Madison's 2011 CAPT Scores Show Improvement In Most Areas

Madison's 2011 Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) results show some improvement over 2010 when it comes to the percentage of Grade 10 students scoring at or above goal in math, science and writing.

The percentage of students scoring at or above goal in reading is slightly lower than in 2010, but it still ranks sixth among the 19 comparable school districts in District Reference Group B, said Assistant Superitendent Anita Rutlin. Towns are grouped into District Reference Groups (DRGs) based on data points relating to socioeconomic status, need, and number of students. The most affluent and low-need districts are grouped into DRG A and B.

Madison's 2011 CAPT scores were as follows:

• Math: 71.8 percent of students tested scored at or above goal, compared to 68.9 percent in 2010, and 97.2 percent scored at or above proficiency, compared to 94.1 in 2010. Statewide, 49.6 students scored at or above goal in math, and 80.3 percent at or above proficiency.
• Science: 72.8 percent of students scored at or above goal, compared to 69.0 percent in 2010, and 97.8 percent scored at or above proficiency, compared to 96.4 percent in 2010. Statewide, 47.2 percent scored at or above goal in science, and 81.7 percent scored at or above proficiency.
• Reading: 73.0 percent of stduents tested scored at or above goal, compared to 75.1 percent in 2010, and 97.8 percent scored at or above proficiency, compared to 97.5 in 2010. Statewide, 44.8 percent scored at or above goal,a dn 81.9 percent scored at or above proficiency.
• Writing: 84.0 percent of students tested scored at or above goal, compared to 83.7 percent in 2010. 99.1 percent scored at or above proficiency, compared to 96.7 percent in 2010. Statewide, 61.3 percent scored at or above goal, and 88.6 percent scored at or above proficiency.

Rutlin said said "goal" is a range of scale scores set by Connecticut for each subject area tested. "'At /Above Goal' includes the percentage of students who attained scale scores not only in the Goal range, but also in the Advanced range," she said.

She added that Madison continues to do well when it comes to attaining proficiency in all areas of the test.

"Madison has very high percentages of students attain at or above proficiency on all four subtests. Among DRG B districts, Madison ranks first in Science and Writing, third in Reading and fourth in Mathematics for percentage of students at or above proficiency," she said.

The number of students tested in 2011 is 5 less than the number tested in 2010, Rutlin said. "The 325 students tested in 2010 was the highest number tested in the span of years from 2007 through 2011. The number of students tested varies directly with the number of students enrolled in grade 10," she said.