Coming in 2026-2027: A New Generation of ACRE

The ACRE (Assessment of Catholic Religious Education) provides schools and parishes with a tool to evaluate how well students are learning and living the Catholic faith. More than an assessment, ACRE helps you walk with your students and understand both their knowledge and their lived experiences.

The 2022 ACRE version and the NCEA Rise brand will sunset after the 2025-2026 school year. A new ACRE version will be launched in 2026-2027.

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ACRE is important because it:

Measures knowledge (head)
Assesses beliefs and attitudes (heart)
Guides curriculum and instruction
Encourages student reflection
Supports a culture of faith
Fosters growth over time
Informs accreditation protocols, decision-making, and strategic planning
Promotes accountability in mission

Content for the revised ACRE is being aligned with two essential U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) documents:

Handbook on the Catechetical Accompaniment Process (Elementary and Middle School)
Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age (High School)

What to Expect

Assessments available for all grades 2–12
Individualized student reporting that empowers growth
More robust and reliable reporting tailored to different users—from classroom teachers to bishops
Access to Spanish versions for the diverse communities we serve
Options for both online and paper/pencil versions will be available
Pre- and post-test students for formative and summative assessment at no extra cost

Each elementary and middle school assessment (grades 2-8) and the six Core Courses of the High School Curriculum Framework will measure both cognitive (i.e., what students know about the faith) and affective (i.e., what students actually believe and practice with regard to faith) dimensions. Question items will correspond to key concepts contained in these documents. In reports to schools and dioceses, multiple-choice answer options and rationales will provide citation references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which will assist teachers and catechists in guiding curriculum and instruction.

Informational Webinar

New ACRE Assessment: Driving Religion Instruction with Actionable Data

Catholic education is about more than knowledge—it’s about forming disciples. The new ACRE Assessment empowers educators with actionable insights that go beyond test scores, helping you strengthen both intellectual understanding and spiritual growth. In this webinar, you’ll discover:

How ACRE’s enhanced reporting connects data to mission.
Practical strategies to enrich religious instruction and foster authentic faith formation.
Ways to use results to guide curriculum and pastoral planning for deeper engagement.

Join us to learn how data can become a powerful tool for evangelization and catechesis—helping students not only know their faith but live it.

Frequently Asked Questions

General ACRE Questions

What is ACRE? The Assessment of Catholic Religious Education (ACRE) provides schools and parishes with a tool to evaluate how well students are learning and living the Catholic faith. More than an assessment, ACRE helps you walk with your students and understand both their knowledge and their lived experiences. ACRE is administered in two parts:
- Part 1 – Religious Knowledge (Cognitive Goals): This asks questions about the teachings of the Church revealing students’ “head” knowledge of Catholicism.
- Part 2 – Personal Beliefs, Attitudes, Practices, and Perceptions (Interior Life & Behavioral Goals): This asks questions about personal beliefs, attitudes, practices, and perceptions revealing students’ “heart and hands” knowledge of Catholicism.
How does the 2026 revised ACRE compare to the 2022 ACRE version? New features of the 2026 revised ACRE include:
- Assessments available for all grades 2–12
- Individualized student reporting that empowers growth
- More robust and reliable reporting tailored to different users—from classroom teachers to bishops
- Access to Spanish versions for the diverse communities we serve will be available in 2027-2028
- Options for both online and paper/pencil versions will be available in 2027-2028
- Pre- and post-test students for formative and summative assessment at no extra cost
Why should I adopt ACRE? ACRE is important because it:
- Measures knowledge (head)
- Assesses beliefs and attitudes (heart)
- Guides curriculum and instruction
- Encourages student reflection
- Supports a culture of faith
- Fosters growth over time
- Informs accreditation protocols, decision-making, and strategic planning
- Promotes accountability in mission
What do I need to know about the rollout of the revised ACRE? ACRE is being developed in a three-year plan:

Participating in ACRE

Does ACRE offer both online and offline (paper/pencil) versions? ACRE is only available online in 26-27. The paper/pencil version will be available in 27-28.
If I order the offline (paper/pencil version), how will this be processed? Paper options will be available in 27-28 and can be utilized through the DnA platform. Once ACRE is purchased for 27-28, both digital and paper options will be available and paper forms can be printed on demand from the DnA platform.

ACRE Test Design

Is ACRE dependent on any particular curriculum? No. Content for the revised ACRE is aligned with two essential U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) documents:
- Handbook on the Catechetical Accompaniment Process (Elementary and Middle School)
- Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age (High School)
- Note: The new high school ACRE is not administered by grade-level per se (i.e., 9, 10, 11 and 12), but rather, by the courses prescribed by U.S. Catholic Bishops.
Can I add any customized questions to ACRE? Questions cannot be added to ACRE. However, DnA does provide options for flexible assessments with customized question items.
How long does it take to complete ACRE for various grade levels? Because ACRE is offered to all grades 2-12, the time to administer and complete the assessment depends on the student and the grade-level. It is possible to split ACRE into separate assessment sessions for Part 1 and Part 2 as long as teachers and/or students do not close the assessment altogether.

Administering ACRE

What is the pricing for ACRE? ACRE is $2.50 per student. Dioceses also have an onboarding fee of $3,500. Professional learning is highly recommended and pricing varies. Contact your Renaissance Sales Representative for quote information. If you’re not sure who to contact, complete the Interest Form and a Renaissance Account Executive will reach out to you.
How do I get started? Is there a recommended way to order ACRE (e.g., through the diocese or as a separate school entity)? It is highly recommended that schools purchase and roster ACRE through their Diocesan Schools Office under a single diocesan account. This will ensure that all schools in the diocese will be included in the diocesan aggregate report. This is important for bishops and superintendents. It will also allow schools to receive the best pricing and streamline the onboarding process. Schools that purchase their ACRE license independent of a diocesan account will not be included in your diocesan aggregate reports.
- The first step will be for diocesan offices to fill out the Interest Survey for all participating schools in the diocese. Your assigned Renaissance Account Manager will then contact you with detailed instructions on both purchasing and onboarding.
How do I order ACRE for multiple organizations if I want separate score reports? Reports can be accessed via the DnA platform at any time. Depending on the users access level and the schools rostered on the account, reports at the diocese, school, class, and student level are available. If a school is not using the diocese’s instance of DnA and are on their own instance, the diocese will not have access to school level reporting in their DnA instance.
How much lead time before giving ACRE should I plan for? Can a person order ACRE at the last minute? You should allow 3-5 weeks for onboarding and professional learning. This is dependent on the communication and coordination with the main Diocesan contact. School-based leaders will work with primary contact from the Diocese to participate in the onboarding of the DnA platform, which is the ACRE administration platform. After onboarding, teachers will need to participate in professional learning sessions to learn how to administer the assessment.
Are proctoring instructions provided for ACRE? Yes, teacher and student quick guides will be available for 26-27. We recommend all teachers have participated in the professional learning session, “Administering ACRE on DnA” to learn the details of administration. The quick guides are meant as supplements to training.
Are there built-in provisions for students with special learning needs? Yes, there are several accommodations that can be given to students with special learning needs. They include:
- Magnification: This feature allows students to enlarge text and images on the screen for better visibility.
- Strikethrough: This tool allows students to cross out incorrect or irrelevant options in multiple choice questions.
- Text to Speech (TTS): This read-aloud tool vocalizes text from the online assessment for students.
- Color Contrast: This online testing tool enables students to modify the color scheme of their online testing experience to assist in viewing their assessment, particularly beneficial for students with color blindness. Students can choose from 12 different color palettes in their assessment.

Professional Learning

What kind of resource support is provided for dioceses, schools and parishes? For the 26-27 school year, there will be a dedicated site for ACRE users to go for resources and information. The DnA Knowledge Base also has resources to support users as they set up and administer DnA. Additional resources are shared during professional learning sessions.
How do diocesan leaders implement ACRE across multiple schools and parishes? It is highly recommended that schools purchase and roster ACRE through their Catholic Schools Office under a single diocesan account. This will ensure that all schools in the diocese will be included in the diocesan aggregate report. This is important for bishops and superintendents, as it will give insight into strengths and areas for growth in both the cognitive and affective dimensions of their students’ understanding and lived faith.
- Once schools have completed administering ACRE, trainings and consultations on scoring and reporting are available. The professional learning session, “ACRE Reporting on DnA” is recommended. When scheduling professional learning, a Planning and Scheduling Coordinator can help select the most appropriate session(s).

ACRE Reporting

Will I be able to get updates on how my ACRE results are going? ACRE results are immediately available after administration and can be accessed via the DnA platform at any time. Depending on the user's access level and the schools rostered on the account, reports at the diocese, school, class, and student level are available. Administrators can also monitor test administration and participation in the DnA platform during testing.
What types of reports will I receive? The DnA platform provides more than 30 user-friendly pre-built reports for teachers, administrators, and parents. DnA also supports the creation of ad hoc reports as needed. Descriptions and examples of some key DnA reports are provided below.
- a. Pre-Built Reports. DnA's straightforward interface facilitates the ability to run pre-built reports. Pre-built reports are easy to use and allow you to drill to the student level for pertinent data. In addition, reports can be exported to PDF, CSV, XLSX, or directly to a printer. All reports can be shared among users throughout the diocese and viewed based on roles and permissions.
- b. Assessment Matrix Report. The Assessment Matrix Report displays individual student and classwide performance on an overall assessment and on specific items, standards, or question groups.
- c. Response Frequency Report. The Response Frequency Report identifies specific errors to inform re-teaching and in-the-moment feedback. This report enables teachers to view item level information to quickly pinpoint the most-missed questions.
- d. Performance Summary Report. The Performance Summary Report allows users to compare your students’ performance to that of other periods, the site, and the diocese.
- e. Peer Comparison Report. The Peer Comparison Report shows how students, teachers, or sites performed on the test and in relation to one another.
- f. Teacher Peer Comparison Report. With the Teacher Comprehensive Report, educators can compare their classroom performance against site and diocese averages across multiple metrics.
Can I access my reports online if I administered the offline version? When the paper version is available in 27-28, student responses are entered into the DnA platform and online reports are available.
Who gets the results since ACRE is usually administered at the direction of the superintendent’s office? Do they automatically get aggregate results? Schools that purchase ACRE independent of their Catholic Schools Office (CSO) will not be included in diocesan aggregate reports. For this reason, it is highly recommended that schools purchase and roster ACRE through their CSO under a single diocesan account. This will ensure that all schools in the diocese will be included in the diocesan aggregate report, which is important data for bishops and superintendents.

Support and Privacy

What is the policy on student privacy data? For more information, please visit our Privacy Hub: Privacy Hub | Renaissance
Who do I contact for technical support? The Renaissance Support Team can be reached by emailing [email protected], using the Live Chat that can be accessed when you’re logged in to your Renaissance platform, via phone at (800) 338-4204, or by submitting a Support Form.
Who do I contact with questions about content? For questions regarding ACRE content, contact John Galvan at NCEA at [email protected] or at 571-257-0017.