Wisconsin Knowledge & Concepts Exam (WKCE)
On the 2009-2010 WKCE, 99% of MCDS fourth, eighth, and tenth graders scored advanced or proficient in every test category. This compares with 76% of Wisconsin students at these three grades scoring at an advanced or proficient level. Additionally, 72% of students in Madison public schools scored at these levels. Averages from suburban districts in the area were higher than either Madison or state averages but were generally about ten points lower than the MCDS average.
ERB CTP-IV Exam
The primary standardized exam given at MCDS is the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) CTP IV, which is taken each year by grades 1-3, 5-7, and 9.
The ERB is a non-profit educational service organization that has been conducting student assessment for independent and suburban schools since 1927. The organization’s exams are administered to over 1,500 independent and suburban schools around the world.
MCDS, in its 14th year of educating students, is on par or exceeding the results of other exceptional independent schools in over 80% of testing areas on the ERB CTP IV. The average MCDS student at the 50th percentile would place at the 91st percentile in the national category and nearly at the 60th percentile when compared to other top independent schools.
SAT Exam
Most MCDS High School students sit for the SAT to gain entry to college or university. The SAT is composed of three primary sections (critical reading, math, and writing) each of which is scored on a scale of 200-800 for a maximum score of 2400.
The SAT results from MCDS’ high school graduates exceed the averages for both ISACS and national schools. The average section score on the SAT for MCDS students across the three sections is 622. The average section score for a senior at an ISACS accredited independent school is 591, meaning that our seniors’ total scores through all three sections are, on average, over 90 points higher than student scores from other top independent schools. Nationally, the average score on each section is only 504, which means that the average MCDS graduate has nearly a 350 point advantage over the average student when taking into account all three sections of the exam.
• National Average: 1509
• ISACS Average: 1781
• MCDS Average: 1864