[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-504167-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-504167-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","dc-cape-20-frequently-asked-questions-updated-122025","DC CAPE 2.0 Frequently Asked Questions - Updated 12/2025","","DC CAPE 2.0 is the District of Columbia’s next-generation statewide assessment system for English language arts/literacy, mathematics, and science. For 2026-27 launch, OSSE will use Smarter Balanced content for ELA and math, while science will adopt a new design that reduces constructed response items and assessment sections. The first administration is planned for spring 2027. All assessments remain aligned to unchanged DC educational standards and aim to reduce testing time, improve accessibility, and strengthen feedback for instructional decisions.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/dc-cape-20-frequently-asked-questions-updated-122025/504167/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/dc-cape-20-frequently-asked-questions-updated-122025/504167.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"วิน","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-03","2026-10-03",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",16,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why did DC decide to switch to Smarter Balanced for ELA and math?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"DC used PARCC content and blueprints after joining PARCC, but sustaining PARCC materials long term was not feasible. DC also needed to avoid expanding testing time and discontinue certain costly accommodations, so joining Smarter Balanced better met sustainability and stakeholder requirements.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What stakeholder input informed the decision for the shift to DC CAPE 2.0?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"OSSE Office of Assessments held focus groups with LEA Assessment Managers and instructional leaders in Sept. 2024, plus additional focus groups with school leaders/teachers in Feb. 2025 and families in March 2025. OSSE also deployed a survey and received 25 LEA responses.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What does it mean that DC joined the Smarter Balanced Consortium?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"DC can collaborate with other states to develop high-quality ELA and math items and share best practices while still tailoring assessments to local priorities. Consortium membership also provides LEAs free access to aligned interim assessments and Tools for Teachers instructional resources.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},504167,1791142269,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,95,100,105,110,115,120,123,127],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":122},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":124,"slug":126},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":128,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":130},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":132},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":133,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":33,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":96,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},2336475104736,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/22000c4c5e0e5b17e70?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1786591360781797222","DC CAPE 2.0 Frequently Asked Questions  \nUpdated 12/2025  \nThe District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (DC CAPE) is the District’s general statewide assessment system, which includes assessments in English language arts/literacy (ELA), mathematics and science. Together, these assessments create a comprehensive system that provides important information on students’ progress and proficiency relative to the District’s educational standards.  \nIn school year 2026-27, OSSE will launch DC CAPE 2.0, the next generation of our statewide assessments. DC CAPE 2.0 assessments in ELA and math will use content from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. DC CAPE 2.0 science assessments will feature a new design that reduces the number of constructed response items and assessment sections. This transition in our statewide assessments is reflective of the input of DC educators—reducing testing time, increasing accessibility for students, and strengthening feedback mechanisms to better use assessments to inform instructional decisions. The DC CAPE 2.0 assessments will still be aligned to the District’s educational standards in ELA, math and science, which have not changed. The first administration of the DC CAPE 2.0 assessments will be in spring 2027.  \nContents  \nDecision Process/Rationale  \nUnderstanding the Test and Resources  \nReporting  \nAccountability  \nDecision Process/Rationale  \n1. How was the decision to switch to Smarter Balanced for math and ELA made?  \nDC was a member of the PARCC consortium until 2023 to create required statewide assessmentsin ELA and math. To continue being able to measure post-pandemic recovery after the PARCC consortium dissolved in 2023, DC launched our own assessment name (DC CAPE), but continued to use the previously developed PARCC content and blueprints. Unfortunately, using the PARCC content and blueprints alone cannot be sustained by DC long-term. DC does not have enough students to field test new content for our current assessment without significantly increasing testing time. Additionally, DC has had to discontinue some accommodations that were available under PARCC due to cost.  \nThe decision to move forward with joining the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) best addresses assessment system requirements, sustainability considerations, and stakeholder feedback.  \n2. What stakeholder input data collection processes informed the decision for this shift?  \nThe OSSE Office of Assessments held two focus group sessions open to LEA Assessment Managers and instructional leaders in Sept. 2024. The Superintendent’s Advisory Councils also held focus groups: School Leaders/Teachers in Feb. 2025 and Families in March 2025. These meetings allowed OSSE to collect feedback on the current assessment system and how it could be improved. The Office of Assessments also deployed a survey as part of those engagementsand received 25 responses from LEAs.  \nThe most common recommendations OSSE received from stakeholders were to enhance accessibility, address bias and strengthen feedback mechanisms by providing actionable resources to connect assessment results to instruction. Smarter Balanced is responsive to this feedback and also allows DC to meet the federal requirements for statewide assessment technical quality.  \n3. What does it mean that DC has joined the Smarter Balanced Consortium?  \nJoining the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium enables DC to collaborate with other states to develop high-quality ELA and math items and share best practices, while retaining the flexibility to tailor assessments to our local priorities. Consortium membership also provides LEAs with free access to aligned interim assessments and Tools for Teachers instructional resources.  \nWhile Smarter Balanced will provide content for the ELA and math assessments, DC’s current administration vendor, Pearson, will still be providing science content and the assessment administration platforms. This ","cbCaiqGpVFMMEAfs","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiqGpVFMMEAfs","pdf",355788,"English","# Decision Process/Rationale\n## How the switch to Smarter Balanced was made\n## Stakeholder input and data collection\n## Meaning of joining the Smarter Balanced Consortium\n# Understanding the Test and Resources\n## Grades and subjects assessed\n## Blueprints and alignment to standards\n# Reporting","[{\"question\":\"Why did DC decide to switch to Smarter Balanced for ELA and math?\",\"answer\":\"DC used PARCC content and blueprints after joining PARCC, but sustaining PARCC materials long term was not feasible. DC also needed to avoid expanding testing time and discontinue certain costly accommodations, so joining Smarter Balanced better met sustainability and stakeholder requirements.\"},{\"question\":\"What stakeholder input informed the decision for the shift to DC CAPE 2.0?\",\"answer\":\"OSSE Office of Assessments held focus groups with LEA Assessment Managers and instructional leaders in Sept. 2024, plus additional focus groups with school leaders/teachers in Feb. 2025 and families in March 2025. OSSE also deployed a survey and received 25 LEA responses.\"},{\"question\":\"What does it mean that DC joined the Smarter Balanced Consortium?\",\"answer\":\"DC can collaborate with other states to develop high-quality ELA and math items and share best practices while still tailoring assessments to local priorities. Consortium membership also provides LEAs free access to aligned interim assessments and Tools for Teachers instructional resources.\"}]","DC CAPE 2.0 Frequently Asked Questions - Updated 12/2025 | PDF",1791064536,13]