General Assessment Information

Spring 2020 Colorado State Assessment Windows

Colorado's state testing window for all spring 2020 CMAS and alternate assessments will be April 6^th through April 24^th. 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 science and social studies assessments must be scheduled and completed between April 6^th and April 24^th. Colorado will continue to use a sampling approach for social studies. High school science and social studies assessments may be administered in an early window and an extended window option is available for math and ELA due to limited device availability. Consistent with last year's extended testing window, March 16^th will be the earliest start date for math and ELA. 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. Districts must inform CDE by December 15^th if an extended math and ELA or early high school science and social studies window will be used.  

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. 

Spring 2020 Colorado State Assessment Tentative Windows