Schools Try to Take Snow Days in Stride Before Statewide Tests

Another day off from school is beautiful music to many young ears, but could all these snow days come with a cost for test scores?

Every year, children in grades three through eight must prepare for the mandatory  Connecticut Mastery Test  for elementary school and students in 10th grade for the Connecticut Academic Performance Test. These tests are held annually in March, and the students start intensively preparing for them in January and February.

The state keeps records of how students fare on these basic reading, writing, mathematics and science tests and passing the CAPT in high school is a statewide graduation requirement.

With some area schools already closed a record-breaking nine days thus far, educators are assessing the impact on prepping for these tests.

“The snow days disrupt instruction, no doubt about it,” said Dr. Karen List, Superintendent of Schools in West Hartford. But, she said, “In terms of CMT and CAPT preparation, we embed CMT and CAPT objectives into our curriculum,instruction and assessments. Therefore, the concepts are part of what we teach all year."

"We are fortunate this year to have only a two-day vacation in February rather than a week," she said." This allows us some extra time if review is needed.”

 Gary Gula, principal of Canton High School, said the snow days are affecting learning in general. 

“Students and teachers are finding it difficult to maintain consistency and continuity,” said Gula. He noted that the state Department of Education pushed back the mandated dates for select CAPT tests by a week, with the option of completing other CAPT tests the week before. He said, however, that because of all the snow days, Canton administration and department chairs decided not to take advantage of starting their testing earlier. 

 Bill Guzman, superintendent of schools in Tolland, where students have lost 11 days of school because of school closings, early dismissals or delayed starts, said that the “rhythm of instruction has been altered.” CAPT and CMT testing is a concern, he said.

 Last week, the Tolland Board of Education voted to shorten the February vacation by three days,  Guzman noted. Students will be off Feb. 21 and 22, but back in school for the remainder of the week.  Thus far, no changes have been made to the scheduled April school vacation,  Guzman said. 

Carol Fox, East Windsor acting superintendent, doesn’t seem too worried.  

“Yes, snow days are an inconvenience, but teachers are doing what they need to do. It’s truly not a crisis,” she said.

Jane Ellen Peregrin, director of guidance at Avon High School, agreed.

“We don’t see them [snow days] as a major disruption” preparing for the CAPT, said Peregrin. “It’s tied into the curriculum.”

While state testing must be administered during March and be completed by March 29, List said that only the CMT writing prompt must be administered on the same day statewide. Other than that, she said, each district may determine when the tests are scheduled.