CAPT Up, CMT Scores Mixed For Canton Schools

Standardized test scores are in for Canton, and the district saw strong gains in CAPT scores, with mixed results for CMTs. Scores still far exceed state averages.

The Connecticut Department of Education released the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) and the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) scores for all Connecticut school districts on Tuesday. 

On the CAPT test, which is given to 10th graders, Canton students improved across the board. More than 83 percent of students reached goal in math (up from 73 percent in 2012), 82 percent in science (up from 69 percent), 69 percent in reading (down from 71 percent) and 86 percent in writing (up from 81).

"I'm thrilled with our CAPT scores," Superintendent Kevin Case said. 

However, the CMTs were more mixed. In third grade, scores increased - with a 10-point increase in writing. In fourth grade, math and reading increased, with a seven-point drop in writing. Scores declined in fifth grade, with a nearly 10-point drop in math. Sixth grade showed minor decreases, seventh grade a mix, and eighth increases in math, reading and writing.

Those comparisons were by grade level from year to year. As part of its analysis, Canton has prepared charts that show scores for the same group of students as they progressed through the grade levels. 

Those numbers are fairly steady, with an exception being the reading scores for 5th graders in 2013, which dropped 11 percent from the group's 2012 scores as 4th graders. 

However, some dips were expected as the school has now changed its curriculum to meet Common Core State standards but the tests will not change until next year, Case said. 

The computer driven Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium tests that start next year will be aligned to the new curriculum, he added. 

"We expected a dip," Case said. 

The CMTs are administered to all students from grade three to grade eight. Students are tested in math, reading and writing, and in middle school, they are tested in science as well.

Students are labeled based on their performance. The labels, in descending order, are advanced, goal, proficient, basic and below basic. 

The smarter balance tests will be individualized and increase in difficulty until a student is no longer able to answer questions, providing a much better assessment, Case said. 

That will be much more beneficial," Case said. 

Those tests will be administered to Grades 3 to 8 and Grade 11 over a two-month period next Spring. 

A full report is expected to be given to the Board of Education Tuesday night.

Click here for CAPT results

Click here for CMT results