District of Columbia · DC CAPE · grades 3-8
DC CAPE
Practice Tests
Questions aligned to Common Core State Standards, grades 3-8. Pick a grade and subject and try them without signing up: Math and English/RLA.
Practice DC CAPE Questions
Pick your child's grade to start. No signup required.
DC CAPE sample questions with answers
One question from each of several grades, with the answer and a step-by-step explanation. Open a question's answer when your child has tried it.
Question 1 · Grade 3 Math · Standard 3.OA.C.7
What is 54 ÷ 6?
- A.7
- B.8
- C.9
- D.10
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: C. 9
54 ÷ 6 = 9. Think: 6 × 9 = 54. Division is the inverse of multiplication.
Question 2 · Grade 4 English · Standard RL.4.2
In a story, Leo builds a model bridge for the school science fair. The first bridge falls apart when he tests it. Leo studies why it failed, rebuilds it using triangles, and the new bridge holds a heavy book. What is the theme of the story?
- A.Science fairs are hard
- B.Mistakes can teach us how to do better
- C.Bridges are always made of triangles
- D.Heavy books break things
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. Mistakes can teach us how to do better
Leo's first bridge fails, he figures out why, and his second try works. The lesson is that learning from a mistake leads to success.
Question 3 · Grade 6 Math · Standard 6.RP.A.3
A train travels 9 miles in 12 minutes at a steady speed. At this rate, how far does it travel in 20 minutes?
- A.12 miles
- B.15 miles
- C.17 miles
- D.27 miles
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. 15 miles
Unit rate: 9 ÷ 12 = 0.75 mile per minute. In 20 minutes: 0.75 × 20 = 15 miles. 17 comes from adding 8 to both numbers instead of using a rate.
Question 4 · Grade 7 Math · Standard 7.RP.A.2
A recipe uses 3 cups of flour to make 2 loaves of bread. How many cups of flour are needed for 7 loaves?
- A.9 cups
- B.10.5 cups
- C.12 cups
- D.14 cups
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. 10.5 cups
Flour per loaf: 3 ÷ 2 = 1.5 cups. For 7 loaves: 1.5 × 7 = 10.5 cups.
Question 5 · Grade 8 English · Standard RL.8.4
In a poem, the speaker says: "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul." The poet uses this metaphor to suggest that hope —
- A.Is fragile and easily broken
- B.Lives inside us like a bird, always ready to sing
- C.Belongs only to people with birds
- D.Is the same as a pet
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. Lives inside us like a bird, always ready to sing
Emily Dickinson's metaphor compares hope to a bird — it 'perches in the soul,' suggesting hope lives within us and, like a bird, can take flight or sing even in dark times.
Every grade, every subject
How DC CAPE prep works
- 1
Pick your grade
Select your child's grade level. We show which subjects are available for that grade on the DC CAPE.
- 2
Choose a subject
Pick Math, English/RLA, or Science. Every question is aligned to Common Core State Standards at the right difficulty.
- 3
Practice and learn
Answer questions in the real DC CAPE format. Every answer gets a detailed explanation so your child learns from mistakes.
Why District of Columbia parents choose iMasterly
Common Core State Standards-aligned questions
Every question maps to specific Common Core State Standards and reporting categories. Not generic — built for DC CAPE.
Verified accuracy
Every question is checked and verified against the answer key. No wrong answers to trip your child up.
Misconception-based distractors
Wrong answers target the exact mistakes students make. Your child learns WHY they got it wrong.
Beyond test prep
DC CAPE prep is just one feature. iMasterly teaches 15+ subjects with AI-personalized curriculum.
DOK-matched difficulty
Questions match the real DC CAPE's Depth of Knowledge distribution for authentic practice.
Built to the real DC CAPE
Practice tests follow the DC CAPE's published blueprint for each grade and subject: the same standards, question types and points as test day, with original questions and every answer explained.
Spring 2027: the first DC CAPE Next test
This page is about Washington, DC (the District of Columbia), not Washington State. Students in grades 3-8 in the District take DC CAPE, the District's statewide test, run by OSSE. Spring 2026 was the third and final year of the original DC CAPE. Starting in the 2026-27 school year, OSSE is giving DC CAPE Next (OSSE's earlier documents call it DC CAPE 2.0): the ELA and math tests now use content from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, which DC joined on October 15, 2025. The first administration is spring 2027.
OSSE lets each school (LEA) test at any time inside the window, so ask your school for your child's days.
Sources: OSSE Test Coordinator Resources, 2026-27 statewide test window · OSSE DC CAPE Next Readiness Guide · OSSE, DC CAPE Next · OSSE 2026 results release · Smarter Balanced, October 15, 2025.
What changes from spring 2026 to spring 2027
The standards do not change: DC ELA and math still follow the Common Core State Standards (adopted in 2010) and science the Next Generation Science Standards (adopted in 2013). The test around them does.
| DC CAPE (through spring 2026) | DC CAPE Next (from spring 2027) | |
|---|---|---|
| ELA and math questions | PARCC content and blueprints | Smarter Balanced content |
| How questions are picked | Not adaptive | Computer adaptive (ELA and math) |
| Score levels (ELA, math) | Five levels; Levels 4-5 proficient | Four levels; Level 3 meets grade-level expectations |
| Time limit | Timed | Untimed (ELA, math and science) |
| Science (grades 5, 8, Biology) | Four sections | Two sections, fewer written-response items |
| Testing software | Pearson TestNav | Pearson TestNav (unchanged) |
Because the levels and score scales are different, OSSE says a child's 2026 score cannot be compared directly with their 2027 score. OSSE is running a bridge study to link the two at the District level.
Sources: OSSE, DC CAPE 2.0 FAQ (December 2025) · OSSE, DC CAPE Next · OSSE Next Generation Assessments meeting, September 2, 2026 · OSSE, DC CAPE.
What is on the grades 3-8 ELA and math tests
OSSE says DC CAPE Next uses the Smarter Balanced summative adjusted blueprints for grades 3-8. Each test has two parts: a computer adaptive section (CAT), where the next question depends on earlier answers, and a performance task (PT), a set of questions on one topic. Because the test adapts, the number of questions can vary slightly from student to student.
| Area reported | Grades 3-5 | Grades 6-8 |
|---|---|---|
| ELA: Reading | 8 adaptive questions (1 literary + 1 informational text) | 10 adaptive questions (1 literary + 2 informational texts) |
| ELA: Writing | 4 adaptive questions + the performance-task essay (scored for organization, evidence and conventions) | Same |
| ELA: Listening | 4 adaptive questions (2 listening passages) | Same |
| ELA: Research | 4 adaptive questions + 1 performance-task question | Same |
| Math: Concepts & Procedures | 10 adaptive questions | 9-10 adaptive questions |
| Math: Problem Solving / Modeling & Data Analysis | 3 adaptive + 2-4 performance-task questions | Same |
| Math: Communicating Reasoning | 4 adaptive + 0-2 performance-task questions | Same |
- Each ELA performance task has one research question and one full essay. The essay is a single response scored three ways.
- In grades 6-8, up to two short written answers in reading and one in writing are hand-scored. In grades 3-5 the adaptive ELA section is all machine-scored.
- The math adaptive section is machine-scored in every grade. Each math performance task has 4-6 questions, and up to four may be hand-scored.
How long it takes
DC CAPE Next is untimed. These are OSSE's estimates for most students; some will need more time. OSSE says a student is still expected to finish a section the same school day they start it.
| Subject | Grades 3-5 | Grades 6-8 |
|---|---|---|
| ELA | 0:45 adaptive + 2:00 performance task = about 2:45 | 0:45 + 2:00 = about 2:45 |
| Math | 0:45 adaptive + 1:00 performance task = about 1:45 | 1:00 + 1:00 = about 2:00 |
Sources: OSSE FAQ · ELA adjusted blueprint, grades 3-8 · Math adjusted blueprint, grades 3-8 · OSSE, DC CAPE 2.0 System Overview (Feb 2026) · OSSE NGA meeting, September 2026.
Smarter Balanced practice by grade
From 2027 the DC ELA and math tests use Smarter Balanced content, so our Smarter Balanced grade pages apply here too. They were written with California's version (called CAASPP) in mind, so the score names and statistics on them are California's; the skills and question types are the same.
To see official Smarter Balanced question types, use the Smarter Balanced Sample Items website and the Smarter Balanced practice and training tests (no login needed).
Updated October 30, 2026
What Is the DC CAPE Test in District of Columbia?
DC CAPE (DC Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education) is the general statewide test for Washington, DC, given by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Students take ELA and math in grades 3-8 and science in grades 5 and 8, plus high school end-of-course tests (ELA I, ELA II, Algebra I, Geometry and Biology). DC launched DC CAPE in 2024 using content from the former PARCC consortium. Spring 2026 was its last year in that form. In the 2026-27 school year OSSE launches DC CAPE Next, also called DC CAPE 2.0: ELA and math use Smarter Balanced content, are computer adaptive and are reported in four levels instead of five, and the first administration is spring 2027.
When Is the DC CAPE Test in 2026-27?
OSSE's 2026-27 statewide test window for DC CAPE Next (DC ELA, DC Math and DC Science) is April 5 - May 21, 2027. Students with a paper-test accommodation must finish by May 14, 2027. LEAs may test at any time inside the window. The alternate assessments (MSAA for ELA and math, DLM for science) run March 8 - April 23, 2027.
DC CAPE Subjects by Grade
| Grade | Subjects Tested |
|---|---|
| Grade 3 | DC ELA and DC Math |
| Grade 4 | DC ELA and DC Math |
| Grade 5 | DC ELA, DC Math and DC Science |
| Grade 6 | DC ELA and DC Math |
| Grade 7 | DC ELA and DC Math |
| Grade 8 | DC ELA, DC Math and DC Science (8th graders in advanced math courses may be assigned a course-based math test instead) |
DC CAPE Scoring: Understanding Your Child's Results
District of Columbia uses the following performance levels. On DC CAPE Next (from 2027), Level 3 of 4 means meeting grade-level expectations. On the DC CAPE given through spring 2026, Levels 4 and 5 of 5 were proficient. That means a Level 3 on a 2026 report and a Level 3 on a 2027 report do not mean the same thing, and OSSE says individual scores from the two years cannot be compared directly.
Four levels from 2027
DC CAPE Next ELA and math will be reported in four performance levels (science already uses four). For every subject, Level 3 means the student met grade-level expectations. OSSE has not yet published the 2027 level names.
Did Not Yet Meet Expectations
Level 1 on the 2024-2026 DC CAPE (five levels).
Partially Met Expectations
Level 2 on the 2024-2026 DC CAPE.
Approaching Expectations
Level 3 on the 2024-2026 DC CAPE: the student has much of the skills needed for future success.
Met Expectations
Level 4 on the 2024-2026 DC CAPE: proficient.
Exceeded Expectations
Level 5 on the 2024-2026 DC CAPE: proficient.
DC CAPE Test Format: What to Expect
Computer adaptive ELA and math
The ELA and math tests adjust their difficulty based on your child's answers. OSSE says this shortens testing and tailors the test to each student. DC Science stays a fixed form.
A performance task in each test
Each grade 3-8 ELA and math test has an adaptive section plus a performance task. In ELA the task ends in a full essay; in math it is a set of 4-6 connected questions.
Untimed
From spring 2027 all DC CAPE tests (ELA, math and science) are untimed. OSSE estimates about 2:45 for ELA and 1:45 (grades 3-5) or 2:00 (grades 6-8) for math, but students who need more time can take it.
New science design
DC Science (grades 5 and 8) moves from four sections to two, with fewer constructed-response items and new standalone items and short question sets.
Same software
Pearson still delivers the tests and provides the science content, and students still log in through the TestNav app.
What's new for 2026-27
OSSE announced DC CAPE 2.0 on October 3, 2025, and Smarter Balanced announced DC as a member on October 15, 2025. OSSE now calls the new test DC CAPE Next. It is given for the first time in spring 2027, with Smarter Balanced content in ELA and math, computer adaptive testing, four performance levels, no time limits and a shorter science test. OSSE says results in 2027 will come later than usual, because it must hold a standard-setting meeting in summer 2027 to set cut scores for the new high school ELA and math tests and the redesigned science tests.
District of Columbia DC CAPE Score Trends
OSSE released the spring 2026 results, the last on the original DC CAPE, on August 20, 2026. Grades 3-8 gained in both subjects.
| Measure | % meeting or exceeding (Levels 4-5), 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ELA, grades 3-8 | 40.1% | 37.4% in 2025 |
| Math, grades 3-8 | 31.8% | 29.1% in 2025 |
| ELA, all tested grades | 39.6% | Up 2 points |
| Math, all tested grades | 28.5% | Up 2.1 points |
| ELA, Levels 3-5 | 60.3% | 57.9% in 2025 |
| Math, Levels 3-5 | 50.7% | 47.5% in 2025 |
Participation was 95.5% in ELA and 94.9% in math. OSSE said 2026 data, including growth, will appear on the DC School Report Card in December 2026.
What Makes the DC CAPE Different From Other State Tests?
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DC became the newest Smarter Balanced member on October 15, 2025, joining 11 states and one territory.
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OSSE chose Smarter Balanced partly because DC has too few students to field-test new questions for its own test without adding testing time, and because some accommodations from the PARCC era had been dropped for cost.
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Every LEA gets Smarter Balanced interim tests and Tools for Teachers in 2026-27 at no cost to schools; OSSE says schools may use them but are not required to.
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Spring 2027 is a transition year: student growth measures will not appear on the 2027 DC School Report Card and return in 2028.
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The high school Algebra II test is discontinued.
What District of Columbia Parents Should Know About the DC CAPE
Expect a different-looking score report in 2027: four levels instead of five, on a new scale. Do not compare your child's 2027 level with their 2026 level; OSSE says the two cannot be compared directly.
Results for spring 2027 will be late. OSSE says the summer 2027 standard setting will delay reporting that year.
For 2026, schools received individual student reports in September 2026 to send home, and the DC CAPE Family Portal opened on September 9, 2026. You log in with the QR code on the report or an access code from your school; the portal shows PDF and video reports in seven languages and stays open all year.
Your school must send home a letter before testing telling you your child will take the statewide tests.
A child who needs a paper test, a human reader, braille or large print gets those through their IEP or 504 plan; paper testers finish a week earlier, by May 14, 2027.
Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities take the MSAA (ELA and math) or DLM (science) instead.
Frequently Asked Questions About the DC CAPE
Do DC students take the Smarter Balanced test?
Starting in spring 2027, yes for ELA and math in grades 3-8. The test is still called DC CAPE (OSSE now calls it DC CAPE Next; earlier documents say DC CAPE 2.0), but its ELA and math content comes from Smarter Balanced. Spring 2027 is the first time it is given. Through spring 2026, DC CAPE used content from the former PARCC consortium.
When is DC CAPE in 2027?
OSSE's statewide window is April 5 - May 21, 2027. Paper testing for students with that accommodation ends May 14, 2027. Each school picks its own days inside the window.
What grades take DC CAPE?
ELA and math in grades 3-8, science in grades 5 and 8, plus high school end-of-course tests in ELA I, ELA II, Algebra I, Geometry and Biology.
Is DC CAPE Next timed?
No. OSSE says all DC CAPE Next tests are untimed starting spring 2027. Its estimates for most students are about 2 hours 45 minutes for ELA and 1 hour 45 minutes (grades 3-5) or 2 hours (grades 6-8) for math. Students are still expected to finish a section the same day they start it.
What are the DC CAPE score levels?
Through 2026 there were five: Did Not Yet Meet, Partially Met, Approaching, Met and Exceeded Expectations, with Levels 4 and 5 proficient. From 2027, ELA and math use four levels, and Level 3 means meeting grade-level expectations.
Can I compare my child's 2026 and 2027 DC CAPE scores?
Not directly. OSSE says the levels and scales differ, so individual scores cannot be compared. Growth measures will not be on the 2027 DC School Report Card and return in 2028.
How do I see my child's DC CAPE scores?
Schools send home individual student reports, and the DC CAPE Family Portal shows them too. You log in with the QR code printed on the report or an access code from your school. In 2026 the portal opened on September 9. OSSE says 2027 results will be later than usual.
Is this the same as the Washington SBA?
No. This page is about Washington, DC (the District of Columbia). Washington State is a separate Smarter Balanced member with its own test, called the SBA. From 2027 both use Smarter Balanced content for ELA and math, but OSSE sets DC's own window, levels and reports.
How did DC students do in 2026?
OSSE reported on August 20, 2026 that 40.1% of students in grades 3-8 met or exceeded expectations in ELA (up from 37.4%) and 31.8% in math (up from 29.1%).
Questions parents ask
What is the DC CAPE test?
The DC CAPE is District of Columbia's standardized assessment for grades 3-8. Students are tested in Math and English/RLA every year.
How does iMasterly match the real DC CAPE?
Practice tests are built to the DC CAPE's published blueprint for each grade and subject: the same reporting categories, question types and point values, with questions written to Common Core State Standards. Before a question goes into the bank it is checked independently: a separate check solves it from scratch without seeing the answer key, and on math questions code checks the arithmetic. Questions that fail are reworked and checked again; any that still fail are held back and never shown to your child.
What does it cost?
DC CAPE practice is not sold separately: it comes with the AI tutoring and personalized curriculum. Current plans are on the pricing page.
How many practice questions are available?
iMasterly has a deep bank of standards-aligned practice questions for every grade and subject, so your child can keep practicing without running out.
DC CAPE is coming. Start practicing today.
Standards-aligned practice for every grade, with every answer explained.