Connecticut Academic Performance Test

Last updated
Connecticut Academic Performance Test (2006).jpg

The Connecticut Academic Performance Test, or simply the CAPT, was a state-mandated standardized test administered by the Connecticut State Board of Education that all public school students in Connecticut must take. The test is proctored to all students in their sophomore year; if the state goal is not met, students must retake the sections they do not pass until they meet goal. Students take the test in March.

Contents

The test covers four subjects—mathematics, reading, writing, and science—in nine individual sessions, which are taken over a period of nine days. Prior to testing, the state of Connecticut requires that students take scaled practice tests to allow them to be at ease when they take the real CAPT. The mock tests are actually prior CAPT tests that the state has released.

CAPT disciplines

As of 2009, CAPT tests students on four curricular disciplines, which is broken down into nine individual tests.

Science

The Science portion of the CAPT is broken into two 55-minute test sessions entitled Science I and Science II. Types of questions included in the science tests include open-ended and multiple-choice questions. The science tests cover a wide range of topics: basic chemistry and physics; biology, including cell reproduction and structures; and earth science, among others.

Reading

The Reading section split into two tests: Reading for Information and Response to Literature. Both tests require the student to read various articles and respond to open-ended and multiple choice questions accordingly.

Response to Literature

Response to Literature requires the student to read a short story and answer four predetermined questions in a time of 70 minutes. Recently, the questions have been as follows:

  1. Initial Understanding.What are your thoughts and questions about the story? You might reflect upon characters, their problems, the title, or other ideas in the story.
  2. Interpretation. One of the following is given:
    1. Choose one of the following quotations from the story (three are given). Explain what you think the quotation means as it relates to elements of the story such as characters or theme,or
    2. How does the main character change from the beginning of the story to the end? What do you think causes the change?
  3. Connection. What does this story say about people in general? In what ways does it remind you of people you have known or experiences you have had? You may also write about stories you have read or movies, works of art, or television shows you have seen. Use examples from the stories to explain your thinking.
  4. Critical Stance. How successful was the author in creating a good piece of literature? Use examples from the story to explain your thinking.

The students have a total of 21 lines on which to complete each question. The questions are graded as a whole, meaning that the grade is affixed to the entire set of answers, not each individually. This section is graded on a scale from one to six; two scorers will read the answers and the final grade will be out of twelve. A score of nine is now required to meet state goal. [1]

Writing

Writing comprises three test sessions on two subjects.

Interdisciplinary Writing

Interdisciplinary Writing is composed of two test sessions—Interdisciplinary Writing I and Interdisciplinary Writing II—taken on two separate days. Each session requires that you read two articles on a divisive issue and take a clear stance on the issue. Students are given three pages on which to write a persuasive letter on the stance that they have taken. It is required to use evidence from each of the two sources. The same procedure is repeated for the second day; a new topic is given.

Editing & Revising

Editing & Revising is a 25 minute session in which the student read short excerpts from stories and answer multiple choice questions accordingly. Questions usually relate to grammar, spelling, structure, etc.

Mathematics

The mathematics portion of CAPT is also broken into two sessions: Mathematics I and Mathematics II. In both tests, there is a section of open-ended questions in which the student must answer a question, explain their procedure, show their work, and sometimes draw a visual. The second portion of the tests are grid-ins; the student will answer a question and then bubble in his/her answer in the grid provided.

Notes

  1. Previously, a score of only eight was required, but since then, the goal has been bumped up.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ACT (test)</span> American standardized test used for college admissions

The ACT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. It is currently administered by ACT, a nonprofit organization of the same name. The ACT test covers four academic skill areas: english, mathematics, reading, and scientific reasoning. It also offers an optional direct writing test. It is accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States as well as more than 225 universities outside of the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SAT</span> Standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States

The SAT is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times. For much of its history, it was called the Scholastic Aptitude Test and had two components, Verbal and Mathematical, each of which was scored on a range from 200 to 800. Later it was called the Scholastic Assessment Test, then the SAT I: Reasoning Test, then the SAT Reasoning Test, then simply the SAT.

<span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">Matura</i></span> Name of final exam of high school in many countries

Matura or its translated terms is a Latin name for the secondary school exit exam or "maturity diploma" in various European countries centered around the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Standardized test</span> Test administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner

A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Law School Admission Test</span> US and Canadian standardized test

The Law School Admission Test is a standardized test administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) for prospective law school candidates. It is designed to assess reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning. The test is an integral part of the law school admission process in the United States, Canada, the University of Melbourne, Australia, and a growing number of other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multiple choice</span> Assessment that are responded by choosing correct answers from a list of choices

Multiple choice (MC), objective response or MCQ is a form of an objective assessment in which respondents are asked to select only correct answers from the choices offered as a list. The multiple choice format is most frequently used in educational testing, in market research, and in elections, when a person chooses between multiple candidates, parties, or policies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination</span>

The Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination, or more commonly known as the A-level, conducted by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA), was taken by senior students at the end of their matriculation in Hong Kong between 1979 and 2012. It was originally the entrance examination in University of Hong Kong until the introduction of the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) in 1992, which made it the major university entrance examination until academic year 2011/2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills</span> Former Texas state standardized test

The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was the fourth Texas state standardized test previously used in grade 3-8 and grade 9-11 to assess students' attainment of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies skills required under Texas education standards. It is developed and scored by Pearson Educational Measurement with close supervision by the Texas Education Agency. Though created before the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, it complied with the law. It replaced the previous test, called the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), in 2002.

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment system, commonly abbreviated as MCAS, is Massachusetts's statewide standards-based assessment program developed in 1993 in response to the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of the same year. State and federal law mandates that all students who are enrolled in the tested grades and who are educated with Massachusetts public funds participate in MCAS testing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Assessment of Educational Progress</span> Assessment

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what U.S. students know and can do in various subjects. NAEP is a congressionally mandated project administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education. The first national administration of NAEP occurred in 1969. The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) is an independent, bipartisan board that sets policy for NAEP and is responsible for developing the framework and test specifications.The National Assessment Governing Board, whose members are appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Education, includes governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives, and members of the general public. Congress created the 26-member Governing Board in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penilaian Menengah Rendah</span> Public school examination in Malaysia abolished in 2014

Penilaian Menengah Rendah was a Malaysian public examination targeting Malaysian adolescents and young adults between the ages of 13 and 30 years taken by all Form Three high school and college students in both government and private schools throughout the country from independence in 1957 to 2013. It was formerly known as Sijil Rendah Pelajaran. It was set and examined by the Malaysian Examinations Syndicate, an agency under the Ministry of Education.

The Texas Math and Science Coaches Association or TMSCA is an organization for coaches of academic University Interscholastic League teams in Texas middle schools and high schools, specifically those that compete in mathematics and science-related tests.

The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is an admission test administered by The Enrollment Management Association in the United States to students in grades 3–11 to provide a standardized measure that will help professionals in independent or private elementary, middle, and high schools to make decisions regarding student test taking.

Primary School Achievement Test, also known as Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah, was a national examination taken by all students in Malaysia at the end of their sixth year in primary school before they leave for secondary school. It is prepared and examined by the Malaysian Examinations Syndicate, an agency that constitutes the Ministry of Education.

The Connecticut Mastery Test, or CMT, is a test administered to students in grades 3 through 8. The CMT tests students in mathematics, reading comprehension, writing, and science. The other major standardized test administered to schoolchildren in Connecticut is the Connecticut Academic Performance Test, or CAPT, which is given in grade 10. Until the 2005–2006 school year, the CMT was administered in the fall; now it is given in the spring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ICFES examination</span>

The ICFESexamination, or Saber 11, is a high school exit examination administered annually in grade 11 in Colombian high schools. The exam is standardized, similar to the SAT and ACT examinations taken by high school students in the United States. The purpose of the exam is to evaluate students' aptitude in five subjects: critical reading, mathematics, social studies, science, and English. Each exam question has four multiple-choice answers, except for the English section which provides between three and eight possible answers for each question.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative, also known as simply Common Core, is an educational initiative from 2010 that details what K–12 students throughout the United States should know in English language arts and mathematics at the conclusion of each school grade. The initiative is sponsored by the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exam</span> Educational assessment

An examination or test is an educational assessment intended to measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics. A test may be administered verbally, on paper, on a computer, or in a predetermined area that requires a test taker to demonstrate or perform a set of skills.

The Measurements of Student Progress (MSP), successor to the WASL, was a test taken by students throughout Washington state, ranging from grades 3–8. The SBAC has taken its place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Center for Assessment in Higher Education</span>

Measurement is derived from the verb 'to measure' which means to assess something; in Arabic 'yaqees' 'measure' has the meaning of comparing something to something else. In this sense, measurement is a daily practice that manifests itself in all our assessment activities, whether we assess concrete things in terms of size and color, or abstract things such as human relations. The ultimate goal of 'measuring' something is to assess ourselves in comparison to everything else in the world.