Why does the name change?
For many years, DC has partnered with dozens of states to administer the PARCC exam. The group said states have adopted the Common Core academic standards, which are meant to increase the rigor of public education across the country, requiring common tests to see if students are meeting those expectations. It was formed in response to this.
But in recent years, an increasing number of states have withdrawn from the PARCC consortium due to criticism over its time and cost and backlash against Common Core. Finally, D.C., which until last year was the only place still administering the full PARCC exam, had to write its own test.
Are the exams different too?
Simply put, it's not.
Officials said students will be tested with the same content and there will be no further variations. It's better between DC CAPE and PARCC than it has been for the past two years on older tests. Similar to PARCC, new exams will be conducted According to testing company Pearson. Students can expect the same number and type of questions, including multiple-choice and short-answer responses.
The biggest change is the name and who reviews the question. During the PARCC era, teachers across the country participated in the test question. Now, a committee of D.C. teachers helps decide what questions will be asked.
Can I compare this year's results with previous years?
Yes, this will be critical as schools continue to track how students are recovering from the pandemic. Last year's test scores improved after a pandemic-era math proficiency rate fell from 31 percent in 2019 to 19 percent in 2022, the lowest level in Washington, D.C., by 2023. Mathematics allows 22 percent of students to perform at grade level. (Due to the pandemic, students were not tested in 2020 and 2021.)
Reading scores were also affected when children returned to physical classrooms for the 2021-2022 school year. In 2019, 37 percent of the district's students were able to read at grade level. Only 31% will be able to do so by 2022. Last year, this number rebounded to 34%.
Who takes this test and why?
Students in grades 3 through 12 take math and reading tests online each spring. (Another science test called the DC Science Assessment is given to high school biology students as well as a 5th grader and her 8th grader.)
The results are aimed at helping teachers understand how students are progressing and mastering the skills they need to know by the time they graduate from high school, such as understanding complex text and multiplying fractions. is.
What happens if a student does not pass?
The state Office of the Inspector General allocates federal money to the city's lowest-performing schools and helps them develop plans outlining how they can improve. However, some of these schools continue to struggle. In January, the D.C. Board of Regents passed legislation that would require the Education Department to create a specialized office to provide additional resources and guidance to these schools.
Student test scores are used to evaluate teachers, among other criteria. The city's traditional public school system, which uses a grading system known as IMPACT, has provided academic benefits but has also been found to be racially biased. The system has undergone some changes in recent years, but critics say it still penalizes teachers who work with children in historically underserved schools.
