A bill introduced last week would end state testing for fourth and seventh graders, and save the state more than $1 million per year
testing
Posted inOpinion Columns
Nicolais: As testing scores tumble, our commitment to Colorado teachers must redouble
Recent studies show that the COVID pandemic led to big drops in testing scores. We must provide more resources to educators
Posted inEducation, News
Colorado’s standardized test scores are in. But did your kid even take the test?
Colorado has released district- and school-level results from spring standardized tests known as CMAS that give a more detailed picture of student achievement during a deeply disrupted school year, but with participation rates varying widely and little information on how much time students spent in the classroom, that picture is hard to bring into focus. […]
Posted inColoradans, COVID, Education, News
Some achievement gaps widened between white students and their Black and Hispanic peers, new Colorado data shows
The pandemic set Colorado students back and widened some achievement gaps between white children and their Black and Hispanic peers, newly released data from state standardized assessments conducted in the spring show. But the new results have big holes because of a significant drop in the number of students who took the test, and questions […]
Posted inCOVID, Education, News, Politics and Government
How Colorado is changing standardized tests for elementary and middle school students this year — and why
The Colorado Measures of Academic Success, which is administered to students in grades three through eight, will look a lot different this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. That’s thanks to House Bill 1161, which is the result of a legislative compromise reached between testing opponents and proponents at the Colorado Capitol. Gov. Jared Polis […]
Posted inCOVID, Education, News, Politics and Government
Colorado plan to scale back CMAS testing moves forward. Kids would test in literacy or math, but not both.
By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado A proposal to significantly scale back Colorado’s standardized school testing this year cleared its first hurdle Friday after proponents and opponents came together in an overwhelming show of support. The bill cleared the House Education Committee with a bipartisan 8-1 vote after sponsors decided not to pursue their original proposal […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
Colorado governor, legislature will decide whether students take standardized tests during coronavirus
The question of whether Colorado should press forward with standardized testing for elementary and middle school students in 2021 despite the coronavirus pandemic is gearing up to be one of the biggest education battles at the statehouse this year. The debate is also serving as a proxy war for the longtime fight over the effectiveness […]
Posted inCOVID, Education, News
To test or not to test? Colorado educators and advocates divided on CMAS in a pandemic
Colorado shouldn’t use standardized tests to judge the performance of schools or teachers amid a pandemic, a group of education leaders and advocacy groups agreed. But should the tests be given at all next spring? And if so, should the data be publicly released? The same working group couldn’t agree in a debate that speaks […]
Posted inEducation, News
Why Colorado students are still taking the SAT, even though it’s now voluntary
By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado Despite state school board members deeming the SAT voluntary this year for Colorado high school students, the state education department ordered more than 30,000 test books for about 400 schools to administer it for free in September. Although the Colorado Department of Education could not say how many students took the college […]