MCAP Testing Underway: Supporting Student Success Through May

State testing for the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) is now underway. Testing began April 28 and continues through May. These end-of-year assessments measure what students know, understand and can do after a full year of learning. The following strategies are taught and reinforced during instruction to support students’ focus, problem-solving and confidence during test sessions.

Elementary School (Think, Check and Try Again!)

• Brainstorm first: Cover the answers and try to guess what the right one is before you even look.
• Read super carefully: Take your time and underline the important stuff.
• Cut the clutter: Cross out the answers that are clearly wrong to help you pick the best one left.
• Find the proof: Ask yourself, “Where does the text/problem show the answer?”
• Read it again: If you get stuck, draw a picture, cross out more wrong answers and take your best shot.
• Don’t get bogged down: Skip the tough ones and come back to them later.

Middle School (Be a Problem Solver & Show Your Work!)

• Answer before you look: Cover the choices and come up with your own answer first.
• Deconstruct the question: Figure out exactly what the question is asking and what skill you need to use (such as comparing or analyzing).
• Be smart about eliminating: Get rid of the wrong answers and then really compare the few left over.
• Always use evidence: Back up your answer with stuff from the text or the data. You have to be able to say, “I know this is right because …”
• Read it again: If you don’t know, look for hints (in the text, a diagram or even other questions), break the problem into smaller steps, and make an educated guess based on what you do know.
• Keep an eye on the clock: “Flag” the hard questions and return to them after you’ve knocked out the easy ones.
• Double-check: Did you actually answer the question, and do you have the evidence to prove it?

High School (Think Critically & Adjust Your Game Plan!)

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• Predict before choosing: Hide the answer choices and guess what the answer should be.
• Know the task: Understand what the question is asking and whether it requires more than one step of thinking.
• Use logic to eliminate: Get rid of the bad options, then use facts and reasoning to pick the best fit from what’s left.
• Prove it: Use evidence from the text, your data analysis or strong logical thinking to justify your answer.
• Rephrase the question: When you’re unsure, use clues, break it down and choose the answer with the strongest support.
• Use writing to figure it out (Constructed Responses): Answer directly, explain how you know, use specific evidence and make sure your explanation is clear.
• Time management is key: Flag the challenging items and come back when your brain is fresh.
• Check your brain: Did you hit every part of the prompt? Is your reasoning clear and fully supported?