Purpose of State Testing

State content assessments, such as CMAS, give families and schools important information about how students are progressing toward the Colorado Academic Standards.

While one assessment does not tell the whole story of a student’s learning, these assessments provide a consistent way to look at student achievement across classrooms, schools, districts, and the state.

At Rocky Heights Middle School

Our goal is not simply to prepare students for a test. Our goal is to help every Nighthawk grow, learn, and develop the skills they need to be successful.

State assessment results give us another opportunity to reflect on what our students know, where they are growing, and where we can continue to improve our support and instruction.

Thank you for partnering with us in supporting our students!

What do these assessments help us understand?

📚 How students are progressing toward standards
State assessments provide one measure of how well students are demonstrating the knowledge and skills outlined in the Colorado Academic Standards.

📊 How our students compare
Results give families and educators a broader perspective by allowing student and school performance to be viewed alongside district and state results.

🎯 Where students may need additional support
Teachers and school leaders use assessment information, along with classroom performance and other data, to identify areas where students may benefit from additional instruction, practice, or support.

🏫 How we can improve our school
Assessment results help us look for patterns and trends across grade levels and content areas. This information can inform instructional planning, curriculum decisions, and how we use resources to support students.

💜 A piece of the bigger picture
Most importantly, state assessments are just one piece of information about a student. We also consider classroom learning, student growth, teacher feedback, attendance, engagement, and other measures when we think about how students are doing.