Subject: English Language Arts
Grade Level(s): 3 – 8, 10
Measures Growth: No
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The District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessment System is the standardized assessment system for all D.C. public school students. For ELA, reading is measured in all grades from 3-8 and 10, while written composition is measured in grades 4, 7 and 10. The tests include both multiple-choice and open-response questions.
Pros: Aligned to the standards I teach • Assesses higher-order thinking • Assesses a range of students, including those from far below to far above grade level
Cons: Misses growth of some students, such as those far below and/or far above grade level
Pros: Easy to administer • Data is presented clearly • Data I receive helps me understand where I am teaching well and where I need to improve
Cons: Results are not returned quickly
DC-CAS, in my opinion, needs work. I am from a system where books are produced to match the standards and there is the availability of a question bank. With access to the question bank, educators can help to prepare students for the tests and to also guide instruction. Even though teachers are told not to teach the exam, numbers still count and when students excel, the school excels.
Submitted by Carlene in District of Columbia on March 30, 2012
Cons: Not aligned to the standards I teach • Does not assess higher-order thinking • Misses growth of some students, such as those far below and/or far above grade level • Takes students too long to complete
Cons: Doesn't help me track my students' learning gains over time • It is hard to use the data • Is not helpful to my professional growth as a teacher
The DC-CAS is not aligned to the DC or common core state standards. The testing to prepare students for the CAS is not aligned to the CAS either. What a joke. The fact that 50% of a testing grade teacher's final evaluation is based on this single test score is unlawful. Talk about shooting in the dark and setting up teachers and students to fail!
Submitted by Marni in District of Columbia on March 1, 2012
Pros: Aligned to the standards I teach • Assesses a range of students, including those from far below to far above grade level
Cons: Does not assess higher-order thinking • Misses growth of some students, such as those far below and/or far above grade level
Pros: Easy to administer • Data is presented clearly
Cons: Results are not returned quickly • Doesn't help me track my students' learning gains over time • Is not helpful to my professional growth as a teacher
The DC CAS is a state assessment that measures students one time a year. The good things about this is that teachers and schools can be held accountable for the scores. The down side is that the scores are not provided unitl the summer when it is too late to change instruction. Even if we get the information of the students over the summer there are many changes in a student and their ability. This year the CAS comes the week after spring break, which we all know students are not focused on academics during that time. Because of the timing of the CAS the data may be off. The questions on the CAS relate to the standards, but some of the questions are far reaching in their relation to the standard. The data is easy to use and by the time it is received new data is gathered and it can be used in conjuction with the new data to formulate a learning plan. By itself the DC CAS is not an end within itself, but it can be a good tool.
Submitted by LJ in District of Columbia on February 14, 2012
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