Families & Students

Additional Resources

Assessments

Colorado Early Colleges believes that assessments provide valuable information for students, parents, and teachers on whether students have mastered grade-level content and are on track to enroll in college level courses.

Each CEC school posts an assessment calendar with additional information. Assessment calendars can be found on the calendars page.

Parent/guardians may NOT opt their student(s) out of state required screeners/assessments, or local assessments such as MAPS and ACCUPLACER, which are used to determine class-level placement and college readiness. The list of which assessments all students must take, and which assessments parents/guardians can choose to opt their student(s) out of is included in CEC’s State and Local Assessment Administration policy.

If you have any questions or would like to opt your student(s) out of optional state assessments, please use the contact form located at the bottom of this page.

ACCUPLACER

ACCUPLACER is a series of tests that evaluate students’ skills in reading, writing, and math to help college administrators place them in courses that match their skills. ACCUPLACER supports students ready to start earning credits toward their degree as well as those who need to develop their skills before taking college-level courses. ACCUPLACER scores let students know where they stand academically, which makes it easier for them to plan a successful path toward a college degree.

Select a Link:

College Board – ACCUPLACER Home Page

College Board – ACCUPLACER For Students

College Board – ACCUPLACER Learning Resources

College Board – ACCUPLACER Sample Questions

CMAS

The Colorado Measures of Academic Success, known as CMAS, are the state’s common measurement of students’ progress at the end of the school year in English language arts, math and science. These assessments are developed collaboratively by the Colorado Department of Education, the assessment contractor Pearson and Colorado educators. Students who participate yearly have growth data each year, which is incredibly important for ensuring positive student outcomes.

Select a Link:

CDE – CMAS FAQ

NWEA / MAP

MAP Growth, part of the Growth Activation Solution from NWEA, is the most trusted and innovative assessment for measuring achievement and growth in K–12 math, reading, language usage, and science. It provides teachers with accurate, actionable evidence to help inform instructional strategies regardless of how far students are above or below grade level. It also connects to the largest set of instructional content providers, giving educators flexibility in curriculum choices.

Select a Link:

NWEA – Website

NWEA – MAP Suite

NWEA – Family Toolkit

PSAT / NMSQT / SAT

The PSAT and SAT exams, taken by Colorado’s ninth-, 10th- and 11th-graders, are aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards and offer free, high-quality practice tools and scholarship opportunities. Ninth-graders and 10th-graders take the PSAT and 11th-graders take the SAT as the state college-entrance exam.