Scholastic Aptitude Test

Learn More About The Connecticut Mastery Test

As with all states, Connecticut mandates that their state board of education enforce annual administration of statewide achievement tests. The Connecticut Mastery Test is therefore given to all students statewide in grades four through eight, in varying forms.

Initially this sat was only offered to fourth, sixth and eighth grades but following the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, Connecticut was forced to include the testing of third, fifth and seventh grades. Testing covers mathematics, reading and language arts. The subject of science was added in 2008 for fifth and eighth grades. Students in tenth grade take a SAT called The Connecticut Academic Performance Test or CAPT.

Originally administered in the fall, the Connecticut Mastery Test has since been moved to spring testing. The grading scale measures achievements according to five levels. Level one indicates below basic, level two basic understanding, level three shows proficiency in subject material, level four conveys goal level, and level five indicates a student is testing at an advanced level.

Mathematics is one subject area that is covered, testing basic skills and math concepts that the students are able to perform. It also examines how well a student can apply these basic skills and concepts to solve math problems. The mathematic subject questions are offered in three formats; multiple choice, grid- in, and open-ended. Multiple choice offers four options, grid- in requires the solving of problems and filling in a grid, and open-ended questions require student to show his or her work to justify their answer.

Reading subject matter covers comprehension and reading power. Depending on grade level, the student will be required to read various types of literature, both fiction and non- fiction, in lengths of four hundred to one thousand words. The Connecticut Mastery Test in reading expects the student to read for meaning.

The questions are offered in multiple choice and open-ended forms. They are also given test described as degrees of reading power. In this section, the student is given a number of informational passages and then required to answer questions based on what they read.

Writing sections are also administered. Various grade levels are asked to write an essay either in narrative, expository or persuasive format. They are given 45 minutes to complete this essay. The Connecticut Mastery Test is concerned with the message expressed by the student so spelling and punctuation is not a concern during the grading of this subject test.

Students are also tested on their ability to proof-read and edit passages that are presented with errors in them. The goal of testing in this manner is to provide constant improvement of public education. The information obtained from these tests can be used by students, teachers, schools and districts to identify weaknesses to work on as well as strengths to build on.