The Office of Assessment, Evaluation and Research is responsible for coordinating district assessments, providing data collection services and preparing State and Board mandated reports.   The office implements various testing programs including the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT), Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT), Stanford Test of Academic Skills: Reading and the Connecticut Bilingual Assessment.  The Language Assessment Scales (LAS) is administered to assess the English language proficiency of all K-12 students new to the school system whose primary language is other than English.  Students enrolled in bilingual programs also participate in the LAS Annual Assessment during the spring of each year.  The office conducts in-house scoring of the Connecticut Mastery Test for grades 3, 5 and 7; the Stanford Reading test for grades 9-12 and the Language Assessment Scales for grades K-12.  Data from assessments are analyzed and comprehensive reports summarizing the test data are distributed to school staff.

A recently added bubble test scoring program, Riso Assessment, prepares students to participate in standardized tests and provides the district with a low-cost method for schools to score and receive test results within minutes of completion and electronically collect classroom-level assessment data.  Further, Hartford is moving toward an online district-wide assessment system, PCPAL.  In doing so, students will benefit from increased use of technology through online testing, and teachers and administrators will be empowered to easily track, analyze and improve student achievement.

Numerous reports are prepared and submitted to the Connecticut State Department of Education each year.  Among these reports are: ED 166 Disciplinary Offense, ED 165 Strategic School Profile, ED 525 Student Mobility, ED 540 Graduating Class, Priority School Report, ED 539 Efforts to Reduce Racial, Ethnic and Economic Isolation, PA 99-288 Developmental Reading Assessment, ED 205 Title I Evaluation, ED 101/ED 102 OCR Biennial Compliance Reports and LAS Annual Assessment Report.  Additionally, the office is responsible for the submission of the Public School Information System (PSIS), a database developed by the CSDE.  The PSIS database collects data previously reported on the ED 006 Student Census and Racial Survey and the ED 228 Assessment Dominant Language.

The office also monitors the student demographics, instructional placement and enrollment data of the School Administrative Student Information (SASI) system.  To manage this objective, the office implemented an accountability system by which validation checks are continuously performed. Reports are provided to school principals for verification and professional development sessions are conducted for staff responsible for maintaining this data as well as for school administrators.

Further, the office compiles data and prepares reports for various instructional programs including: Success For All, Curiosity Corner, Early Learning Program, Developmental Reading Assessment and others.

Additionally, to support district needs for access to assessment data, the office maintains EDsmart, the district’s data warehouse system.  Using this system, administrators can analyze and report school level testing data.

Finally, staff in the Assessment, Evaluation and Research Office comply with numerous requests for data from the Superintendent, outside agencies and other staff.