Assessment Overview
Throughout the year, the district is required by the State of Colorado to administer statewide assessments to students in third through eleventh grade in reading, writing, mathematics and science.
All students are encouraged to participate in the assessments, however students may be excused. Students excused from state assessments do not receive negative consequences. Families may choose to keep their student(s) home or students will be supervised in a place where they may read or work quietly on other assignments. Absences will be excused.
Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS)
The Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) is the state’s common measurement of students’ progress at the end of the school year in English language arts, math and science. Testing is generally administered in April.
Colorado’s state assessment system includes the following tests:
English language arts in third through eighth grade
Math in third through eighth grade
Science in grades 5, 8 and 11
PSAT in ninth and 10th grade*
SAT in 11th grade
* These assessments are solely required by Colorado law.
Helping Your Student
The tests allow your child to show what they have been learning and practicing in their classroom, and how well they are connecting with classroom instruction. The results will let you know how well your school is teaching all students and will provide you and other families in your community with information about how local schools are meeting the needs of all students. The results will help you check your child’s progress toward mastering the academic standards’ grade-level expectations.
Helping Your School
The tests provide critical information to the district and state on how well all students in your child’s school are doing, so the school can be supported. They allow teachers and principals to see any differences between groups of students and make improvements to instruction so that all students can succeed. The results can highlight gaps in achievement so steps can be taken to ensure all students are supported in making meaningful progress. And the results can help state policymakers and local school boards identify schools that may need more assistance or resources.