This CTCE cheat sheet condenses the Connecticut Foundations of Reading test into a printable quick reference of the science-of-reading facts examiners test most. It's a premium cheat sheet built by Capital Prep — the one premium prep we trust — and it's yours free. Pair it with the rest of your free CTCE toolkit: the practice test, study guide, and flashcards.
CTCE exam at a glance
- Certifying body: Connecticut State Dept. of Education, via the CTCE program (Pearson)
- Questions: 100 multiple-choice + 2 open-response assignments
- Time: 4-hour test appointment
- Passing score: 240 scaled (reported on a 100–300 range)
- Test code: Field 190, now offered as 890 — same framework
- Cost: Check the current CTCE registration bulletin at ct.nesinc.com for the test fee
What’s on the CTCE cheat sheet
- Subarea I — Foundations of Reading Development (~35%) — phonological and phonemic awareness, the alphabetic principle, phonics, the six syllable types, and fluency — the largest multiple-choice share.
- Subarea II — Development of Reading Comprehension (~27%) — vocabulary tiers, the Simple View of Reading, background knowledge, text structure, and explicit comprehension strategies.
- Subarea IV — Integration of Knowledge & Understanding (20%) — the two open-response assignments — analyze a running record or work sample and prescribe research-based instruction in writing.
- Subarea III — Reading Assessment and Instruction (~18%) — screening, diagnostic, formative, summative, and progress-monitoring assessment, running records, and data-driven differentiation.
How to use it in your final week
- Lock in the frameworks first — the Simple View of Reading, the five pillars, the phonological-awareness continuum, and the six syllable types drive most of the multiple-choice items.
- Rehearse the open-response recipe: name the specific reading need, cite exact evidence from the exhibit, prescribe a research-based strategy, and explain why it works.
- Read the sheet the morning of the test for a final pass on the highest-yield distinctions — phonemic awareness vs. phonics, formative vs. summative, screening vs. diagnostic.
- Pair each review pass with a short timed practice set so the 4-hour, 100-question-plus-two-essays format feels routine on test day.
The cheat sheet is your review layer — your CTCE practice test drives the exam-readiness ring at the top of this page. Download it, review, then take a full practice exam (or drill with the study guide and flashcards) to see where you stand.
CTCE cheat sheet FAQ
Yes — it downloads as a PDF with no sign-up and no account required. It's part of Career Employer's free CTCE toolkit alongside the practice test, study guide, and flashcards.
It condenses the highest-yield facts across all four subareas — Foundations of Reading Development, Development of Reading Comprehension, Reading Assessment and Instruction, and the Integration of Knowledge open-response section — plus the Simple View of Reading, the five pillars, and the open-response recipe.
The Connecticut Foundations of Reading test is reported on a scaled range of 100 to 300, and you need a total scaled score of 240 to pass. That total combines the 100 multiple-choice questions with the two open-response assignments.
No — it's a review and final-week cram layer, not a substitute for learning the science of reading and rehearsing the open response. Use the sheet to lock in facts, then work full practice tests to build your readiness.
The Foundations of Reading test was offered as code 190 and is now offered as 890 with an identical framework, so this sheet applies to both. Click the download button or preview card at the top of this page to open the PDF instantly.
References
- 1.CTCE. “Foundations of Reading (190) Test Page.” ct.nesinc.com, 2026. ↑
- 2.CTCE. “Foundations of Reading Test Framework and Subarea Weights (Field 190).” ct.nesinc.com, 2026. ↑
- 3.CTCE. “Foundations of Reading Preparation Materials.” ct.nesinc.com, 2026. ↑
- 4.Connecticut State Department of Education. “Educator Certification — Required Tests for Certification.” portal.ct.gov, 2026. ↑
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