Advanced Placement (AP) standardized data is used to measure a student’s mastery of college-level course content, allowing universities to award college credit or advanced placement

Grades: 9 – 12

Requirement Level: District – student-led decision

Estimated Time Required: Varies by exam – approximately 3-4 hours

Assessment Date: May 3 – 14, 2027

How Results are Used: Data is used to measure a student’s mastery of college-level course content

WIDA ACCESS is a large-scale English language proficiency assessment given annually to kindergarten through 12th graders who have been identified as English Learners (EL) to monitor students’ progress in learning academic English.

Grade(s): K-12

Requirement Level: Federal/State Required Assessment

Estimated Time Required: Kindergarten (1 hour); Grades 1-12 (approximately 3.5 hours)

Assessment Window: January 11, 2027 – February 11, 2027

How Results are Used: It provides educators and parents with information about the English language proficiency level in the language domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.

Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) includes assessments for English language arts (ELA), math, science, and social studies.

Grades: 3-8 and 11

Requirement Level: State

Estimated Time Required: Varies by exam and grade level

English Language Arts (3 – 8): approximately 4.5 hrs

Math: approximately (3 – 8) 2.5 – 3 hours

Science (5, 8 & 11): approximately 2 hours

Social Studies (4 & 7): approximately 2 hours

Assessment Date: May 3 – 14, 2027

How Results are Used: Provides a picture of student academic progress to schools, districts, teachers, parents, and the community.

CoAlt alternate assessment program is designed to measure what students with significant cognitive disabilities know and can do in science and social studies. This is the alternate assessment replacement for CMAS science and social studies.

Grades: 4, 5, 7, 8, 11 (Science: 5, 8, 11 and Social Studies: 4, 7)

Requirement Level: Federal/State

Estimated Time Required: Approximately 1 hour

Assessment Date: April 5 – April 23

How Results are Used: Provides a common measure of academic achievement for students with significant cognitive disabilities in science and social studies.

Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) alternate assessment program is designed to measure what students with significant cognitive disabilities know and can do in English language arts and math. This is the alternate assessment replacement for CMAS, PSAT and SAT.

Grades: 3-11

Requirement Level: Federal/State

Estimated Time Required: Approx. 15 mins per testlet (6–9 testlets total, depending on independence level of student)

Assessment Date: April 5 – April 23

How Results are Used: Provides a common measure of academic achievement for students with significant cognitive disabilities in math and English language arts.

The SAT serves as a standard curriculum-based college entrance exam measuring overall college and career readiness.

Grade: 11

Requirement Level: Federal/State Required Assessment

Estimated Time Required: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes

Assessment Date: April 13, 2027

How Results are Used: Utilized in high school academic advising, college recruitment/admissions, course placement, and merit scholarships.

The PSAT evaluates college and career readiness and serves as structured preparation for the 11th-grade SAT.

Grades: 9 and 10

Requirement Level: Federal/State Required Assessment

Estimated Time Required: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes

Assessment Date: April 14, 2027

How Results are Used: Identifies core baseline knowledge, skills, and conceptual understandings essential for post-secondary readiness.

The PSAT/NMSQT is the PSAT qualifying test for the National Merit® Scholarship Program

Grade: 11

Requirement Level: District

Estimated Time Required: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes

Assessment Date: October 7, 2026

How Results are Used: The National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) data is primarily used to screen high school juniors for National Merit scholarships and recognition, while providing educators with a diagnostic tool to assess college readiness and identify gaps in core academic standards

DIBELS 8th (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) is a set of procedures and measures for assessing the acquisition of literacy skills.

Grade: Kindergarten

Requirement Level: State/District (READ Act) and then students in grades 1 – 8 identified with a READ Plan

Estimated Time Required: Approximately 30 minutes per assessment window

Assessment Date:

Fall: August 18 – September 4

Winter: November 30 – December 18

Spring: May 3-May 20

How Results are Used: Data is used to support identification of early literacy skill development and satisfies READ Act mandated literacy requirements by the state.

i-Ready is an adaptive diagnostic assessment that pinpoints students’ needs down to the sub-skill level in math and reading.

Grade(s): 1-8;

Requirement Level: State/District Required Assessment

Grades 1-3 Reading (State READ ACT Assessment)

Grades 4-8 Reading and 1-8 math (District Assessment)

Estimated Time Required: Approximately 45–120 mins dependent upon grade level

Assessment Window:

Fall: August 18 – September 4

Winter: November 30 – December 18

Spring: May 3-May 20

How Results are Used: Data is analyzed by educators, school and district leaders to guide instruction, and to support the identification of small-group and individualized student needs. The data is also used to monitor progress of both student achievement and growth throughout the year.

CogAT/NGAT are universal screeners assessments used to support identification of students with exceptional cognitive abilities. The screeners contribute to a body of evidence for identifying students for gifted services or placement in talent development programming.

Grade(s): 2 & 5

Requirement Level: State Required Assessment

Estimated Time Required: This is completed through teacher observations only

Assessment Window: 2nd grade: September – October and 5th grade: October – November; varies by school

How Results are Used: The results contribute to a body of evidence for identifying students for gifted services or placement in talent development programming.

DRDP-K is an observation-based assessment that is designed to track a student’s kindergarten readiness and developmental progress.

Grade(s): K

Requirement Level: State Required Assessment (Kindergarten Readiness)

Estimated Time Required: observational; no direct student time

Assessment Window: First day of school through mid-October

How Results are Used: Teachers track and monitor a student’s kindergarten readiness and developmental progress