A Parent’s Guide to the CMT and CAPT

by Lynn K. McMullin

        For teachers and administrators, it seems like the standardized tests are no sooner over than they are upon us again. Here we are preparing for March’s CMT and CAPT tests in grades 3 – 11, and every school in the district is involved.
        The CMT and CAPT will take place in Grades 3 – 8 and Grade 10 from March 2nd – 12th. Make-ups will occur over the following two weeks.

What are “High-Stakes, Standardized” Tests?

        Many people cite President Bush’s 2002 NCLB Act (No Child Left Behind) as the beginning of standardized testing. That’s simply not true! Granted the NCLB Act stated that by the 2005-06 school year, all states needed to test students yearly in Math and Reading, grades 3 – 8 and one grade in high school, and by the 2007-08 school year, in science, as well; but, the truth is Connecticut has conducted the CMT (Connecticut Mastery Test), now in its 4th generation, since 1985 and the CAPT (Connecticut Academic Achievement Test), now in its 3rd generation, since 1994. The CMT was originally administered every other year, in grades 4, 6, and 8, and given in October versus March. It’s gone through three revisions since then.
        “High-stakes standardized testing” sounds ominous; but, in Canton, from your student’s and family’s point of view, you should not be worried about the kind of fallout and horror stories you read on the Internet. Your kids are not sitting through hours of kill-and-drill workshops and our teachers and administrators are not changing answer booklets to save their jobs. The term “high-stakes” means there is the intention of a tighter accountability for each state’s and district’s educational system -- although, interestingly enough, each state developed its own tests. Regardless, “high-stakes” means the results of the tests can be used as determinates of funding, licensing, sanctions, interventions, and so on.
        In Canton, we have not lost funding and no educators have lost their jobs due to the CMT or CAPT.  Neither are your students’ test results ever used for grade promotion … nor as the sole data point for placing them in programs or courses. The term “standardized” means all students take the same test and are measured against the same grade-level learning expectations as all other students across the state. It was taken for granted in the NCLB Act that the states would set challenging, but reasonable, expectations for student learning. Connecticut has done so.

What are the CMT and CAPT?

        Both the CMT (grades 3 – 8) and CAPT (grade 10) are multi-day tests in Reading, Math, Writing, and Science that take approximately 500 – 625 total minutes to administer and complete. The tests are designed to accomplish several goals:
1. Establish high expectations for all students at each grade level
2. Identify students who need extra help
3. Help schools and teachers identify weaknesses in the curriculum and improve daily instruction
4. Help families monitor their children’s achievement from grades 3 through 8, and high school.

For a parent brochure about CMT, click here.

For a parent brochure about CAPT, click here:

So, What Can You Do to Help Your Child?
        A lot of the following suggestions are simply common sense. Most kids want to succeed and will naturally strive to do their best. You simply need to nudge that natural tendency along.
        First and foremost, engender confidence in your child’s ability to do well. Help them to see the tests as their chance to shine rather than as tasks they must suffer through. Tell your child that they're not expected to know all the answers. They should work hard on what they know and not worry if they find some things hard to do.  Encourage your child to take their time, to listen carefully to test-taking directions, and to ask questions if any of the directions are not clear.  In other words, when you talk to your child, find the happy medium between taking the tests seriously and being overly anxious about the test and its results.
        Secondly, make sure your child is well-rested during the testing window and eats a well-rounded diet. Hunger detracts from performance; and, at the risk of sounding corny, the more protein and less sugar your child consumes in the morning the better. Make it fun!  To boost morale or alleviate stress, surprise your child with something they love.  For lunch, include a positive message or something along the lines of a "test survival reward."
        Finally, it’s very important to make sure that your child attends school on time during the testing sessions. Do not plan doctor or dental appointments on test dates.  Research shows that students perform much better when they begin comfortably and calmly and when they take the test in a familiar setting along with their peers. Remind your child that there’s no prize for finishing first, and when they do finish, they should review their answers and check their answer sheets for errors.
        Your child’s teacher or school might have additional suggestions for at-home support. Watch for information in the school newsletter, on the website, or in the backpack notices. And please, feel free to call the school if you have any questions.

2010-2011 BUDGET information coming NEXT FRIDAY