Colorado Assessment Literacy Program

The Colorado Assessment Literacy Program offers tools and resources aimed at supporting educators’ efforts to expand their understanding of the varied purposes and uses of assessment information and guiding instruction to improve student engagement and learning. The program includes resources that help to build capacity across districts, align and develop sustainable, local assessment systems. Local assessment systems include classroom, district, and state assessments as well as formative assessment practices.

In addition, the program helps educators design, implement and use assessments effectively to guide and support instruction, and make important programmatic and resource decisions that benefit all students. Educators who complete the program have a better understanding of how to strategically use assessment information to improve instructional outcomes for all students.

Assessment Literacy Professional Learning Modules

These FREE online Professional Learning Modules are designed for educators to participate individually or as a team and provide the opportunity for educators to engage in a variety of activities that can be applied directly in the classroom. Upon completion of this program, educators will have a better understanding of how to strategically use assessment information to improve instructional outcomes for all students.
To access the modules visit the Professional Learning Modules web page and set up an account. 

Creating Meaningful Classroom Assessments - Workshop 

District leaders, school leaders, and teachers continue to move student learning forward as they focus on high quality instruction and assessment practices that align to the Colorado Academic Standards. As a means to support these efforts, CDE has worked with Colorado educators and curriculum, instruction and assessment experts to develop the Creating Meaningful Classroom Assessments workshop for teachers and leaders. The workshop focuses on high quality assessment design, the elements of the assessment process, the purpose and value of learning goals and success criteria, resources available to educators, collaboratively analyzing assessment data, and determining the status of classroom assessment practices in the district/school/classroom. CDE is looking to fulfill our vision of building the capacity of Colorado educators to grow and sustain high-quality, local assessment practices in Colorado schools and districts. This workshop provides specific training and targeted strategies for how participants can train others to move toward a more coherent assessment system that is focused on student engagement and learning.

To schedule a workshop and/or request workshop materials, contact Angela Landrum at landrum_a@cde.state.co.us or 303-866-6931. 

Assessment Resource Bank

The Assessment Resource Bank contains assessments and assessment review and development tools to support Colorado educators in the evaluation of student learning. The assessments include examples of high-quality assessments aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards for all grades and content areas. These assessments are intended to serve as models for local assessment selection and development that more directly measure student learning as aligned to local curriculum. The Assessment Review Tool evaluates the rigor and alignment of local and district assessments to the Colorado Academic Standards.
Visit the Assessment Resource Bank.  

Assessment Design Toolkit

The Center on Standards & Assessment Implementation collaborated with the Reform Support Network to share this Assessment Design Toolkit. The toolkit includes videos and supplemental materials to help teachers write and select well-designed assessments. Although the primary audience is teachers and principals, district and state leaders can use the toolkit to design professional development opportunities.
View the Assessment Design Toolkit. 

Formative Assessment Insights Course

The Colorado Department of Education, in partnership with WestEd, created an innovative professional learning experience for teachers that improves their use of formative assessment practices to support deeper learning for all students. This course has an interactive platform that provides teachers the opportunities to learn with like-minded colleagues in their own school and in other schools around the country and apply their learning through demonstrations or modeling and practice.
Visit the Formative Assessment Insights Course to learn more.