CMAS - Mathematics, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies Assessments

Spring 2024 Resources

• Spring 2024 CMAS and CoAlt Procedures Manual
• Colorado Assessments Portal
• PearsonAccess^next
• CMAS and CoAlt Critical Dates

Contact

Sara Loerzel
Assessment Division
loerzel_s@cde.state.co.us

Find your district's state assessment contact for CMAS support: Statewide Directory

Get Involved!

Educator participation is critical to Colorado's state assessment development and validation process. Colorado educators may serve on committees related to the following state assessments:

• Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS): Science, Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy (including CSLA)
• Colorado Alternate Assessment (CoAlt): Science

State Assessment Development Flyer

Register for assessment development committee selection.

Spring 2024 CMAS Administration Information

View CMAS administration dates on the General Information page.

Training

• Spring 2024 CMAS and CoAlt Procedures Manual - PDF
• Test Administrator Manuals

• Guidance on Eligibility for Assessments in Spanish - PDF
• Parent Excuse from State Assessment Participation Coding Guidance - PDF
• Spring 2024 CMAS and CoAlt Student Registration/Personal Needs Profile (SR/PNP) Field Definitions and File Layout - PDF

Mathematics Assessments

• Students in grades 3-8 take the grade level math assessment for their enrolled grade.
• Calculator Policy - PDF

English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA) Assessments

• Students in grades 3-8 take the grade level ELA assessment for their enrolled grade.
• Colorado Spanish Language Arts (CSLA) is an accommodated version of the ELA assessment available to qualifying students in grades 3 and 4.

Science Assessments

• Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 take the grade level science assessment for their enrolled grade.

CMAS Performance Levels, Cut Scores, and Test Design

Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs)

PLDs provide details about the specific grade-level content area concepts and skills typically demonstrated by students within a CMAS performance level. The met and exceeded expectations levels are considered on track to being college and career ready.

Performance Level Cut Scores

Students taking CMAS assessments receive an overall scale score. During the standard setting process, educators used scale scores to set cuts for each performance level based on the specific content that students should be able to engage with at each performance level.

Test Design

Information such as frameworks, high level blueprints, scoring rubrics, and evidence statements and standards that appear on the CMAS assessments.

State Assessment Accommodations

Accommodations are practices and procedures that provide equitable access during instruction and assessment for students who have a documented need, including students with a disability and English learners. In order to use accommodations on state testing, accommodations must be documented in the student’s IEP, 504, or EL plan. Additional information is available on the state assessment accommodations webpage.

Information relating to the use of accommodations during instruction is found on the CDE Office of Special Education webpage. 

Additional CMAS Resources

Student and Educator Resources​

Technical Reports

Training

CDE Data Privacy & Security Policy

Archive Page

Any materials archived from previous administrations are not to be used during testing or training. 

• Archive (2018-2024)
• Math and ELA (including PARCC) (2015-2017)
• Science and social studies (2014-2017)