General Assessment Information

Spring 2021 Tentative Colorado State Assessment Windows

While there is still uncertainty and ambiguity surrounding how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact this year’s instructional settings, a typical state assessment administration season is currently scheduled to resume in spring 2021 as required by state and federal law. As with most aspects of education, state assessments may need to be adjusted in response to COVID-19 conditions. We will continue to monitor state and federal assessment requirements and expectations as the school year progresses across Colorado and as COVID-19 responses evolve this year. As always, District Assessment Coordinators will be the main point of contact for assessment information, including any changes to the schedule. Currently scheduled administration windows are included below.

ACCESS for ELLs

• January 11 - February 12, 2021

CMAS/CoAlt¹: ELA/CSLA/Math/Science/Social Studies²

• April 12 - 30, 2021³

CO SAT

• Primary Test Date: April 13, 2021
• Make-up Test Date: April 27, 2021

CO PSAT for grades 9 and 10

• Primary Test Date: April 13, 14, or 15, 2021 (district choice)⁴
• Make-up Test Date: April 27 or 28, 2021 (district choice)

HS CoAlt ELA/Math (DLM) for grades 9-11¹

• Aligned to PSAT/SAT schedule to the extent possible

¹ 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.

² Per state statute, 4th and 7th grade social studies assessments are administered on a sampling basis.

³ CMAS/CoAlt Administration Window

• All CMAS elementary and middle school science and social studies administrations as well as school-wide paper-based administrations for math and ELA must be completed within the official window. Options for returning paper test booklets earlier than in previous administrations are currently being considered to expedite scoring and results processes and timelines. Additional information will be provided when available. 
• To compensate for technology capacity, districts can open the CMAS ELA and Math window early for online administrations only, extending the window to a total of 5 testing weeks: Earliest start date for online math and ELA: March 22, 2021

Students taking CoAlt ELA and Math (DLM) and those requiring paper accommodations  

              (including CSLA) should test at the same time as their peers.

• To accommodate high school assessment schedules including SAT, AP and IB exams, districts can open and close the high school window early for a total of 3 testing weeks:
  • Option 1: March 29, 2021 – April 16, 2021
  • Option 2: April 5, 2021 – April 23, 2021

Districts must inform CDE by December 15, 2020 if an extended math and ELA or early high school window will be used.  

⁴ Each school tests on one of the three available initial test dates for PSAT. Districts may make a district-wide decision or allow individual schools to select their initial test date.