2012 - 2013 Manuals

• TCAP Test Proctor Manuals

• Procedures Manual
• Colorado Accommodations Manual
• Colorado Accommodations Guide for English Language Learners
• TCAP SAC/DAC Manual

TCAP Frequently Asked Questions

• TCAP FAQ

Parent Brochures

• TCAP Parent Guide
• Una Guia para los Padres de Familia
  - TCAP Parent Guide Spanish

Item Maps

• 2008 - 2012 Summative Assessment Item Maps
• Item Map Legend

CSAP Reports

Guide to Test Interpretation 2011

• Guide to Test Interpretation Grades 3–8
• Guide to Test Interpretation Grades 9 and 10

Technical Reports

• 2012 TCAP Technical Report

CSAP

• 2011 CSAP Technical Report
• 2010 CSAP Technical Report
• 2009 CSAP Technical Report
• 2008 CSAP Technical Report
• 2007 CSAP Technical Report

Technical Resources

• GRT Data File Layouts
  • What: Indicates the layout or format of the GRT (general research tape) file.

Standard Setting Procedures

• CSAP 2008 Science Standard Setting Technical Report

  • What: A detailed overview of the process used to describe how the cut-points for the performance levels (i.e., partially proficient, proficient, advanced) were set.

CSAP/TCAP Achievement Levels

Student performance is reported in four proficiency Levels:

Links to Grade Level Proficiency Level Descriptors by Grade level and Content Area:

These descriptors were written by the groups of Colorado educators gathered for the Bookmarking procedure doing the Standard Setting following the first administration of each grade level content area CSAP. They define the behaviors and skills students actually demonstrated on items within each performance level on that first test administration. Though new items are refreshed on the CSAP tests annually, inferences can be made as to the skills and behaviors of students scoring within each performance level - Advanced, Proficient, Partially Proficient and Unsatisfactory.

Depth of Knowledge

Level 1

• Requires students to recite or recall of information including fact, formula, or simple procedure.


• May be asked to demonstrate a rote response, use a well-known formula, follow a set procedure (like a recipe), or perform a clearly defined series of steps.

Level 2

• Requires some mental processing beyond a habitual response.


• Requires students to make some decisions on how to approach a task or problem.

Level 3

• Requires reasoning, planning, using evidence and in most cases to “explain their thinking.”


• Requires students to go beyond; to explain, to generalize, or connect ideas.

Level 4

• Requires some complex reasoning, planning, developing and thinking over an extended period of time.


• May be asked to develop a hypothesis and perform complex analysis.

PDF Version

• Reading Depth of Knowledge


• Writing Depth of Knowledge


• Mathematics Depth of Knowledge


• Science Depth of Knowledge

Continuous Scales

The following documents indicate the scale score ranges for each of the 2002 CSAPs and describe how to convert prior years' scores to the current scale.

• CSAP Scale Score Ranges  (updated 07/18/08)

Historical Documents:

CSAP 2002 Continuous Scales - Graphic

Displays in graph format the scale score ranges for each content area test.

• Continuous Scale, Reading 

• Continuous Scale, Writing 

• Continuous Scale, Math

CSAP 2002 Continuous Writing and Math Scales

Describes how to convert prior years' Writing and Math scores to the 2002 continuous Writing and Math scales, respectively.

Download the CSAP 2002 Continuous Writing and Math Scales

• CSAP 2001 Continuous Reading Scale

  Download the CSAP 2001 Continuous Reading Scale Information

  • Describes how to convert prior years' Reading scores to the 2001 continuous Reading scale.