CTP4 Standardized Test

Each spring, Trinity administers the Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP 4), a weeklong battery of standardized tests developed by Educational Records Bureau (ERB) to serve the needs of high achieving students and schools.  This series of tests is designed to be low-stakes (i.e. the scores are used to give the school data on its curriculum, rather than for student placement or admissions) and collects basic information about student achievement.

“We very deliberately give our students little advice other than to get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast before these tests,” explains Lisa Zapalac, Head of Lower School.  “We believe standardized tests offer an opportunity to gather data that can be helpful in determining patterns and in generating questions to be explored using multiple data points.  However, we do not believe in spending important academic minutes prepping for a standardized test.  That is not how this test works, as there are no CTP4 practice materials made available from ERB.”

Students in 3rd through 8th grade receive individual scores in the following subject areas:  Verbal Reasoning, Auditory Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, Writing Mechanics, Writing Concepts & Skills, Quantitative Reasoning, and Mathematics 1 & 2.  (Students in 2nd grade receive a narrative report instead of a numeric score.)  The ERB also gives the school a report of cumulative scores that compare the norms of three other groups:  the entire population of test-takers nationwide, suburban public schools, and independent schools.

Trinity students outperformed other independent schools an incredible 97% of the time, and scored better than suburban public schools and the national norm 100% of the time.

To view the median score sheets for each grade, click on the links below.

3rd grade

4th grade

5th grade

6th grade

7th grade

8th grade