Colorado Measures of Academic Success

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 English language arts (ELA) and mathematics assessment questions were originally developed as a result of a collaboration between The Colorado Department of Education and PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers). The Colorado Department of Education has worked with Colorado educators to develop state specific test items to appear on CMAS ELA and math assessments, starting in Spring 2019. CMAS science, social studies, and the Spanish language arts assessments were developed by a collaboration between The Colorado Department of Education, testing contractor Pearson, and Colorado educators.

The state of Colorado provides alternate assessments in the same content areas as CMAS – language arts, math, and science. Visit the CoALT page for information about these alternate assessments.

Administration Details

CMAS Assessment	Tested Grade	Who is required to test?	Testing Dates
Mathematics	3-8	All	March 20 – April 28¹
English Language Arts (ELA)	3-8	All	March 20 – April 28¹
Spanish Language Arts (CSLA)	3, 4	Identified ELs	March 20 – April 28^{1, 2}
Science	5, 8, 11	All	April 10 – April 28^{3, 4}
Social Studies⁵

Administration Window 2022-23

The official CMAS testing window is April 10-April 28, however earlier testing is available for specific assessments and grades.

Results

CMAS Results: School/District

Find assessment results for your child’s school or district.

CMAS Results: Individual

Find assessment results for your child. (under “Student Assessments” on your Parent Portal homepage)

CMAS Performance Levels and Policy Claims including Cut Scores: ELA/Math | Science/Social Studies

The official CMAS testing window is April 10-April 28. An early testing window is available for specific assessments and grades. Details below.
¹Pending approval by CDE, schools may begin online testing for Mathematics and ELA (including CSLA) as early as March 20. All testing must be complete by April 29.
²Students who take CSLA do not also take ELA.
³Science for elementary and middle schools may only be administered from April 10-April 28.
⁴High Schools may request to opt-in to an early science testing window of April 3-April 21. All testing must be complete by April 21 for approved opt-in schools.
⁵Social studies will not be administered in 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of CMAS?

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 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.

Who takes CMAS?

CMAS is given to students in the following grades and subjects:

English language arts (Grades 3-8). A Spanish Language Arts test, known as CSLA, is given in place of the English language arts test to identified 3rd and 4th grade English language learners.
Mathematics (Grades 3-8)
Science (Grade 5, 8, 11)
*Social studies will not be administered in 2023.

How will students be tested?

CMAS is primarily administered online. There is a paper/pencil option available for students testing with accommodations, or for schools with technology limitations.

How can we prepare our students for CMAS?

CMAS measures skills and knowledge that students have been learning throughout the school year. Through classroom instruction, teachers often provide students with multiple experiences taking this type of assessment. Visit this website for practice tests and instructional resources to help teachers and students prepare for CMAS.

When will CMAS results be available?

Results are released by the state in early Fall with schools sending home Student Performance Reports (SPRs) shortly thereafter.

Resources

CMAS Performance Levels and Policy Claims including Cut Scores
ELA/Math | Science/Social Studies

Understanding the Score Report

CMAS 2021 Results: What Parents Need to Know

General Assessment Resources
Assessment Purposes and District Policies
DPS Assessment Strategy
Assessment Window Calendar

Opting Out of Assessments

A Parent’s Guide to Opting Out in the Parent Portal

Families who wish to excuse their student from participation in one or more of the state assessments may do so by filling out the district’s opt-out application in Parent Portal from October to February. You may still opt out by scheduling an appointment with your principal or AP and request the Assessment Participation Exemption form to be printed off for you to sign (if your student has not begun taking tests). You may also write a letter and bring it with you to the meeting. If you have more than one child, you will need to fill out the form or write a letter for each child to opt out.

We encourage our students to participate in all assessments because they provide valuable information to families and educators that show whether students have mastered grade-level content and are on track to graduate prepared for the 21st century. Results from these assessments inform where Denver Public Schools can improve curriculum, instruction and leadership in order to ensure that every child receives an equitable education and is on a path to success.