can be ordered through our online store. To access the store, please log into your NCEA account. Click here to find step-by-step instructions.

 

Reporting

What types of reports will I receive?

Aggregated reports are provided per level and per class for both the IFG Adult Survey and ACRE for Youth assessments. All NCEA Rise reports are available online. For all assessments administered online, your data dashboard will give you a complete and comprehensive picture of your results.

Individual results are available for the ACRE for Youth for an additional fee. 

For the Belonging Index, you will receive a PDF with your aggregated results and suggested action steps for improving belonging for each survey type administered (students, staff, and families). You will also receive a link to an interactive data dashboard for each survey type administered (students, staff, and families). Individual results are NOT offered for the Belonging Index.