Thurber’s Educational Assessments
About the CAT/5
Margaux and Art Thurber
Serving Home Schools and Private Schools in the U.S.A.
ABOUT CAT/5
The California Achievement Test, Fifth Edition (CAT/5).
This achievement test comes in two forms, the CAT/5 Complete Battery (about 5 hours total testing time) or the shorter CAT/5 Survey (about 2 1/2 hours testing time). The shorter Survey is easier to administer and may ease test anxiety. The Survey might be better for a student with a short attention span, because each test subject can be completed in less than 20 minutes. Both forms include language, math, spelling, and optional Social Studies and Science tests which your state may or may not require.
New Policies as of July 2011: All CAT/5 tests are nonconsumable booklets which require students to mark answers on a separate answer sheet. The publisher, CTB McGraw-Hill is no longer scoring CAT/5 tests. Consequently, the CAT/5 no longer provides the Objective Performance Index (mastery levels). Test results are now computer generated, using the publishers norming statistics.
Why order the CAT/5 (1992) rather than an earlier edition (1970, 1986)?
When a publisher sets about to develop a new edition, they analyze curriculum materials presently being used across the country. This provides the publishers with a comprehensive view of the common educational goals that are guiding the teachers’ instruction of students.
Test questions are then constructed that would demonstrate the students’ ability to apply concepts and skills that will reflect achievement in the specific subjects. Most home schools utilize recent curricula. Hence, the more recent edition will more accurately indicate the students’ achievement.
What grade should you order?
Normally you will order the grade in which the student has been progressing during the past six months or so. For example: for a student recently starting the 4th grade, order a third grade test; for a 4th grader mid-way through the 4th grade curriculum, you would order a 4th grade test and so on.
When should you order?
After choosing your test grade and your test week, proceed next to place your order. Order at least 2 weeks ahead of your test week. Many schools and teachers order 8 -10 weeks ahead. This assures availability of supplies and your choice of test week.
No orders are taken by telephone, as signed agreement is required.
With your order, you will receive:
1. A Student Test Booklet for each grade level you ordered
2. Directions for Administering Booklet(s)
3. Answer Sheet (Each test, for grades 1- 12, has a separate answer sheet for the student’s answers)
4. “Suggested Testing Schedule”
5. “Step-by-Step” - our guide to help you administer the test
By the end of your test week, all test materials are returned to us for scoring. Test results are usually mailed to you within 3 - 6 weeks.
Option 1: CAT/5 COMPLETE BATTERY
The C.A.T./5® Complete Battery: : Tests are available for each grade from 1st to 12th grade. This is a full-length test for each grade from one to twelve. It covers reading, language, vocabulary, spelling, math, science, and social studies. Grades 2 - 12 will require about 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours work time, but can be spread over several days.
Choosing the appropriate test level (the following information applies to Grades K – 2):
Grade 1 test for first grade: There are two different First Grade tests, which are called Level 10 and Level 11. (We will send Grade 1 Level 10, unless Grade 1 Level 11 is indicated.)
Consider giving the 1st grade Level 10 test if the student is not yet reading very well. If the student stumbles over reading, sounds out most words, and is just a slower reader, then the 1st grade Level 10 is the right test.
First Grade, Level 10: Total testing time 1 ½ hours; 4 subject categories, each taking about 22 minutes (better for students with short attention spans).
Reading skills: mostly sight words or phrases; some sentences 5 or 6 words long.
Math skills: no computation, just pictorial math.
First Grade Level 11: Total testing time 3 ¾ hours (can be spread over several days); 9 subjects, each up to 33 minutes long (requires longer attention span).
Reading skills: some sentences up to 8 – 10 words; more reading needed in other subject areas.
Math skills: has computation including some double-digit addition and subtraction.
Grade 2 test for second grade: Total testing time 4 ½ hours (can be spread over several days); 10 subjects. Reading skills: longer reading passages; contractions & compound words.
Math skills: double-digit addition & subtraction including regrouping.
Option 2: CAT/5 SURVEY
The C.A.T./5® Survey: This is the short form of the Complete Battery. It is available for Grades 2 - 12. It covers all the same academic subjects as the Complete Battery: reading, spelling, language, math, science, and social studies It requires a minimum of testing time, 2 to 2 ½ hours. We are frequently asked if the Survey form meets North Carolina requirements. The answer is “YES”, it does.
The Student Report compares each student with others in the same grade, similar to the Complete Battery. The Survey does not give you the graph indicating the level of mastery of learning goals, since fewer questions were asked on the actual test.
Reasons you might want to give the CAT/5 Survey:
..1) This test is shorter and easier to give, while covering all the subjects.
..2) It might be better for a student with short attention span.
..3) It may keep test anxiety lower.
..4) It can be administered and easily completed in one or two days.
..5) If you have a young, less experienced, or first-time test taker (such as a 2nd or 3rd grader).
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How do I shorten either the Complete Battery of Survey test?
Choose to administer “Basic Skills”. For a more limited test, called "Basic Skills", order either the Complete Battery or the Survey test, but do not give the Social Studies, Science, Word Analysis (Grades 1 – 3) or Study Skills (Grades 4 – 12) subtests. Our instructions (with your order) will tell you exactly how to do this. Administering the Complete Battery “Basic Skills” test may reduce testing time by as much as an hour and a half. For the very shortest Basic Skills test, give the Survey and do not give the subtests listed above. Administering the Survey “Basic Skills” test may reduce testing time by as much as 45 minutes.
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How to test a student who is…
•Working on a mix of two different grade levels:
If your student is currently working on curriculum that is a mix of two grade levels, such as both 9th and 10th grade, consider the following option: Order the lower of the two grade levels, in which your student is working, to avoid excessive guessing and potential frustration. (Note: this is merely one solution to a particular scenario. Teacher judgment is critical).
•Working above grade level or working below grade level:
For example-- you have an 8th grader who needs a 7th grade test. CAT/5 tests can no longer accommodate off-level testing. If you are looking to test a student who is working above or below the grade level, please see our page titled “About TerraNova”. The publisher, CTB McGraw-Hill, can accommodate off-level testing by performing the complicated scoring process with the TerraNova tests.
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How to prepare your student for the test:
Practice tests are used to acquaint students (and perhaps less experienced test examiners), with the multiple-choice question format. Additionally they can help reduce test anxiety and tension, as well as help students gain confidence in their test-taking abilities. Practice tests are usually administered a day or two before the test. The publisher of CTBS TerraNova recommends the use of practice tests (available for grades 1 – 6). Note: Practice tests for grades 4, 5 & 6 are identical.
Since the test will reflect the typical curriculum taught for each grade, the very best preparation for the test is to teach day by day the typical academic subjects for each grade.
If you would like guidance in understanding the learning objectives for subjects in each grade, you would do well to consult the "Standards of Learning" developed by many states. These guidelines are on the internet (see the website addresses at end of this page). In addition to your state's standards, look at Virginia's standards which are comprehensive and clearly written (see website address below). These are only guidelines to help with teaching and no student is expected to have mastered everything in the standards. Remember, you do not need to have completed the entire curriculum for the year at the time you give the test.
If you are interested in guide books to help students with the C.A.T./5, go to: http://www.sraonline.com/products.html. On that site click on "Test Preparation". These helps should be ordered earlier in your school year to be useful.
WHAT DOES YOUR STATE SAY ABOUT HOMESCHOOL TESTING?
For any state: Information about testing and other homeschool regulations can be found at the following website: http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp
NC Homeschools - Send results to DNPE? What NC regulations say:
Must you send results to DNPE? Only if, this past August, you received from DNPE a gray colored postal card inviting you to do so. Consult that gray postal card for all the details. Otherwise, simply keep the student achievement test result and attendance records at your home for at least one year after the date of testing. If DNPE doesn’t ask to see them during that one year period, you will have satisfied the North Carolina law regarding the DNPE inspection of these student records. If the test company scoring your child's test does not provide the test scores to you in time to meet the June 30 DNPE postmark mail-in deadline, simply hold the completed student attendance records until the test results arrive from the company. Then, send both items together to DNPE per instructions given in your August invitation letter. There is no need for you (or the test company) to notify DNPE about the mail-in delay. Also, when sending student test result or attendance records, DO NOT attach address or telephone number changes in the same envelope. This increases the risk that they may be accidentally overlooked by the DNPE staff.
Thurber’s Educational Assessments
400 Clayton Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Office hours: Monday through Friday 9 A.M. to 4 P.M.,
and Saturday 9 A.M to 12 P.M. Eastern Time.
(919) 967-5282 - test@thurbers.net