A Parent’s Guide to Assessments - CMAS - What Is This Assessment - When Is My Child Being Tested

Oct 2, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa

A Parent’s Guide to Assessments explains the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS), a state summative assessment in language arts, math, science, and social studies. It outlines what CMAS measures, when students are tested by grade level, and how results are delivered through a Student Performance Report with performance levels, overall scores, and subscale scores. The guide clarifies how results are used by schools, districts, teachers, parents, and the community, and provides resources and contacts for further information and testing accommodations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

CMAS (Colorado Measures of Academic Success)

What Is This Assessment?

When Is My Child Being Tested?

What Score(s) Will My Child Receive?

How Will These Scores Be Used?

Additional Information

| | | A Parent’s Guide to Assessments | | --- | --- | --- | | CMAS (Colorado Measures of Academic Success) | | | | Assessments provide valuable information for students, parents and educators on whether students have mastered grade level and content standards and are on track to graduate prepared for the 21st century. These assessment results are intended to provide one measure in a body of evidence of your child’s academic progress. | | | | | WHAT IS THIS ASSESSMENT? | | | The Colorado Measures of Academic Success, or CMAS, is the state summative assessment for language arts, math, science and social studies. CMAS is aligned to the state’s rigorous academic standards and designed to gauge how well students are mastering the standards and are prepared for their next grade.
CMAS assessments were developed collaboratively by The Colorado Department of Education, testing contractor Pearson, and Colorado educators. | | | | | WHEN IS MY CHILD BEING TESTED? | | | Elementary and Middle School Students
Each spring, CMAS is given to elementary and middle school students in the following grades and subjects:
􀁸 English language arts (Grades 3-8) .
o A Spanish Language Arts test is given in lieu of the English language arts test to identified 3rd and 4th grade English language learners.
􀁸 Mathematics (Grades 3-8)
􀁸 Science (Grade 5 and 8)
􀁸 Social Studies (Grade 4 and 7 in selected schools)
High School Students
9th and 10th Grade Students
Each spring, ninth and tenth grade students take the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) for language arts and math. There are no CMAS assessments given at these grades.
11th Grade Students
Each spring, eleventh grade students take the following state assessments:
􀁸 SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) for language arts and mathematics
􀁸 CMAS Science
􀁸 CMAS Social Studies
CMAS is primarily an online test, conducted during the months of March and April. Check with your child’s school for the specific testing schedule. Dates and times vary by school.
Colorado state assessments require an average of three to six hours, taking less than 1.5% of student instructional time to complete. All other assessments are determined at the local building level. | | | | | WHAT SCORE(S) WILL MY CHILD RECEIVE? | | | Your child will receive a Student Performance Report with a performance level and score to indicate your child’s overall performance on the assessment in the content area tested. Subscale scores are provided to indicate how well your child performed in each standard. | | | | School, district, and state averages are included in the report so that you can compare your child’s performance to the performance of others. | | | | --- | --- | --- | | | | HOW WILL THESE SCORES BE USED? | | CMAS results provide a picture of student performance to schools, districts, teachers, parents, and the community. Results show how students are progressing academically, which is a key component to ensuring students are on track to graduate prepared for college and career. Teachers use CMAS results to enhance instruction in order to meet individual student needs. Schools and districts use CMAS results to make adjustments to instructional programming for the following year. | | | |
| | ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | | We encourage you to be involved in your child’s education. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher for ways you can help your child at home and availability of testing accommodations.
More Information: CMAS
Visit:
􀁸 [http://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/generalinfo-parents](http://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/generalinfo-parents)
􀁸 Practice Tests: [https://co.testnav.com](https://co.testnav.com)
[More Information: Assessments](More Information: Assessments)
Visit:
􀁸 [http://assessments.dpsk12.org](http://assessments.dpsk12.org)
If you have questions or concerns about assessments, please contact your chi

FAQs

What is CMAS and what does it assess?

CMAS is the state summative assessment for language arts, math, science, and social studies. It is aligned to Colorado’s academic standards and helps gauge how well students are mastering them and are prepared for the next grade.

When is my child being tested under CMAS?

CMAS is given each spring to elementary and middle school students in specific grades and subjects. It is primarily an online test conducted during March and April, and the exact schedule varies by school.

What scores will my child receive and how can they be compared?

Your child receives a Student Performance Report with a performance level and score for the tested content area. Subscale scores show performance on each standard, and the report includes school, district, and state averages for comparison.

How will CMAS results be used by schools and teachers?

CMAS results provide a performance picture for schools, districts, teachers, parents, and the community. Schools and districts use results to adjust instructional programming, and teachers use them to enhance instruction to meet students’ individual needs.

Oct 2, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa