CSAP Achievement Levels
All Colorado school districts are required by law to adopt content standards which meet or exceed the Colorado Model Content Standards and develop a plan for revising curriculum and programs of instruction to align with the Colorado Model Content Standards to ensure that each student will have educational experiences needed to achieve the adopted content standards (CRS 22-7-407).
Student performance is reported in four Proficiency Levels:
- Advanced - Performance Level 4
- Proficient - Performance Level 3
- Partially Proficient - Performance Level 2
- Unsatisfactory - Performance Level 1
Proficiency Levels may be further defined within the content areas provided at the following links:
Further information related to both levels of difficulty and complexity of items are available in the descriptions of the following:
Reading Proficiency Levels
Advanced - Performance Level 4
A student scoring at the Advanced Level consistently utilizes sophisticated strategies to comprehend and interpret complex text. Students who score in this level illustrate exceptionally strong academic performance.
Proficient - Performance Level 3
A student scoring at the Proficient Level routinely utilizes a variety of reading strategies to comprehend and interpret grade-level appropriate text. Students who score in this level demonstrate a solid academic performance on subject matter as reflected by the Colorado Model Content Standards for reading.
Partially Proficient - Performance Level 2
A student scoring at the Partially Proficient Level generally utilizes some reading strategies to comprehend grade level text. Students who score in this level show partial understanding of the knowledge and application of the skills that are fundamental for proficient work. Some gaps in knowledge and skills are evident and may require additional instruction and remediation in order to achieve a proficient level of understanding.
Unsatisfactory - Performance Level 1
A student scoring at the Unsatisfactory Level demonstrates competency with below grade-level text only and requires extensive support to comprehend and interpret written information. Students who score in this level may have significant gaps and limited knowledge and skills that are necessary to meet the state's reading standard. Students will usually require a considerable amount of additional instruction and remediation in order to achieve a proficient level of understanding.
Writing Proficiency Levels
Advanced - Performance Level 4
A student scoring at the Advanced Level consistently illustrate exceptionally strong academic performance. Students who score in this level demonstrate the ability to identify and apply good written communications by writing an exceptionally clear, focused, and interesting piece, using precise and varied words, engaging the audience and communicating a strong sense of purpose, and making few errors in conventions.
Proficient - Performance Level 3
A student scoring at the Proficient Level demonstrates a solid academic performance on subject matter as reflected by the Colorado Model Content Standards for writing. Students who perform at this level are able to identify elements of good communication and demonstrate consistent awareness of writing conventions. They can organize appropriately, use a voice appropriate to the audience and purpose, make functional and effective word choice, and use correct conventions, such as proper capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, and usage.
Partially Proficient - Performance Level 2
A student scoring at the Partially Proficient Level demonstrates partial understanding of the knowledge and application of the skills that are fundamental for proficient work. Students who perform at this level show the ability to use some of the basic elements of written communication by demonstrating limited awareness of writing purpose or engagement of the audience, attempting to organize ideas, using basic, appropriate vocabulary, and utilizing standard English grammar with limited accuracy. Some gaps in knowledge and skills are evident and may require additional instruction and remediation in order to achieve a proficient level of understanding.
Unsatisfactory - Performance Level 1
A student scoring at the Unsatisfactory Level may have significant gaps and limited knowledge and skills that are necessary to satisfactorily meet the state's writing standard. Students will usually require a considerable amount of additional instruction and remediation in order to achieve proficiency in writing skills relative to the Colorado Model Content Standards.
Mathematics Proficiency Levels
Advanced - Performance Level 4
A student scoring at the Advanced Level solves complex problems and demonstrates in-depth understanding of the skills, concepts and procedures contained in the six Colorado Model Content Standards for mathematics at grade level. Students who score in this level illustrate exceptionally strong academic performance.
Proficient - Performance Level 3
A student scoring at the Proficient Level solves practical real-world problems and demonstrates understanding of the skills, concepts and procedures contained in the six Colorado Model Content Standards for mathematics at grade level. Students who score in this level demonstrate a solid academic performance on subject matter as reflected by the Colorado Model Content Standards.
Partially Proficient - Performance Level 2
A student performing at the Partially Proficient Level solves simple or routine problems by applying skills and procedures contained in the six Colorado Model Content Standards for mathematics. Students performing at this level show a partial understanding of the knowledge and application of the skills that are fundamental to proficient work at grade level.
Unsatisfactory - Performance Level 1
A student performing at the Unsatisfactory Level demonstrates limited understanding of the concepts and ineffective application of the mathematical skills contained in the six Colorado Model Content Standards for mathematics. A student performing at this level may have significant gaps and limited knowledge and skills that are necessary to satisfactorily meet the state's writing standard for mathematics. Students will usually require a considerable amount of additional instruction and remediation in order to demonstrate grade level understanding.
Science Proficiency Levels
Advanced - Performance Level 4
A student performing at the Advanced level has demonstrated performance that exceeds the standard expected at the assigned grade level. The student has shown sophisticated application of scientific knowledge and skills contained in the Colorado Model Content Standards.
Proficient - Performance Level 3
A student performing at the Proficient level has demonstrated performance that meets the standard at the assigned grade level. The student has shown a thorough and effective application of scientific knowledge and skills contained in the Colorado Model Content Standards.
Partially Proficient - Performance Level 2
A student performing at the Partially Proficient level has partially demonstrated fundamental knowledge and skills toward meeting the standard at the assigned grade level. The student has shown basic but inconsistent application of fundamental scientific knowledge and skills contained in the Colorado Model Content Standards.
Unsatisfactory - Performance Level 1
A student performing at the Unsatisfactory level has not demonstrated the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to meeting the standard at the assigned grade level. The student has shown fragmented and inconsistent application of basic scientific knowledge and skills contained in the Colorado Model Content Standards.
Links to Grade Level Proficiency Level Descriptors by Grade level and Content Area:
These descriptors
were written by the groups of Colorado educators gathered for the Bookmarking
procedure doing the Standard Setting following the first administration of each
grade level content area CSAP. They define the behaviors and skills
students actually demonstrated on items within each performance level on that
first test administration. Though new items are refreshed on the CSAP tests
annually, inferences can be made as to the skills and behaviors of students
scoring within each performance level - Advanced, Proficient, Partially
Proficient and Unsatisfactory.
Reading |
Writing |
Mathematics |
Science |
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Levels of Thinking - related to comprehension
Critical/Evaluative Thinking
Simile: “Like a customer or an inventor.” At this level (sometimes called the evaluation or critical reading level) new uses are developed for the product that was manufactured. The reader uses what the author said or meant to produce original ideas. The reader judges the accuracy of the materials, distinguishes between fact and opinion, identifies propaganda techniques, and asks, “What can I do with the information I have?”
Interpretive/Inferential/Conceptual Thinking
Simile: “Like a factory.” You turn the raw materials at the literal level into a new product. At the interpretive level (sometimes called the inferential level), the reader draws conclusions, makes generalizations, predicts outcomes, and understands the use of figurative language.
Literal/Procedural Thinking
Simile: “Like a warehouse.” You put raw materials into a warehouse and take the same raw materials out of the warehouse at the literally level of comprehension. You’re identifying facts the author has written. You read for details and identify the author’s main idea if one is stated.
Depth of Knowledge
Level 1 -
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Requires students to recite or recall of information including fact, formula, or simple procedure.
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May be asked to demonstrate a rote response, use a well-known formula, follow a set procedure (like a recipe), or perform a clearly defined series of steps.
Level 2 -
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Requires some mental processing beyond a habitual response.
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Requires students to make some decisions on how to approach a task or problem
Level 3 -
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Requires reasoning, planning, using evidence and in most cases to “explain their thinking.”
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Requires students to go beyond; to explain, to generalize, or connect ideas
Level 4 -
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Requires some complex reasoning, planning, developing and thinking over an extended period of time.
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May be asked to develop a hypothesis and perform complex analysis
PDF Version
- Reading Depth of Knowledge
- Writing Depth of Knowledge
- Mathematics Depth of Knowledge
- Science Depth of Knowledge
DOC Version