Starting next spring, students across Colorado will no longer sit for the Colorado Student Assessment Program test, but its transitional replacement won’t be much different yet.
“The transitional test will encourage districts to move forward with their implementation of the new standards, while providing time for the preparation of students for the higher expectations,” said Jo O’Brien, assistant commissioner in the Office of Standards and Assessment in a statement.
The transitional test, Transitional Colorado Assessment Program or TCAP, will test the same students the CSAP tested from third grade through 10th grade.
It will have the same test structure and content distribution as the CSAP, but will question students on content from old state standards that will remain the same in new state standards.
New state standards, adopted in 2009, are meant to be fewer, clearer and higher.
The TCAP will not test students on Colorado’s new personal financial literacy expectations, social studies expectations, or any new learning skills such as invention and information management.
That content will be tested for in the new state assessment that will eventually replace CSAP. The transitional test will be in place for 2012 and 2013.
The new test is slated to roll out in 2014.
