Testing in Colorado: An Overview
Does Colorado have a high school exit exam?
No, Colorado does not currently have a high school exit exam but does require that all grade 11 students take the ACT Assessment, a national examination. However, no particular score is needed for graduation.
Why do the test results matter?
Although the school with the highest test results is not necessarily the best school for your child, test results can help parents make decisions about where their child goes to school. Since Colorado teachers are required to review individual test results with parents, test results can help parents assess what their child needs to learn and inspire them to become more involved in their child's education.
Colorado test results provide an indication of whether students are making progress toward mastery of state content standards, and some districts may use test results as a means of determining promotion from one grade to the next. CSAP scores have the highest consequences in grade 3. A below-level CSAP reading score in grade 3 can contribute to a student either being held back in reading instruction or given an individualized literacy plan.
ACT results are reported on each student's transcript. ACT results can also be reported to colleges when applying for admission or scholarships.
Test results are important to schools because Colorado rates schools on the basis of CSAP and ACT results. These ratings can have substantial consequences. While excellent schools are eligible to receive additional funds, chronically under-performing schools are given three years to improve, during which time they receive additional state resources to encourage improvement. If they continue to perform inadequately, they may be converted to charter schools.
It is important to be aware of both your child's score on the assessments and the overall scores for her school. If your child scores below the standards, contact the teacher to discuss getting additional assistance, and to find out how you can support your child's learning at home. If the school's overall scores are low, ask what steps the school is taking to raise achievement levels for all students, and what you as a parent can do to help.
What are my options if my child is in a school with a low rating and low test results?
Under Colorado's Open Enrollment Plan, Colorado students have the option to enroll in a different school. Open enrollment policies may vary according to the district your school is in. Generally, students can enroll in another school in the district, as long as there is space available. Students also have the option to enroll in magnet or charter schools.
What happens to schools with low ratings and test results?
Beginning in 2001-2002, Colorado began rating schools on the basis of test results, making schools rated "excellent" eligible for additional funds and monitoring the progress of under-performing schools. In addition, in July 2004, an education reform plan - Colorado Senate Bill 186 - was signed into law requiring the state of Colorado to assign a letter grade to every school based on students' performance on the CSAP. Low-performing schools can obtain assistance from the Colorado Department of Education in the development of a School Improvement Plan. After three years, consistently low-performing schools will be turned into charter schools.
According to the federal No Child Left Behind law, schools must demonstrate "adequate yearly progress" towards meeting state standards for all students. Schools that consistently fail to comply risk losing federal Title I funding. Schools that are rated at the unsatisfactory level on the CSAP for three years in a row will have to submit to intervention by the state. Children in failing or unsatisfactory schools have the right to transfer to a better-performing school in the district, and obtain tutoring and other supplemental services.
