Colorado Assessment Literacy Program

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Colorado Assessment Literacy Program


Assessment Literacy Program

The Colorado Department of Education's four strategic goals are based on the fundamental belief that the education system as a whole must support every student at every step of the way throughout his/her schooling.

It is the work of CDE to support educators in the implementation of the Colorado Academic Standards and the instructional strategies that bring the standards to life in individual classrooms.

The Assessment Unit at CDE presents the Colorado Assessment Literacy Program. This program is designed to help educators expand their understanding of the varied purposes and uses of assessment information and how it can guide instruction and improve student achievement.

The Assessment Literacy Program's Professional Learning Modules seek to engage Colorado teachers, principals and district administrators in deepening their assessment knowledge and skills in order to:

  • Determine purposes and functions of a high quality assessment system
  • Know where and how to access high-quality assessment resources
  • Understand when and why an assessment is being given
  • Select and/or design assessments for various purposes
  • Determine the knowledge and skills an assessment is designed to measure
  • Use assessment data to make instructional decisions, provide feedback to students, and improve student achievement

Professional Learning Modules

These FREE online Professional Learning Modules are designed for educators to participate individually or as a team or professional learning community, and provide the opportunity for educators to engage in a variety of activities that can be applied directly in the classroom. Upon completion of this program, educators will have a better understanding of how to strategically use assessment information to improve instructional outcomes for all students.


The Assessment Framework describes the functions, components and processes included in a quality, comprehensive and coherent assessment system.


Interim Assessments have the capacity to provide important data to teachers and administrators alike to inform critical decisions regarding instructional needs of both individual and groups of students, the degree to which students are moving towards mastery of the standards, and the extent to which programs and initiatives are being effective.


Classroom Formative Assessment reflects high quality instructional practices that lead to the effective implementation of the standards by making student learning the top priority.

Colorado’s Assessment Literacy Program is made possible by Colorado’s Race to the Top Program and has been developed in partnership with the Colorado Content Collaboratives and the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, & Student Testing (CRESST).

For more information on Colorado's Assessment Literacy Program, please contact Angela Landrum, 303-866-6931, Landrum_A@cde.state.co.us.