Poudre School District students are scheduled to take the state-mandated Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) tests March 19 – April 12.

The TCAP tests replace the former Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) tests that students have taken in the past and which were based on the old Colorado Model Content Standards. The TCAP tests support school districts as they transition to the new Colorado Academic Standards.

The TCAP, designed to measure standards that are common between the old and new standards, will assess the same content areas and grades as CSAP including: math, reading and writing in 3rd – 10th-grades. Science tests will also be given to 5th, 8th and 10th-grade students. According to state law, every Colorado student enrolled in a public school is required to take either the TCAP or CoAlt (alternate assessment).

Parents can prepare their child for these tests in several ways:

• Ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep.
• Provide your student with a nourishing breakfast.
• Schedule appointments or vacations on non-test days.
• Encourage your child to do their best in school at all times, not just during assessments.

The TCAP assessment is designed to provide a picture of student performance to schools, districts, educators, parents and the community. The data will be used to measure student, school, and district progress toward higher student achievement levels.

Other key points about the TCAP:

• TCAP encourages districts to move forward with implementation of the new standards, while providing time for the preparation of students for the higher expectations to come.
• TCAP has been designed to be used only for two years. At the end of the two years, all districts are expected to have transitioned fully to the new academic standards.
• TCAP does not assess the entire Colorado Academic Standards, nor does it assess the new standards at the same level of difficulty which will be expected once the new standards are fully implemented.
• When the new standards are fully implemented, a new assessment designed to assess the full depth and breadth of those standards will also be implemented. The new assessment is currently scheduled to be implemented in 2014.

For more information about the TCAP tests, check out the TCAP Frequently Asked Questions or visit the Colorado Department of Education website.