Spring 2018 Colorado State Assessment Tentative Windows
Printable Version: Spring 2018 Colorado State Assessment Tentative Windows (PDF)
Colorado's state testing window for all spring 2018 CMAS and alternate assessments will be April 9th through April 27th. The three-week window will allow districts with the ability to have single groups for CMAS test units to complete all CMAS and alternate science, social studies, math, and English language arts (ELA) testing while also allowing schools to test as close to the end of the school year as possible. Schools administering only paper-based tests must complete testing during this three week window, with the exception of students taking the paper-based form as an accommodation in a school taking the assessments online.
All elementary and middle school social studies and science tests must be scheduled and completed between April 9th and April 27th. Districts may request an early window to administer the high school science and social studies tests as early as March 26th. Districts may also request an extended test window for math and ELA due to limited device availability. PearsonAccessnext allows CDE to monitor the actual amount of time that schools take to complete computer-based testing. After review of spring 2017 timing data, it has been determined that March 19th will be the earliest start date for math and ELA, which shortens last year’s extended testing window by one week. Please remember, that the extended window is ONLY for online math and ELA (including CSLA) and that ONLY districts with limited device capacity are eligible to participate in the extended window. Requests for extended math/ELA or early high school science/social studies window participation must be submitted to CDE by December 15th.
Colorado will continue to use a sampling approach for social studies. One-third of elementary and middle schools will participate in spring 2018. Because high school social studies was not administered in 2016 or 2017, the assessment is currently scheduled to be administered to all 11th grade students in spring 2018.
To the extent possible, students taking the alternate assessment in a content area for which they are participating in a general education class should be assessed at the same time as their general education peers to avoid missed instruction. Schools may also ensure that students taking the alternate assessment do not miss instruction from their general education class(es) through other means.
NOTE: CDE is in the process of finalizing spring 2017 testing times. Timing information will be sent to District Assessment Coordinators as soon as it is available.
*Districts needing more time to complete math and ELA testing due to limited device numbers (i.e., the number of computers available will require multiple groups for each test unit) may expand the math/ELA/CSLA test window and begin testing those content areas earlier for both CMAS and CoAlt. The maximum test window for ELA and math will be 5 weeks. Please remember, that the extended window is ONLY for online math and ELA (including CSLA) and that ONLY districts with limited device capacity are eligible to participate in the extended window:
** In 2018, social studies assessments will be administered on a sampling basis to one-third of elementary and middle schools and are scheduled to be administered to all students in 11th grade.
