Lexi Preiser ’10 and Natasha Gabbay ’10
Web Editor-in-Chief and Web Managing Editor
Results from the CAPT and the SAT standardized tests from the 2008–09 school year have been released.
When compared to scores from Staples’ Demographic Reference Group (DRG), which is composed of the towns of Darien, Easton/Redding, Wilton, New Caanan, Ridgefield, and Weston, Staples’ CAPT passing percentage was in the middle to lower half of the DRG in the math, writing and science sections.
However, Staples’ passing percentage ranked number one in the DRG in the reading catagory, in which Staples had a passing percentage of 87.6 percent.
On the other hand, Westport was a clear frontrunner when it came to SATs, as Staples scored highest in all sections in the DRG apart from being second to Darien in the math section.
While SAT’s help to determine college admittance, a Staples student has to pass the CAPT test as a graduation requirement.
According to the Staples High School handbook, “students earn certificates upon reaching state levels of excellence.” However, a student must only pass the five sections to meet state requirements: response to literature, editing, mathematics, science and interdisciplinary writing.
“I didn’t really care about the grades [on CAPT], as long as I passed,” said Margot Colwell ’11, who took the CAPT in March 2009.
Frank Corbo, the mathematics coordinator for grades 6–12, had a different theory to explain the inconsistency between the SAT and CAPT scores.
“The CAPT test is based on the average tenth grade curriculum throughout the state, and we [at Staples] don’t align with that average.”
The math portion of the CAPT test is completely knowledge based, and tests the student on basic algebraic concepts, which most Staples students learned in middle school. Since the math department’s curriculum is far beyond what is tested on CAPT, math classes do not have the time to re-teach concepts that students have not encountered since seventh grade.
“Most students in the state haven’t taken Algebra by 10th grade, or are currently taking it — our students learn it in middle school. The material on the SAT lines up better with our curriculum,” Corbo said.
The English department spends time preparing for CAPT by practicing some of the generic reading and writing skills that students still use on a daily basis.
“We embed the CAPT preparation into our regular English program,” said Lis Comm, the English coordinator for grades 6-12. “The CAPT requires that [students] evaluate a piece of literature — something that is constantly done in English class regardless.”
Although these concepts are embedded in the curriculum, the English department also provides students with at least three weeks of CAPT “boot camp,” in which students are exposed to the format of the reading portion of the test.
While students may have achieved mixed marks on the CAPT test, SAT scores were excellent and overall, teachers were happy with the results.
“We don’t really care [about CAPT]; we’re quite happy. We blow away the AP tests and the SATs, and we do respectable on CAPT,” Corbo said.
