State Required Tests

Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS):

CMAS is the state’s common measurement of students’ achievement on state standards at the end of the school year in English language arts, math, science and social studies. CMAS testing occurs annually in the Spring.

 

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Colorado Alternative Assessment (CoAlt):

Students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) who are not able to take CMAS will instead take the Colorado Alternate Assessments. The CoAlt is a standards-based assessment designed to provide a picture of student performance and a framework for students to access the general curriculum in English language arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

 

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ACCESS for MLL/ELLs:

The Access for ELLs assessment measures a student’s English language proficiency.  ACCESS for ELLs is given annually to kindergarten through twelfth-graders who have been identified as English Language Learners (ELLs) who are Non-English or Limited-English proficient. It provides educators and parents proficiency levels and information that is used to enhance instruction and learning for ELL students in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

 

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SAT:

The SAT is a globally recognized college admission test that lets you show colleges what you know and how well you can apply that knowledge. It tests your knowledge of reading, writing and math — subjects that are taught every day in high school classrooms. Most students take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school, and almost all colleges and universities use the SAT to make admission decisions.

Taking the SAT is the first step in finding the right college for you — the place where you can further develop your skills and pursue your passions. But SAT scores are just one of many factors that colleges consider when making their admission decisions. High school grades are also very important. In fact, the combination of high school grades and SAT scores is the best predictor of your academic success in college.

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PSAT:

The PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 are highly relevant to your future success because they focus on the skills and knowledge at the heart of education. They’ll measure:

• What you learn in high school

• What you need to succeed in college

If you think the key to a high score is memorizing words and facts you’ll never use in the real world, think again. You don’t have to discover secret tricks or cram the night before.

The best way to prepare for the test is to:

• Take challenging courses

• Do your homework

• Prepare for tests and quizzes

• Ask and answer lots of questions